Wyndham Championship 2026: Your Ultimate Guide to Round 1 Tee Times and What's at Stake
Alright, let’s talk golf. The final stretch. The last dance before the real madness begins. The Wyndham Championship. This isn’t just another tournament; it’s the do-or-die event for a whole bunch of guys trying to sneak into the FedEx Cup playoffs. If you’re a golf fan, you know what that means. Drama. High stakes. And some seriously intense golf. We’re talking about Sedgefield Country Club in North Carolina, and it’s about to get wild.This is the last chance saloon, folks. For some of these players, their entire season comes down to these four days. You’ve got guys fighting for their tour cards, others trying to make a last-gasp run at glory. And then you’ve got the big names who, for whatever reason, are in a pickle and need a massive performance. It’s the kind of stuff that makes golf so damn compelling, isn’t it?
The Playoff Picture: Who's In, Who's Out, and Who's Screwed
So, who’s really feeling the heat? Well, let’s start with Keegan Bradley. This guy, a former Ryder Cup captain no less, is currently sitting outside the playoff picture. Can you believe it? After a solid year last season, he’s 72nd in the standings. He needs to climb to 70th just to get into the FedEx St. Jude Championship. That’s not a lot of breathing room. One bad bounce, one missed putt, and his playoff hopes could be toast. It’s brutal.And it’s not just Keegan. You’ve got other big hitters like Brooks Koepka, Jason Day, and Tony Finau. These guys are used to being in contention, but right now, they’re in a must-win or must-come-damn-close situation. Imagine the pressure. They’ve got the talent, no question, but can they deliver when it matters most? It’s going to be fascinating to watch.
Round 1: Who's Teed Up When and With Whom?
Alright, let’s get down to the nitty-gritty. You want to know who’s playing and when, right? Here’s the lowdown on the Thursday tee times. It’s a long list, so buckle up.
Tee No. 1 - Morning Wave
The early risers are getting after it. We’re talking about guys like Austin Eckroat, Matti Schmid, and Jordan Smith kicking things off at 6:50 a.m. Then it just keeps rolling. Erik van Rooyen, Pierceson Coody, and Hank Lebioda are up next.You’ve got Camilo Villegas, Adam Svensson, and Kevin Roy at 7:12 a.m. Then things get interesting with Adam Schenk, Michael Brennan, and none other than Tony Finau at 7:23 a.m. Finau’s got a lot to prove this week, so keep an eye on him.Later in the morning, you’ll see Aldrich Potgieter, Joe Highsmith, and Maverick McNealy. Brian Campbell, Kevin Yu, and Kevin Streelman are also in the mix.And for those of you who like to follow the marquee groups early, mark your calendars for 7:56 a.m. That’s when Stefano Mazzoli, Ricky Castillo, and Cam Davis are set to go.The morning continues with Matt McCarty, Billy Horschel, and Aaron Wise. Beau Hossler, Christiaan Bezuidenhout, and Ben Silverman are also scheduled. Brice Garnett, David Lipsky, and Ben Kohles will be out there too.Then we’ve got Jackson Suber, Gordon Sargent, and Luke Clanton. Kristoffer Ventura, Hayden Springer, and John Parry round out the early wave.
Tee No. 1 - Afternoon Wave
As the day heats up, so does the competition. The afternoon starters begin at 12:10 p.m. with Mackenzie Hughes, Andrew Putnam, and Doug Ghim.Matt Wallace, Keith Mitchell, and Chandler Phillips are up next. Michael Kim, Patrick Rodgers, and Max Greyserman will be teeing off at 12:32 p.m.Then comes a group with some serious pedigree: Brandt Snedeker, Andrew Novak, and Stephan Jaeger.At 12:54 p.m., we’ve got Jackson Koivun, Hideki Matsuyama, and Sahith Theegala. Matsuyama and Theegala are always a treat to watch.And for one of the most anticipated tee times of the day, at 1:05 p.m., it’s Ryan Gerard, Jason Day, and Jordan Spieth. Talk about a group with star power! Day and Spieth, like Finau, need big weeks.Ben Griffin, Sepp Straka, and Alex Smalley are scheduled for 1:16 p.m. Patton Kizzire, Ryo Hisatsune, and Max McGreevy follow.Lee Hodges, Emiliano Grillo, and Eric Cole will be playing at 1:38 p.m. Adrien Dumont de Chassart, Ben James, and Christo Lamprecht are up next.The final groups off Tee No. 1 include Johnny Keefer, A.J. Ewart, and Blades Brown. And to wrap up the first tee, we’ve got Alejandro Tosti, Jimmy Stanger, and Lorenzo Rodriguez (a) at 2:11 p.m.
