Sam Burns is in pole position to win The Open 2026 after producing a third-round 65 to move to 10-under. The American has a two-shot lead over South Korea's Si Woo Kim and Australia's Ryan Fox, who took advantage of calm conditions early in the day to post an eight-under 62.
Lucas Herbert posted a one-over 71 and shares fourth with Ryan Gerard on 7-under, while Bryson DeChambeau are in a group one shot further back. England's hopes are led by Tommy Fleetwood who bogeyed two of his last four holes to fall five strokes back.
You can watch The Open 2026 live streams from anywhere with a VPN.
The Open 2026 takes place from Thursday, July 16 to Sunday, June 19
► Thursday start time: 6:35 a.m. BST / 1:35 a.m. ET / 3:35 p.m. AEST
• Free Stream — R&A TV (featured groups only)
• U.S. — NBC, USA, Peacock
• U.K. — Sky Sports
• AUS — Kayo Sports (7-day FREE trial)
• Watch anywhere — try NordVPN 100% risk free
Over the last few seasons, it has been Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy who have headed into every major as the pre-tournament favorites. However, this year the world’s top two both arrive in Southport with some concerns over the shape of their game.
Defending champion Scheffler missed his first cut in 78 tournaments at the Scottish Open last week, while McIlroy struggled in the third round and could be heard describing himself as 'so bad at golf' despite a final round of 64 that saw him finish tied for fifth.
Should they not be at their best, then there are a host of contenders who will hope to take advantage. South Korea’s Tom Kim was back to his very best as he claimed victory at the Scottish Open; American Chris Gotterup arrives having won three PGA Tour titles this year; and Wyndham Clark tied fourth last year and has since won the U.S. Open.
Brian Harman is also in stellar form and previously won The Open when it was last held on Merseyside in 2023. Then there’s hometown hero Tommy Fleetwood who has finished no worse than 14th in his last five tournaments, while fellow Englishman Matt Fitzpatrick has won three times on the PGA Tour this year and finished tied third at The Renaissance Club last weekend.
Below is a complete guide on where to watch 2026 The Open live streams, together with U.S. broadcast schedules and international TV channels.
Can I watch The Open 2026 for free?
R&A TV have limited free coverage with four featured groups a day to stream at no cost.
Alternatively, free trials from Fubo, YouTube TV and DirecTV Stream can provide access for the full tournament to NBC and USA Network.
There's also Kayo Sports' 7-day free trial for access in Australia.
Overseas? Use a VPN to access your usual service from anywhere in the world, with full instructions how to do so below.
Watch The Open 2026 from anywhere
Away from home at the moment and blocked from watching the golf on your usual subscription?
You can still watch The Open live thanks to the wonders of a VPN (Virtual Private Network). The software can make your devices appear to be back in your home country regardless of where you are, making it ideal for viewers away on vacation or on business. Our favorite is NordVPN — we explain why in our NordVPN review.
Using a VPN is incredibly simple.
1. Download and install a VPN — as we say, our top choice is NordVPN.
2. Choose the location you wish to connect to in the VPN app. For instance, if you're in the U.S. and want to view an Aussie service, you'd select Australia from the list.
3. Sit back and enjoy the action. Head to your usual streaming service and watch The Open 2026 golf.
How to watch The Open 2026 in the U.S.
U.S. TV coverage of the U.S. Open is split between NBC and the USA Network, with the Peacock streaming service showing every minute of NBC coverage online. The TV splits are as follows (times in ET):
- Thursday-Friday: 1:30-4 a.m. (NBC Sports Network/Peacock); 4 a.m.-3:30 p.m. (USA)
- Saturday: 5-7 a.m. (USA), 7 a.m.-3 p.m. (NBC/Peacock)
- Sunday: 4-7 a.m. (USA), 7 a.m.-2 p.m. (NBC/Peacock)
If you already have these channels as part of your cable TV package, then you're all set.
If not, try a cord-cutting TV service such as our favorite Sling TV. Its Blue plan starts from $45.99/month and includes both channels (with NBC available in select markets). And there's a half-price discount for new users, too.
Fubo (5-day free trial) is another cord-cutting streaming service through which you'll be able to watch the US Open. Subscriptions start at $73.99/month though so if you're looking for a bargain head to Sling TV. YouTube TV and Hulu + Live TV are other alternatives.
Anyone outside of the States who wants to watch their home golf coverage can try NordVPN and follow the instructions above to live stream all the US Open action safely.
How to watch The Open 2026 in Canada
The Open is being broadcast on TSN channels in Canada, which means you can also watch golf live streams on the TSN Plus streaming platform costing C$29.99/month for their Direct package.
