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Alright, folks, it’s here. The grand finale. The moment we’ve all been waiting for. The 2026 U.S. Open at the notoriously tough Shinnecock Hills is wrapping up, and Sunday’s final round is where legends are made or, well, where dreams go to die. You need to know who’s teeing off when, right? No more guessing games. This is your intel drop for the entire Sunday schedule.
Look, the U.S. Open isn’t a walk in the park. It’s a beast. And Shinnecock? That’s the lion’s den. By the time Sunday rolls around, everyone’s beat up. The course has chewed ’em up and spit ’em out for three days straight. So, who’s got the grit to go the distance? Who’s going to fall apart? The tee times tell a story. The early starters are the ones trying to post a number, put some pressure on the guys playing later. The late pairings? That’s where the real drama unfolds. It’s a chess match, and you need to know the moves.
This year, like every U.S. Open, things get shaken up after Saturday’s play. The leaderboard dictates everything. The guys at the top? They get the prime-time slots, the spotlight, the chance to make their move when everyone’s watching. The guys at the bottom, the ones who just scraped through the cut? They’re out there early, trying to salvage something, anything, before it’s all over. It’s a brutal system, but it’s what makes the U.S. Open so damn compelling. You’re seeing the best and the… well, the ones who managed to hang on.
Let’s break down the madness. It’s not random. After Saturday’s third round wraps up, the powers-that-be get to work. They take the final scores, sort everyone out from lowest score to highest, and then they create the Sunday pairings. The absolute leaders, the ones in contention for the trophy, they’re the last ones out. They’ll be in the final group, teeing off in the late afternoon. It’s designed to build anticipation. You watch the early groups, see if anyone makes a charge, and then you tune in for the main event.
On the flip side, the players who barely made the cut, sitting way down the leaderboard? They’re the ones getting the alarm clocks set for some ungodly hour on Sunday morning. They’ll be the first ones out on the course, usually around 7:45 a.m. ET. It’s a stark contrast, isn’t it? The dreamers going out first, hoping for a miracle, and the contenders going out last, playing for glory. It’s a little bit of a Cinderella story mixed with the high-stakes pressure cooker.
Last year, for instance, the final pairing went off around 2:15 p.m. ET. The early birds? They were out there just after 7:50 a.m. ET. So, you can pretty much bank on a similar window this year. We’re looking at a full day of golf, from the first rays of sun to the shadows lengthening across Shinnecock Hills. It’s going to be a marathon, not a sprint, and whoever manages their energy, their nerves, and their game best is going to be the one hoisting that trophy.
So, you want to watch? Of course, you do. Here’s the lowdown on where to catch all the action. You’ve got your standard TV coverage, but don’t forget the digital options. Sometimes, the best stuff, the hidden gems, the players making quiet moves, are on the streams. It’s all about maximizing your golf fix.
The coverage usually kicks off around 9 a.m. ET on USA Network. That’s when you’ll get a good chunk of the early and mid-day action. But then, the big guns come out, and the broadcast shifts to NBC from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. ET. That’s your prime time for the contenders, the leaderboard battles, and hopefully, some dramatic swings.
And if you’re a hardcore fan, you’re going to want to hit up the online streams. Peacock, USOpen.com, and the USGA App are your best friends. They usually start rolling around 8 a.m. ET. You can catch featured groups, get a closer look at the players you’re most interested in, and sometimes, you get uninterrupted coverage without the commercials. Plus, Peacock will be streaming NBC’s broadcast, so you’ve got options. Don’t miss a single shot.
Alright, enough preamble. Here it is. The moment you’ve been waiting for. The complete list of who’s playing whom, and when they’re hitting the first tee on Sunday at the 2026 U.S. Open. Bookmark this, print it out, tattoo it on your forehead – whatever you need to do. This is your roadmap to Sunday golf glory.
Tee No. 1 Pairings:
Looking at these pairings, you can see the contenders lining up. We’ve got the usual suspects, the guys you expect to be in the mix. Scottie Scheffler and Wyndham Clark in the final group? That’s a heavyweight bout right there. Both have the game, both have the nerve – or at least they’ve shown it before. It’s going to be intense.
Then you look at the groups just before them. Rory McIlroy with Akshay Bhatia. Rory’s always a threat, always has that potential to unleash something special. Matt Fitzpatrick and Collin Morikawa? Two major champions, two guys who know how to grind. Tommy Fleetwood and Xander Schauffele? They’re both due, aren’t they? It feels like one of them is always knocking on the door. Jordan Spieth is out there too, in the mid-day groups. You can never count Spieth out in a major, especially when he’s got that look in his eye.
What about the young guns? Guys like Tom Kim and Sahith Theegala are in that late afternoon window. They’ve got nothing to lose, and that can be dangerous. They’re playing with freedom, and if they get hot, they can put the pressure on the veterans. And let’s not forget the amateurs. Seeing names like Eric Lee, Jackson Koivun, and Ryder Cowan out there is always cool. They’ve earned their spot, and it’s a massive learning experience for them. Who knows, maybe one of them pulls off a miracle round.
This place, Shinnecock Hills, it’s not just a golf course. It’s a legend. It’s one of the oldest, toughest tests in golf. The wind can whip up out there like nobody’s business, turning a straightforward hole into a nightmare. The greens are notoriously fast and undulating. Miss a green, and you’re looking at a bogey, maybe worse. It demands precision, patience, and a whole lot of mental fortitude. This isn’t the kind of course where you can just bomb it and forget about it. You have to think your way around.
The U.S. Open setup is always brutal. Thick rough, firm fairways, challenging pin positions. They want to find out who the real champions are. And Shinnecock? It’s the perfect stage for it. We’ve seen some incredible finishes here over the years, and this Sunday promises to be no different. Expect drama. Expect mistakes. Expect brilliance. That’s what you get at the U.S. Open.
If you’re looking to get a deeper understanding of the challenges presented by courses like Shinnecock Hills, it’s worth checking out resources that detail major championship course setups. Understanding how these courses are designed and tested can give you a new appreciation for what these golfers are up against. A great place to start might be the official U.S. Open website, which often provides insights into the course architecture and the championship’s history.
So, there you have it. The full rundown for Sunday at the 2026 U.S. Open. It’s going to be a day filled with tension, excitement, and probably a few expletives from the players. Who’s going to handle the pressure best? Who’s going to execute when it matters most? Will we see a new champion crowned, or will a familiar face add another major to their collection? All the answers will be revealed on the hallowed grounds of Shinnecock Hills. Get ready for a wild ride.