It is finally here. If you've been staring at a blank calendar since November's RSM Classic, the wait is over. The 2026 PGA Tour season officially kicks off today, January 15, and the golf channel lineup today is basically a marathon for anyone who finds the sound of a crisp iron shot therapeutic. We are talking about the Sony Open in Hawaii, but that’s only half the story if you’re an early riser or a degenerate fan of the international game.
Honestly, the schedule today is kind of a logistical masterpiece. You’ve got the DP World Tour over in the desert, the Korn Ferry Tour wrapping up in the Bahamas, and then the primetime slot reserved for the big show at Waialae. If you’re trying to figure out when to actually sit on the couch versus when to just have the TV on in the background, you need to know the specific windows.
The Primetime Anchor: Sony Open in Hawaii
The main event on the golf channel lineup today is undoubtedly the first round of the Sony Open. Since the PGA Tour shelved the Sentry this year due to those Kapalua drought concerns, Waialae Country Club is pulling double duty as the official "Opening Drive" of the season.
Live coverage starts at 7:00 PM ET. It runs until 10:00 PM ET.
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Why does this matter more than usual? Well, the field is a bit leaner this year—120 players instead of the usual 144. It makes for a faster pace, but the star power is still there. We’ve got Jordan Spieth, Collin Morikawa, and Hideki Matsuyama all trying to shake off the rust. Most people assume the early season is just a warm-up, but with the new 2026 PGA Tour rules and the returning member programs, every FedExCup point today feels a lot heavier than it did two years ago.
Watching the Morning Wave
If you’re looking for golf before the sun goes down in the East, you’re mostly looking at news and pre-game analysis. Golf Today kicked things off at 11:00 AM ET with Damon Hack and Eamon Lynch. They’ve been dissecting the Brooks Koepka return news all morning—which, let’s be real, is the only thing anyone in the locker room is actually talking about.
- Golf Today: 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM ET. (News, analysis, and those awkward interviews where they ask players about LIV).
- Korn Ferry Tour: 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM ET. This is the final round of the Bahamas Golf Classic. If you want to see the future of the tour, watch this.
- Golf Central: 4:00 PM ET. Anna Jackson and Paige Mackenzie give you the bridge between the development tour and the pros in Hawaii.
The Early Bird Special: Dubai Invitational
For the real junkies who were awake at 2:30 AM ET, the golf channel lineup today actually started with the DP World Tour. The Dubai Invitational is the start of the "International Swing." Rory McIlroy is there. Tommy Fleetwood is there. It’s a completely different vibe than the Hawaii coastal winds, but the quality of ball-striking is world-class.
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If you missed the live 2:30 AM window, don’t sweat it. The Golf Channel usually loops these highlights or offers a re-air window in the early morning hours tomorrow before the second round begins. Rory reportedly opened with a 66, which is just classic Rory—showing up in January like he never left.
Why the Lineup Feels Different in 2026
There’s a lot of noise about the "Returning Member Program" right now. Brandel Chamblee has been pretty vocal on Golf Central about how the Tour needs to set a precedent. When you’re watching the lineup today, pay attention to the "Sights and Sounds" segments. They are leaning much harder into the drama of the professional split and reconciliation than they used to. It’s less about "here is a nice birdie" and more about "here is why this guy is allowed to play here again."
The technical side of the broadcast is shifting too. You might notice more "Happy Hour" style segments. Smylie Kaufman is back with his Happy Hour with Smylie bits, though those officially "peak" during the Friday coverage in the 8:00 PM window. Today is more of the traditional, gritty first-round coverage where we see if the favorites can actually find a fairway.
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The "Other" Tours: What You’re Missing
It's sort of easy to forget that the LPGA doesn't start their official season until late January at Lake Nona. If you’re looking for women’s golf on the golf channel lineup today, you might see some highlights from the LPGA Foundation’s 75th Anniversary Pro-Am at Pebble Beach. It's a huge fundraising deal, but it isn't "tournament" golf in the traditional sense.
Then there's the Korn Ferry Tour. They are finishing up the Bahamas Golf Classic at the Ocean Club. It’s a Monday-to-Thursday finish, which is weird but great for TV because it fills that afternoon gap before the PGA Tour starts. Watch for guys like Karl Vilips or the latest batch of college grads—they play a fearless style of golf that makes the veterans in Hawaii look almost conservative.
Practical Viewing Logistics
- Streaming: If you aren't near a TV, the ESPN+ "PGA Tour Live" coverage is actually running way longer than the Golf Channel window. They started at 12:00 PM ET with featured groups.
- Audio: If you’re driving, PGA Tour Radio on SiriusXM is usually the move, but it doesn't have that same "cozy" feeling of the Golf Channel studio crew.
- International Fans: If you're in the UK, Sky Sports is your home, but the timing is rough—primetime Hawaii golf means a very late night in London.
The Actionable Takeaway for Today
Don't just flip on the TV at 8:00 PM and expect to know what's happening. The narrative of 2026 is already being written in the pre-game shows.
If you want to maximize your viewing, watch the 4:00 PM Golf Central block. That’s where you’ll get the weather report for Waialae. The wind in Hawaii is everything; if it’s gusting over 20 mph, the scoring will be closer to even par, and the "boring" ball-strikers will start to rise to the top of the leaderboard. If it's calm, expect someone to shoot a 62 and make the course look like a muni.
Next Steps for Your Golf Thursday:
Check your local listings to ensure the Korn Ferry Tour finish hasn't pushed into the Golf Central window, as island weather can cause delays. Set your DVR for the 7:00 PM ET start of the Sony Open so you can skip the commercials and catch up to the "Live" action by the time the leaders hit the back nine at Waialae. Keep an eye on the DP World Tour scores from Dubai to see if Rory holds that lead heading into Friday's early morning broadcast.