If you're outside Canada but have a subscription, you can watch The Open live streams using a VPN, such as NordVPN.
How to watch The Open 2026 in the U.K.
Sky Sports' Main Event and Golf channels are the exclusive place to watch golf including The Open 2026 in the U.K. Prices start from £20/month.
Don't fancy being locked into a long, expensive contract? You could consider a more flexible Now Sports Membership. Day passes cost £14.99, or a rolling monthly subscription is £34.99.
Alternatively, wait until the evening when BBC Two and BBC iPlayer will broadcast an hour-long highlights package of the day's play.
To access your usual streaming service from outside the U.K, you'll need to download a good VPN, as detailed above.
How to watch The Open 2026 live streams in Australia
The live action from The Open 2026 is being shown on Fox Sports 503 on TV in Australia.
Don't have Foxtel and don't want to subscribe? Specialist streaming service Kayo Sports will also be showing The Open 2026 golf live streams with its affordable, commitment-free plans starting from $30/month. There's also a 7-day FREE trial (or your first month for $1) for anybody who hasn't used the service before.
Not in Australia right now? You can simply use a VPN like NordVPN to watch all the action on your Foxtel or Kayo account as if you were back home.
How to watch The Open 2026 live streams in New Zealand
Kiwis can access The Open 2026 live streams via Sky Sport Now. This costs from $59.99/month or $549.99/year, with a daily price of $29.99 also available.
Those looking to watch the golf major on TV, this tournament will be shown on Sky Sport 1.
If you're traveling outside New Zealand right now, you can still follow every shot by using a reputable VPN service, such as NordVPN.
The Open Round 3 times
All times in ET and R1/R2
4:10 a.m. – Jack McDonald, Russell Henley
4:20 a.m. – Min Woo Lee, Ryo Hisatsune
4:30 a.m. – Jose Luis Ballester Barrio, Kazuki Higa
4:40 a.m. – Marcus Plunkett, Naoyuki Kataoka
4:50 a.m. – Peter Uihlein, Brooks Koepka
5:00 a.m. – Aldrich Potgieter, Keegan Bradley
5:10 a.m. – Alex Noren, Alex Smalley
5:20 a.m. – Rickie Fowler, Max Homa
5:30 a.m. – Ryan Fox, Xander Schauffele
5:45 a.m. – Kristoffer Reitan, Marco Penge
5:55 a.m. – Casey Jarvis, Kurt Kitayama
6:05 a.m. – Laurie Canter, Sahith Theegala
6:15 a.m. – Michael Brennan, Eugenio Chacarra
6:25 a.m. – Eric Cole, MJ Daffue
6:35 a.m. – Kazuma Kobori, Nick Taylor
6:45 a.m. – Justin Thomas, Hideki Matsuyama
6:55 a.m. – Ben Griffin, Hennie du Plessis
7:10 a.m. – Andy Sullivan, Patrick Cantlay
7:20 a.m. – Jacob Bridgeman, Rory McIlroy
7:30 a.m. – Jesper Svensson, Shaun Norris
7:40 a.m. – John Parry, Michael Thorbjornsen
7:50 a.m. – Jordan Smith, Sungjae Im
8:00 a.m. – Matthew Southgate, Nico Echavarria
8:10 a.m. – Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen, Collin Morikawa
8:20 a.m. – Adam Scott, Chris Gotterup
8:35 a.m. – Patrick Reed, Johnny Keefer
8:45 a.m. – Corey Conners, Sepp Straka
8:55 a.m. – Tyrrell Hatton, Victor Perez
9:05 a.m. – Daniel Brown, Cameron John
9:15 a.m. – Ludvig Åberg, Shane Lowry
9:25 a.m. – JJ Spaun, Pierceson Coody
9:35 a.m. – Jon Rahm, Tommy Fleetwood
9:45 a.m. – Scottie Scheffler, Francesco Molinari
10:00 a.m. – Alex Fitzpatrick, Robert MacIntyre
10:10 a.m. – Thomas Detry, Bud Cauley
10:20 a.m. – Matt Wallace, Si Woo Kim
10:30 a.m. – Bryson DeChambeau, Sam Burns
10:40 a.m. – Ryan Gerard, Cameron Young
10:50 a.m. – Jackson Suber, Lucas Herbert
More from Tom's Guide
- How to watch World Cup 2026: live stream every game
- The best streaming VPNs
- ChatGPT analyzed the world’s best golf swings — here's what it found
We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad. We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.
