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The 2026 Presidents Cup schedule is locked, and the week is already in motion at Medinah Country Club. The gates opened Tuesday for the first of two team practice days, competition begins Thursday, September 24, and the Cup is decided by Sunday evening singles on the 27th. One detail trips up more fans than any other: every gate time and tee window published by the tournament is local Central time, while the NBC and Golf Channel listings you’ve been reading run on Eastern. Both are below, side by side.
Presidents Cup 2026 Schedule at a Glance: CT and ET
| Day | Session | First–last tee (CT) | First–last tee (ET) | Gates open (CT) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thu, Sept. 24 | Round 1 — Four-ball (5 matches) | 11:35 a.m. – 12:47 p.m. | 12:35 – 1:47 p.m. | 9:00 a.m. |
| Fri, Sept. 25 | Round 2 — Foursomes (5 matches) | 1:05 – 2:01 p.m. | 2:05 – 3:01 p.m. | 10:00 a.m. |
| Sat, Sept. 26 | Round 3 — Four-ball (4 matches) | 7:02 – 7:56 a.m. | 8:02 – 8:56 a.m. | 6:30 a.m. |
| Sat, Sept. 26 | Round 4 — Foursomes (4 matches) | 1:15 – 1:57 p.m. | 2:15 – 2:57 p.m. | — |
| Sun, Sept. 27 | Round 5 — Singles (12 matches) | 11:02 a.m. – 1:19 p.m. | 12:02 – 2:19 p.m. | 9:00 a.m. |
Those windows are start times, not finish times. Organizers expect play to run until roughly sunset on each competition day, which in the Chicago area falls between 6:30 and 6:40 p.m. CT this week.
Monday, September 21: Course Closed to the Public
Medinah shut its gates entirely to clear the grounds ahead of team arrivals. No public access, no ticketed activity.
Tuesday and Wednesday, September 22–23: Team Practice Days
Both practice days run on an identical public schedule:
- 9:00 a.m. CT (10:00 a.m. ET) — Tournament gates open
- TBD — U.S. Team practice
- TBD — International Team practice
Practice tee times for both sides remain unannounced, which is standard. Captains typically release pairings-driven practice groupings on site, and those groups are the first real hint at how Brandt Snedeker and Geoff Ogilvy plan to split their rooms.
Thursday, September 24: Round 1 Four-Ball and Opening Ceremonies
Five four-ball matches open the competition — the session Snedeker selected as host captain.
- 9:00 a.m. CT (10:00 a.m. ET) — Gates and all hospitality open
- Roughly 11:05 a.m. CT (12:05 p.m. ET) — Opening ceremonies, staged 30 minutes before the first tee
- 11:35 a.m. – 12:47 p.m. CT (12:35 – 1:47 p.m. ET) — Round 1 matches
Friday, September 25: Round 2 Foursomes
The latest start of the week, and the shortest gate-to-tee gap for anyone arriving early.
- 10:00 a.m. CT (11:00 a.m. ET) — Gates and all hospitality open
- 1:05 – 2:01 p.m. CT (2:05 – 3:01 p.m. ET) — Round 2 matches
Saturday, September 26: The Doubleheader — Rounds 3 and 4
The heaviest day on the calendar, with eight matches across two sessions. Plan accordingly: gates open at 6:30 a.m., right around first light, and the opening group is away barely half an hour later.
- 6:30 a.m. CT (7:30 a.m. ET) — Gates and all hospitality open
- 7:02 – 7:56 a.m. CT (8:02 – 8:56 a.m. ET) — Round 3 four-ball
- 1:15 – 1:57 p.m. CT (2:15 – 2:57 p.m. ET) — Round 4 foursomes
Sunday, September 27: Round 5 Singles and Closing Ceremonies
All 24 players go out in 12 singles matches to settle it.
- 9:00 a.m. CT (10:00 a.m. ET) — Gates and all hospitality open
- 11:02 a.m. – 1:19 p.m. CT (12:02 – 2:19 p.m. ET) — Round 5 singles
- After the last putt — Closing ceremonies
How to Watch the Presidents Cup 2026 on TV and Streaming
Broadcast listings run in Eastern time. Golf Channel handles the weekdays, NBC takes the weekend:
- Thursday: 12:30 – 7 p.m. ET, Golf Channel
- Friday: 2 – 7 p.m. ET, Golf Channel
- Saturday: 8 – 9 a.m. ET Golf Channel, then 9 a.m. – 7 p.m. ET NBC
- Sunday: 12 – 6 p.m. ET, NBC
For streaming, GC Mobile simulcasts Golf Channel’s coverage and Peacock carries NBC’s weekend broadcasts on September 26 and 27. Sunday singles on NBC is the only session available free over the air.
Presidents Cup Format: 30 Points and What a Tie Means
Thirty matches, one point each, no playoffs — a match level after 18 holes is halved. The first side to 15.5 points wins the Cup. A 15-15 finish is declared a tie and the two teams share the trophy, which is not the Ryder Cup rule and catches people out every cycle.
The sessions break down as five four-ball, five foursomes, four and four on Saturday, then 12 singles.
What Could Still Change
The tournament’s standing note is that gate and tee times remain subject to adjustment for weather. With an early Saturday start and October closing in, a frost delay is the realistic threat to the published windows rather than any format revision — the format itself was settled at the start of September.
Presidents Cup 2026 Schedule FAQ
What time does the Presidents Cup start on Thursday?
First tee is 11:35 a.m. CT / 12:35 p.m. ET, with opening ceremonies about 30 minutes earlier.
Are the official tee times Eastern or Central?
Central. Medinah is in Illinois. Add one hour for Eastern.
What time do gates open each day?
9:00 a.m. Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday; 10:00 a.m. Friday; 6:30 a.m. Saturday. All Central.
When does play finish each day?
Around sunset, roughly 6:30–6:40 p.m. CT, though that shifts with pace of play.
How many points win the Presidents Cup?
15.5 of 30. A 15-15 tie is shared.