PGA Championship on TV: Where to Watch Every Round Live

Trying to watch the PGA Championship on TV should be easy, but it rarely feels that way, right? One part is on ESPN, another part moves to CBS, and if you miss one change in the schedule, you can lose a big chunk of the event.

So we made this guide to walk you through the channels, the usual time split, where Golf Channel fits, and what to do if you are watching while traveling. Then we will also show how a VPN like VeePN helps when your stream is laggy or your Wi-Fi feels risky.

Oliver Bennett

Feb 25, 2026

8 min read

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What the PGA Championship is

The PGA Championship is an annual golf major run by the PGA of America. It is one of the four men’s major tournaments, and it is the only major that is exclusively for professionals. It also has a cool detail many casual fans do not know: spots are reserved for PGA of America club pros, so the field is not only big stars from the PGA Tour.

That history is part of why the TV coverage is such a big deal. This is not just another tour stop. It is a major, so the broadcast setup is built for a full four-day run.

Where PGA Championship on TV coverage actually airs

Here is the simple version most people need.

In the US, the PGA Championship on TV is mainly split between ESPN and CBS. This comes from the PGA of America media deal with CBS and ESPN, and that deal runs through 2030. CBS has also carried the tournament for decades.

PGA Championship on TV on ESPN first, then CBS later

This is the part people miss every year.

For the major itself, ESPN usually handles:

early rounds
early windows on the weekend
some extra TV segments and highlights

Then CBS takes over the main weekend afternoon block, especially on Sunday when the winning stretch is happening. The 2025 schedule followed that pattern very clearly, with ESPN earlier and CBS from 1 to 7 p.m. ET on the weekend.

Golf Channel and PGA Tour weeks vs PGA Championship week

This part confuses even people who watch a lot of golf. On a normal PGA Tour week, Golf Channel is often one of your main channels. It is a core part of regular-season tour coverage, especially in Feb. and March, and it often works together with NBC on many events.

But for the PGA Championship, the main TV rights are not on Golf Channel. They are with ESPN and CBS. So if you sit on Golf Channel waiting for the major feed, you may only get studio talk or updates, not the main live view.

That does not make Golf Channel useless during major week. It still helps with:

golf news
pre-round chatter
recap highlights
broader PGA Tour context

It is just not the main home for the live PGA Championship telecast.

PGA Championship schedule basics for fans who just want to watch

The official PGA Championship “How to Watch” page is the best place to confirm final times, and it already lists future sites, including 2026 at Aronimink Golf Club and 2028 at The Olympic Club in San Francisco, California. The usual pattern looks like this:

PGA Championship week flow most fans can follow

Thursday and Friday

Early streaming feeds (usually ESPN+)
Main TV coverage on ESPN

Saturday and Sunday

Morning coverage on ESPN+ and ESPN
Main afternoon broadcast on CBS
Streaming of the CBS feed on Paramount+

Quick tip: do not trust a screenshot from Monday and assume it is still correct on Sunday. Golf schedules can change if the weather gets weird.

How to watch PGA live without cable

If you cut cable, you are still fine. You do not need five apps. What most people want is one setup that works for the whole championship. The easiest answer is a live TV service with both ESPN and CBS, then ESPN+ only if you want more camera angles.

PGA Tour fans: best simple setup for this major

If you already follow the PGA Tour, this will feel familiar.

Good options usually include:

Fubo
Hulu + Live TV
YouTube TV

Why these work:

they usually carry ESPN
they often carry your local CBS
you can watch on TV, phone, or tablet
they are easier than juggling separate logins all day

The one thing to double-check is your local CBS affiliate. If CBS is not included in your location, your setup can look fine on paper and still fail on the weekend.

When ESPN+ is actually worth it

A lot of people ask if ESPN+ is necessary.
Honest answer: not always.

If you just want the main broadcast, ESPN plus CBS is enough. But ESPN+ is great if you want:

featured groups
extra holes
more players
more view options while the leaders are not on the main feed yet

For golf fans, it is the difference between “I saw the leaders” and “I

followed the whole event.”