Tee No. 10 - Morning Wave
Over on the 10th tee, the action starts early too. Austin Smotherman, Thorbjørn Olesen, and Takumi Kanaya are off at 6:50 a.m.Luke List, Tom Hoge, and Mac Meissner are next. Denny McCarthy, Sam Stevens, and Rico Hoey will be teeing it up at 7:12 a.m.Steven Fisk, Harris English, and Taylor Pendrith are in the 7:23 a.m. group.Davis Thompson, Sungjae Im, and Webb Simpson are up at 7:34 a.m. Im and Simpson are another pair who need a strong showing.Then, another blockbuster group at 7:45 a.m.: Cameron Young, Alex Fitzpatrick, and Justin Thomas. Thomas, like many others, is fighting for his playoff life.And here it is. The big one. At 7:56 a.m., we have Bud Cauley, Keegan Bradley, and Brooks Koepka. This is the group everyone will be talking about. Bradley and Koepka, both needing huge weeks, playing together. What a showdown.Tom Kim, J.T. Poston, and Aaron Rai are off at 8:07 a.m. Lanto Griffin, Zac Blair, and Justin Lower follow.Marco Penge, Davis Chatfield, and Marcelo Rozo are in the 8:29 a.m. slot. Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen, John VanDerLaan, and Keenan Huskey will be playing at 8:40 a.m.Zecheng Dou, Pontus Nyholm, and Tyler Collet round out the early morning on this tee.
Tee No. 10 - Afternoon Wave
Just like the first tee, the 10th tee also sees action continue into the afternoon. William McGirt, Dylan Wu, and Rasmus Højgaard kick things off at 12:10 p.m.Taylor Moore, Vince Whaley, and Danny Walker are up next. Rafael Campos, Matthieu Pavon, and Chad Ramey will be teeing off at 12:32 p.m.Nico Echavarria, Nick Taylor, and Chris Kirk are in the 12:43 p.m. group.William Mouw, Brian Harman, and Davis Riley are scheduled for 12:54 p.m.Harry Hall, Lucas Glover, and Alex Noren are playing at 1:05 p.m. Karl Vilips, Daniel Berger, and Matt Kuchar follow.Nick Dunlap, C.T. Pan, and Mark Hubbard are in the 1:27 p.m. slot. Peter Malnati, Seamus Power, and Joel Dahmen will be playing at 1:38 p.m.Haotong Li, Chandler Blanchet, and Neal Shipley are up next. Jesper Svensson, Zach Bauchou, and Adrien Saddier will be teeing it up at 2:00 p.m.The final groups off Tee No. 10 include Patrick Fishburn, Jeffrey Kang, and Kihei Akina (a). And to wrap up the day’s play, we’ve got Trace Crowe, Kensei Hirata, and Cooper Hrabak at 2:22 p.m.
The Stakes Are Sky-High: What's on the Line?
Look, this isn’t just about bragging rights. For most of these guys, it’s about their livelihood. The FedEx Cup playoffs are where the big money is, the prestige, the chance to be called one of the best in the world. Missing out means a significantly different season, and potentially a different career trajectory.For players like Keegan Bradley, it’s about redemption. He’s got the talent, he’s got the pedigree, but he needs to prove he belongs in that elite playoff field. For others, it’s about survival. Keeping their PGA Tour status for another year is paramount.And then there are the established stars like Koepka and Day. They’ve had up-and-down seasons, and this is their last chance to salvage it and make a run at the championship. It’s a pressure cooker, and we get to watch it all unfold.
Where to Catch the Action
If you can’t make it out to Sedgefield, don’t fret. You can catch all the drama on TV. The first round coverage on Thursday runs from 3-6 p.m. ET on the Golf Channel. For those who like their golf earlier, PGA Tour Live on ESPN+ will have exclusive streaming coverage starting at 6:45 a.m. ET, plus featured group and hole coverage. So, there’s no excuse to miss any of the action. You can also check out the official PGA Tour Wyndham Championship page for the most up-to-date information.This is the final showdown of the regular season. The Wyndham Championship is where legends are made and dreams are shattered. Get ready for some incredible golf. It’s going to be a wild ride.