Colonial Country Club hates you. That’s not a metaphor. The 80th edition of the Charles Schwab Challenge isn’t just another stop on the PGA Tour schedule. It is a stress test. A brutal, unforgining examination of nerve at a course widely considered the hardest on tour.
The culprit is the “Horrible Horseshoe.” Holes 3 through 5. You play them. You survive them. Or you don’t.
This year’s event runs from Thursday, May 28 to Sunday, May 31, 2026 in Fort Worth, Texas. The winner gets a cool $1.78 million. But earning it is easier said than done.
Who is playing? Mostly.
Ben Griffin is back. The defending champion. He clawed out a 71 in the final round last year to edge out Mattias Schmid by a single stroke. One shot. That was all it took.
The field isn’t as crowded as it could be, though. Two big names have already pulled out.
- Wyndham Clark withdrew earlier this week.
- Brooks Koepka is also gone.
Koepka’s exit hurts. He can no longer qualify for the Signature Event next week at the Memorial. That hurts his career more than most. It makes the Colonial field slightly softer. Slightly.
When to turn on the TV (in the US)
If you are in the United States, the linear TV split is classic sports broadcasting confusion. Don’t panic. It’s manageable.
- Golf Channel has the exclusive rights to Thursday and Friday.
- CBS takes over Saturday and Sunday for the main stages.
Here is the schedule. Times are Eastern.
Thursday
* Golf Channel: 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
* ESPN Plus: 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. (All day access)
Friday
* Golf Channel: 4 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. — wait. No. 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
* ESPN Plus: 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Saturday
* Golf Channel: 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
* CBS/Paramount Plus: 3:30 p.m. to 6 p.m.
* ESPN Plus: 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Sunday
* Golf Channel: 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
* CBS/Paramount Plus: 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.
* ESPN Plus: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The streaming mess
Want to stream? Good luck sorting this out. ESPN restructured its service recently. Again.
The landscape shifted. What was once simple is now tiered.
CBS via Paramount Plus
For Saturday and Sunday afternoon coverage on linear TV, you can watch it here.
* Essential : $9/month. Has ads. No live CBS. You’re basically getting on-demand stuff.
* Premium Plus : $14/month. The ad-supported one usually works for live TV if you have the local CBS app linked, but read the fine print.
ESPN Plus
This is the comprehensive option. They are offering main action feeds. Marquee groups. Featured holes. It feels like having the broadcast truck parked in your living room.
There are now two entry points because ESPN changed their model:
- ESPN Select : $13/month. This is what you need for PGA golf. It replaced the old ESPN+ standalone app for most purposes.
- ESPN Unlimited : $30/month. This gives you Select plus linear networks like ESPN2, ESPNews, etc. Unless you need those linear feeds specifically, $13 gets the job done.
Peacock
If you just want to see the early rounds from Golf Channel without a cable sub.
* Peacock Premium : $11/month. Ads.
* Peacock Premium Plus : $17/month. No ads.
Live TV Services
If you are a cord-cutter but want the “live” feel, you’ll have to bundle the Golf Channel in. The prices have crept up.
- DirecTV Stream : Starts around $70/month for packages that include Golf Channel.
- YouTube TV : $83/month. Includes Golf Channel.
- Fubo : The Pro plan is $85/month now. (Check local channel availability in your ZIP.)
- Hulu + Live TV : $90/month. Expensive. But it has Disney stuff too, if that comforts you.
Watching from outside the US
The rules change once you leave American soil.
UK
Sky Sports is the king here. The tournament plays on Sky Sports Golf and sometimes on the Main Events channel if there’s overlap with football or rugby.
* Now : You can grab a Day Pass for £15 if you only care about the Sunday finale. Or go monthly from £35.
Australia
Kayo Sports is the go-to. Foxtel has the linear rights, but Kayo is the streaming path.
* Starts at AU$30 a month. One screen.
* AU$46 gets you three simultaneous screens.
* They also run F1, NFL, and NRL. No contract lock-ins. You can even start a free week.
Canada
TSN has the weekend.
* TSN Plus : CA$25/month. This is the dedicated streaming service. It covers the PGA weekend alongside NFL and F1. It is designed specifically for people who cut the cord but still want big sports.
Is it worth it?
Maybe. Colonial is brutal. Watching people struggle against the “Horseshoe” is half the point. Seeing Koepka absent from the leaderboard is the other half.
Pick a service. Turn it on. Wait for someone to find a bunker at #3.
We’ll all watch.
