Photo by Lo Sarno on Unsplash Statistical analysis of amateur golf performance consistently reveals a counterintuitive finding: distance control errors on approach shots cost recreational golfers more strokes than directional errors, even though most golfers practice and worry about direction far more. The Statistical Pattern Shot-tracking data from systems used across recreational and competitive golf shows that amateur golfers are typically far more likely to miss an approach shot short or long of their intended distance than they are to miss significantly left or right of their intended line. A shot that's 15 yards short or long frequently finds trouble — a bunker, water, or simply a much longer subsequent putt — in a way that a shot 10 yards left or right of the pin, but still on the green, does not. Why This Happens Directional misses are usually caused by face-to-path errors, covered in our ball flight laws article , which tend to be relatively consistent for an individual g...
The 2026 Open Championship at Royal Birkdale runs July 16-19 in Southport, England. Because the tournament takes place in the UK, US viewers need to be aware of the time difference — coverage begins in the middle of the night and early morning US time. Here is the complete guide to watching every round, including how to watch live, what channels carry it, and the free options available.
The Time Difference Challenge
Royal Birkdale is on British Summer Time (BST), which is five hours ahead of Eastern Time. The first tee shots at Birkdale go off at approximately 6:30 AM local time — which is 1:30 AM ET. For US viewers who want to watch live from the first shot, this means setting an alarm for the early hours of the morning. The main US broadcast window typically begins at 4:00 AM ET and runs through mid-afternoon Eastern time when the leaders finish.
What Channel Is The Open On in the US
Peacock: from 1:30 AM ET all four days — Early live coverage and Featured Groups streaming. Peacock carries the most comprehensive live content from the start of play
USA Network: 4:00 AM – 3:00 PM ET (Thursday/Friday) — Main broadcast on weekday rounds
NBC: 7:00 AM ET through conclusion (Saturday/Sunday) — Weekend main broadcast. Free over the air with a digital antenna
Golf Channel: Evening recap shows — Live From The Open studio coverage
Full Schedule (All Times US Eastern)
Thursday July 16 — Round 1
1:30 AM: Early coverage begins — Peacock
4:00 AM: Main Round 1 broadcast — USA Network, Peacock
Evening: Live From The Open — Golf Channel
Friday July 17 — Round 2
1:30 AM: Early coverage begins — Peacock
4:00 AM: Main Round 2 broadcast — USA Network, Peacock
Evening: Live From The Open — Golf Channel
Saturday July 18 — Round 3
1:30 AM: Early coverage begins — Peacock
7:00 AM: Main Round 3 broadcast — NBC, Peacock
Evening: Live From The Open — Golf Channel
Sunday July 19 — Final Round
1:30 AM: Early coverage begins — Peacock
7:00 AM: Main Final Round broadcast — NBC, Peacock
Afternoon: Claret Jug ceremony — NBC, Peacock
How to Watch Without Cable
NBC is free over the air with a digital antenna — covering the essential Saturday and Sunday main broadcast windows. Peacock ($7.99/month) carries comprehensive coverage including Featured Groups from 1:30 AM. YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, FuboTV, and DirecTV Stream all carry NBC and USA Network. Most services offer free trials — timing a trial around Open Championship week is a legitimate strategy for cord-cutters.
The Best Strategy for US Viewers
If you want to watch live from the start: set your alarm for 1:30 AM and use Peacock. If you want the main broadcast experience: watch USA Network from 4:00 AM on weekdays and NBC from 7:00 AM on the weekend. If you only have time for the highlights: Golf Channel's evening recap shows cover the essential moments of each day. And if you want to watch the championship conclusion live on Sunday, set your alarm for 7:00 AM ET — the leaders should be finishing between noon and 2:00 PM ET depending on pace of play.
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