2026 Genesis Scottish Open Round 1 Tee Times: Full Groupings

Setting the Stage at Renaissance Club

The 2026 Genesis Scottish Open kicks off Thursday, July 9, at the Renaissance Club in North Berwick, and the tee sheet reads like a who's who of professional golf. For equipment watchers like myself, this tournament always delivers fascinating insights — links conditions have a way of exposing gear choices that might fly under the radar on parkland courses.

The headline grouping features World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler teeing off at 8:43 a.m. ET alongside Matt Fitzpatrick and Tommy Fleetwood. That's three distinctly different approaches to the game sharing the same fairways, and I'll be paying close attention to how their equipment setups handle the firm, fast conditions that define Scottish links golf.

Scheffler's Quest for Win No. 21

Scottie Scheffler enters this week hunting his second PGA Tour victory of the season and 21st overall. He opened his 2026 campaign with a win at the American Express back in February and has rattled off an impressive nine top-5 finishes in just 14 starts — numbers that have him sitting comfortably atop the FedEx Cup standings.

But here's the interesting subplot: despite that consistency, Scheffler hasn't yet achieved two things he managed in both 2024 and 2025 — winning multiple Tour events in a single season and capturing a major championship. This two-week stretch, starting here and culminating at Royal Birkdale for the Open Championship, gives him a prime opportunity to check both boxes.

From a technical standpoint, watching Scheffler on links turf is always instructive. His ball-striking precision becomes even more valuable when you're navigating pot bunkers and firm fairways that demand specific trajectory control. The way he manages spin rates and launch conditions with his irons will be worth monitoring closely.

Notable Early Groupings

The tee times reveal some intriguing pairings beyond the marquee group. The early wave features players starting on the first tee beginning at 2:00 a.m. ET (local morning in Scotland), with names like Mac Meissner, Ryggs Johnston, and Frederic LaCroix leading things off.

Some groupings that caught my eye:

2:55 a.m. ET: Marcel Siem, Michael Thorbjornsen, and Jesper Svensson — a nice mix of veteran links knowledge and young American talent
3:06 a.m. ET: Pablo Larrazabal, Kurt Kitayama, and Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen — Kitayama's power game will be fascinating to watch on these firm surfaces
3:39 a.m. ET: Francesco Molinari, Angel Ayora, and Brandt Snedeker — Molinari's 2018 Open Championship pedigree makes him someone to watch in these conditions
4:01 a.m. ET: Austin Eckroat, Yuto Katsuragawa, and Dylan Frittelli — three players who rely heavily on precision over raw distance

How to Watch

Coverage options are solid for those wanting to follow along. Golf Channel carries the main broadcast from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. ET on Thursday. If you're a true early riser — or just committed to the cause — PGA Tour Live on ESPN+ begins exclusive streaming coverage at 3:15 a.m. ET, including featured group and featured hole coverage throughout the day.

That ESPN+ subscription runs $11.99 per month and honestly delivers strong value during weeks like this when you want access to the full picture rather than just the network window.

Looking Ahead to Royal Birkdale

This week serves as crucial preparation for next week's Open Championship at Royal Birkdale, where Scheffler will defend his title. For equipment-focused observers, the Scottish Open often reveals what players are tinkering with before a major — wedge grinds optimized for links turf, driver setups dialed for wind penetration, and putter choices influenced by faster green speeds.

The Renaissance Club's layout demands versatility, and Thursday's opening round will set the tone for what promises to be an eventful two weeks of links golf.

Key Takeaways

Scottie Scheffler tees off at 8:43 a.m. ET alongside Matt Fitzpatrick and Tommy Fleetwood
Scheffler seeks his 21st PGA Tour win and second of the 2026 season
Early streaming coverage begins at 3:15 a.m. ET on ESPN+
This tournament serves as final preparation before next week's Open Championship at Royal Birkdale