The 2026 Tour Championship has begun at East Lake Golf Club, with Min Woo Lee setting the pace after a 8-under par performance in the first round. Lee played solo after his partner, J.J, though Spaun, withdrew due to a shoulder injury he claimed was caused by a poor sleeping position on Monday night. Spaun played only five holes and was 4-over par with two bogeys and a double bogey before leaving the course.

Key Players and Pairings

Scottie Scheffler, the four-time defending PGA Tour Player of the Year, is among those aiming for the FedEx Cup title, while Scheffler won in 2024 but fell short in 2025. He is paired with Cameron Young in the marquee pairing on Saturday at 2:31 p.m. ET. Rory McIlroy, ranked No. 2 in the world and a three-time Tour champion, enters the event on a strong note after a third-place finish at the BMW Championship behind Wyndham Clark, the U.S. Open champion.

Viktor Hovland and Ryan Gerard lead the field after 36 holes and are set to tee off at 2:55 p.m, ET on Saturday in the final pairing. Other high-profile pairings include Collin Morikawa and Chris Gotterup at 2:43 p.m., and Justin Rose and Matt Fitzpatrick at 2:19 p.m.

Weather and Viewing

Weather conditions are already influencing the tournament — As the PGA Tour’s season-ending event, the weather at East Lake could play a major role in the outcome. Coverage of the event is available on CBS, CBSSports.com, Paramount+, and the CBS Sports App; Golf Channel also provides live coverage starting at 1 p.m, as ET, with Golf Central Pregame kicking things off at noon.

Round 1 tee times began on Thursday, August 27, and the final round is set for Sunday, the tournament format moves players like Min Woo Lee and Viktor Hovland into more prominent positions as the weekend progresses. With half the field within five shots of the lead, the Tour Championship is ready for a dramatic and competitive finish.

International Participation and Expectations

International players are also in the mix, but Jon Rahm of Spain, who is -4 and two shots behind the leader, will tee off in the penultimate pairing on Sunday. Rahm is chasing the only major title missing from his collection after winning the Masters, U.S. Open, and The Open Championship. David Puig is also in the final round, paired with world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler for the second consecutive day.

Spain’s golf hopes rest heavily on Rahm and Puig, as both have the potential to make a strong finish; With 30 players within five shots of the lead, the competition is tight and unpredictable. Jon Rahm will tee off at 8:25 p.m. (Spanish peninsular time) alongside Nick Taylor, while Puig is set to play at 6:05 p.m. with Scheffler.

With a packed leaderboard and high-stakes pairings, the 2026 Tour Championship promises to be a thrilling conclusion to the PGA Tour season.