A thrilling 2026 golf season has reached its final major with The Open Championship continuing its 154th playing this week at Royal Birkdale in Southport, England. The oldest golf tournament in the world returned to Birkdale for the first time in nine years with the Claret Jug set to be awarded on site Sunday for the 11th time.
While Scottie Scheffler entered as the reigning Champion Golfer of the Year, the world No. 1 had been more of a runner-up than a champion in 2026. However, he got off to a solid start in the first round, and should he find some consistency over the next 54 holes, a back-to-back effort at The Open is certainly possible. Rory McIlroy came close to supplanting him as the favorite entering The Open, but he was unable to maintain his momentum from the Scottish Open. Missing the cut is certainly a possibility for McIlroy, who was one of many golfers truly tested by the unpredictable Royal Birkdale on Thursday.
The Open's return to England is a welcome move for a variety of notable English contenders, some of whom are having tremendous seasons. An Englishman has not been named Champion Golfer of the Year since Nick Faldo in 1992, but the likes of Matt Fitzpatrick, Tommy Fleetwood and Justin Rose are looking to change that.
While attending The Open Championship is undoubtedly a memorable experience, simply watching golf on one of the game's grandest stages each year is an incredible treat. CBSSports.com is thrilled to bring you wall-to-wall coverage of The Open all week, including complete 2026 Open tee times and pairings for Round 2 on Friday and a full breakdown of The Open purse, which has been increased to $17.5 million this year.
Enough talking about it. Here's how you can watch as much of The Open as possible between now and Sunday. Be sure to stick with CBS Sports for live coverage throughout the final major of 2026.
All times Eastern
2026 Open Championship TV schedule
Round 2 -- Friday, July 17
Round 2 start time: 1:30 a.m. [Tee times]
Open live stream: 1:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Peacock
TV coverage: 4 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on USA Network
Round 3 -- Saturday, July 18
Round 3 start time: 5 a.m.
Open live stream: 5 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Peacock
Early TV coverage: 5-7 a.m. on USA Network
TV coverage: 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. on NBC, Fubo (Try for free)
Round 4 -- Sunday, July 19
Round 4 start time: 4 a.m.
Open live stream: 4 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Peacock
Early TV coverage: 4-7 a.m. on USA Network
TV coverage: 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. on NBC, Fubo (Try for free)
Who will win the 2026 Open Championship, and which longshots will stun the golfing world? Visit SportsLine now to see the projected leaderboard, all from the model that's nailed 17 golf majors heading into the weekend, including the past five Masters, and find out.
