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The Open 2026 Round 1 tee times in AEST — featured groups (Scheffler, McIlroy, Fleetwood) plus every Australian's start time, led by Cameron Smith, Min Woo Lee, Jason Day and Adam Scott at Royal Birkdale.
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The 154th Open Championship gets under way at Royal Birkdale on Thursday 16 July, and the Round 1 groupings are set. Defending champion Scottie Scheffler headlines the morning wave, Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood lead the marquee groups, and Australia sends out a strong contingent led by 2022 champion Cameron Smith. Below are the featured groups and every Australian’s Round 1 tee time in AEST. For outright tips and the full preview, see our Open Championship 2026 tips & betting guide.
Round 1 Featured Groups (AEST)
| AEST (Thu 16 Jul) | Group |
|---|---|
| 3:35pm | Matthew Baldwin (Royal Birkdale member), Thomas Detry, James Nicholas — first off |
| 6:58pm | Scottie Scheffler (def. champ), Bryson DeChambeau, Tyrrell Hatton |
| 7:09pm | Tommy Fleetwood, Jordan Spieth (2017 Birkdale champ), Jon Rahm |
| 11:53pm | Shane Lowry, Aaron Rai, Brooks Koepka |
| 12:15am (Fri) | Rory McIlroy, Matt Fitzpatrick, Xander Schauffele |
Australian Tee Times (Round 1, AEST)
| AEST (Thu 16 Jul) | Australian | Playing with |
|---|---|---|
| 6:25pm | Min Woo Lee | Ben Griffin, Hideki Matsuyama |
| 6:47pm | Jason Day | Justin Thomas, Alex Noren |
| 9:14pm | Cameron Smith (2022 champ) | Keith Mitchell, Stuart Grehan |
| 11:31pm | Adam Scott | Chris Gotterup, Sam Burns |
Lucas Herbert also carries the flag for Australia in the field. Round 2 groupings reverse the draw — the Thursday morning wave plays Friday afternoon, and vice versa.
How to Watch The Open in Australia
The Open is live in Australia on Fox Sports and Kayo Sports, which stream all four days. With the first tee at 6:35am in the UK, Round 1 coverage runs from mid-afternoon AEST into the early hours of Friday morning — the marquee groups (Scheffler, Fleetwood, McIlroy) and most of the Australians go out in the evening AEST window.
Where to Bet on The Open
For outrights, top-Australian, first-round leader and matchup markets, compare Ladbrokes, Neds and bet365, or see our best golf betting sites in Australia guide. Our full tips and outright picks are in the Open Championship 2026 preview.
The Open Tee Times FAQs
When does Round 1 of The Open 2026 start?
The first group tees off at 6:35am BST on Thursday 16 July — 3:35pm AEST. Play runs through the day, with the last groups out late afternoon UK time (early hours AEST Friday).
What time does Scottie Scheffler tee off?
The defending champion is out at 9:58am BST (6:58pm AEST) on Thursday, alongside Bryson DeChambeau and Tyrrell Hatton.
When do the Australians tee off in Round 1?
Min Woo Lee (6:25pm AEST) and Jason Day (6:47pm) are out early evening AEST; Cameron Smith (9:14pm) and Adam Scott (11:31pm) later on Thursday night.