British Open 2026 TV Schedule: How to Watch Round 1 of The Open Championship

Round 1 of the 2026 Open Championship tees off today, and if you're trying to figure out how to actually watch it, you're not alone — golf's oldest major has one of the trickiest broadcast schedules of the year thanks to the time difference and split coverage windows.

What Channel Is The Open On Today

In the U.S., early-morning and midday coverage of The Open Championship typically airs across NBC's family of networks — USA Network handles the bulk of early live coverage, with NBC stepping in for featured weekend windows and marquee tee times. Peacock streams the extended, ad-supported live coverage, including featured groups and hole-by-hole feeds that the linear broadcast doesn't have time for. If you're a cord-cutter, Peacock is genuinely your best bet for Round 1 since it covers more golf, earlier, without commercial interruptions on the featured group streams.

Start Times And Coverage Windows

Because The Open is played in the UK, first tee times fall in the very early morning U.S. hours — often before sunrise on the East Coast. Expect coverage to kick off before 4 a.m. ET and run through the early afternoon, giving you a long window to catch the leaders as the leaderboard takes shape. If you want the full field from the first tee shot, Peacock's live stream is where you'll want to start your day.

Live Streaming Options

Beyond Peacock, you can stream via the NBC Sports app and USANetwork.com if you have a participating cable or satellite login. Fubo also carries USA and NBC in most markets, making it a solid option for cord-cutters who want live TV without a traditional subscription. For UK viewers, Sky Sports Golf carries the full tournament, with the BBC offering highlights packages for those without a Sky subscription.

Why The Broadcast Split Matters

The Open's multi-network approach — USA early, NBC later, Peacock throughout — trips people up every year. The short version: Peacock is the one-stop option if you want everything, USA is your early-morning linear home, and NBC takes over for the biggest windows, including weekend final-round coverage. Round 1 is where the field is at its widest and storylines are still forming, so having the extended Peacock feed available matters if you want to track underdogs and past champions before the leaderboard narrows.

Bottom Line

If you only remember one thing: Peacock has the most complete Round 1 coverage, USA Network is your default cable channel for early live golf, and NBC steps in as the tournament progresses. Set an early alarm — this one starts before the sun comes up stateside.