Why streams break on big golf weekends

When your stream fails, it is not always because of TV rights. A lot of the time, the issue is timing, weather, or the network you are on.

Weather, wind, and late schedule changes

Golf is not played in a closed arena. If storms roll in or the wind gets nasty, everything can move.

During the 2025 PGA Championship week, weather delays affected the schedule and even changed round plans. Reuters covered the rain disruptions at Quail Hollow, which is exactly why fans should recheck times on the day of the round.

This can affect:

tee time
the ESPN window
the CBS handoff
when the final groups finish

So yes, the TV info can be right in the morning and wrong by afternoon.

App traffic gets heavy when the finish gets close

This happens every year. Everything works fine early. Then the leaders reach the back nine on Sunday, more people open the stream, and suddenly your app freezes. That is why we always recommend a small routine:

open the app early
sign in before the leaders tee off
keep a backup device ready
check the official page for fresh information

Real risks when you watch on public Wi-Fi

A lot of golf fans watch while traveling. Hotel room, airport, train, café, or friend’s place. The problem is that public Wi-Fi is often the weakest part of the setup. CISA and other security agencies keep warning people to be careful on public Wi-Fi because those networks are easier to abuse than your home connection.

There is also the scam side. The FTC regularly warns about phishing and fake links, and big sports events are perfect bait for fake “live stream” pages. If a link looks odd, asks for too much, or sends you to a weird login, skip it. Go straight to the official app instead.

That is also why it helps to build better habits:

use official apps only
avoid random “free” stream pages
protect your connection on public networks

Why VeePN helps when you watch PGA Championship on TV

VeePN does not replace CBS, ESPN, or your streaming plan. What it does is help make your connection safer and more stable while you watch.

Encryption on weak Wi-Fi

VeePN encrypts your Internet traffic. That is a big deal when you are on hotel or café Wi-Fi and logging into your TV apps. Without protection, shared networks are just riskier. With encryption, your data is much harder to read by people on the same network.

Changing IP address for cleaner app behavior

When you connect to a VeePN server, you use a different IP address. This can help when apps act weird after you move between networks or cities in the same week. A stable server can reduce those annoying “your region changed” style errors that pop up right before the final round.

Kill Switch during connection drops

Public Wi-Fi can be unstable. It cuts in and out, especially in busy places. Kill Switch helps by stopping traffic if the VPN connection drops, instead of quietly exposing your real connection. That is useful when you are trying to keep your stream and account session consistent.

DNS leak protection

Some streaming issues come from mixed signals. Your app sees one route, your DNS requests go another route, and everything gets messy. DNS leak protection helps keep those requests inside the secure tunnel, which can reduce random errors and make your streaming apps behave more predictably.

Fast protocols for live sports

Live golf is a long watch, not a quick clip. You need consistency, not just peak speed for ten seconds. VeePN uses modern protocols built for stable streaming, which helps when your network gets crowded during the biggest moments of the championship.

One account for up to 10 devices

You can protect multiple devices on one subscription, so you can watch on TV, check highlights on your phone, and track scores on a laptop without leaving part of your setup unprotected.

Try VeePN for your next major golf weekend and see how it feels in real use. We offer you a 30-day money-back guarantee.

FAQ

In the US, PGA Championship on TV coverage is mainly split between ESPN and CBS. ESPN usually handles early rounds and early weekend coverage, while CBS carries the main afternoon window on Sunday. Discover more in this article.

The easiest way is a live TV service with ESPN and CBS. If you want more golf feeds, add ESPN+ for featured groups and extra coverage. The official PGA Championship page is also useful for tee times and highlights.

It depends on the round, but recent WM Phoenix Open TV schedules have been split between Golf Channel earlier and CBS later, with PGA TOUR LIVE on ESPN+ for longer streaming coverage. Check the official schedule the same day because times can change.

Written by Oliver Bennett Oliver Bennett is a dedicated cyber security content writer with a knack for breaking down intricate cyber topics into accessible and actionable insights.