How to Watch the Irish Open
The Irish Open is one of the biggest weeks on the DP World Tour calendar, and for UK and Irish golf fans it is one of the easier tournaments to follow live.
The 2026 Amgen Irish Open is being played from Thursday 10 September to Sunday 13 September at Trump International Golf Links & Hotel Ireland in Doonbeg, County Clare.
For viewers in the UK, coverage is live on Sky Sports and NOW.
For viewers in the Republic of Ireland, coverage is available on RTÉ, RTÉ Player, Sky Sports and NOW.
The simple version: UK viewers can watch the Irish Open live on Sky Sports and NOW. Irish viewers can also watch through RTÉ and RTÉ Player.
What Channel Is the Irish Open On?
In the UK, the Irish Open is shown live on Sky Sports.
Coverage is split across Sky Sports Golf, Sky Sports+ and, at certain points, Sky Sports Main Event.
That means the exact channel can change depending on the day and the session. The safest thing to do is check the live golf listings in the Sky Sports app or on your TV guide before coverage starts.
The main places to look are:
- Sky Sports Golf
- Sky Sports+
- Sky Sports Main Event
- Sky Go
- NOW Sports Membership
If you already have Sky Sports, you should be able to watch through your normal Sky package or stream using Sky Go.
If you do not have Sky, NOW is the easiest no-contract route.
Irish Open 2026 TV Schedule
The listed UK and Ireland broadcast times are:
- Thursday 10 September: 1:30pm to 7:00pm BST
- Friday 11 September: 9:30am to 3:00pm BST and 5:00pm to 7:00pm BST
- Saturday 12 September: 2:30pm to 7:30pm BST
- Sunday 13 September: 1:30pm to 6:30pm BST
Friday, Saturday and Sunday coverage is affected slightly by the Solheim Cup being played in the same week, which is why some Irish Open coverage moves across Sky Sports+.
That does not mean the coverage is unavailable. It just means viewers may need to switch between Sky Sports Golf, Sky Sports+ and Sky Sports Main Event.
How to Stream the Irish Open
There are a few main streaming options.
In the UK:
- Sky Sports subscribers can stream through Sky Go
- Non-Sky subscribers can stream through NOW with a Sports Membership
- Some coverage may be available through Sky Sports+
In Ireland:
- RTÉ Player is available for RTÉ’s live coverage
- Sky Sports subscribers can use Sky Go
- NOW can be used for Sky Sports coverage without a full Sky TV package
For most UK viewers, NOW is the simplest option if you only want to watch the Irish Open and do not want a long-term Sky contract.
For Irish viewers, RTÉ Player is the most obvious place to check first because RTÉ is showing every round live.
Can You Watch the Irish Open for Free?
In the UK, live coverage is mainly through Sky Sports, so you will usually need a Sky Sports package or NOW Sports Membership.
In the Republic of Ireland, RTÉ is showing live coverage, which gives Irish viewers a free-to-air route through RTÉ and RTÉ Player.
That is an important difference.
If you are in the UK, do not assume RTÉ Player will be available in the same way. Streaming rights can be restricted by location, so your best UK option is Sky Sports or NOW.
Where Is the Irish Open Being Played?
The 2026 Irish Open is being played at Trump International Golf Links & Hotel Ireland in Doonbeg, County Clare.
It is a links course on the west coast of Ireland, so weather and wind can play a big part. That gives the tournament a different feel from a standard parkland event.
Links golf usually asks different questions:
- Can players control ball flight?
- Can they handle wind?
- Can they use the ground properly?
- Can they avoid big numbers when conditions turn?
- Can they stay patient when scoring becomes awkward?
That is part of the appeal of the Irish Open. It does not always look like target golf. Players have to adapt.
Who Is Playing in the Irish Open?
The 2026 field includes several major winners, Ryder Cup names and DP World Tour regulars.
Headline names include:
- Rory McIlroy
- Jon Rahm
- Shane Lowry
- Pádraig Harrington
- Tyrrell Hatton
- Robert MacIntyre
- Rasmus Højgaard
- Sepp Straka
- Luke Donald
- Francesco Molinari
- Patrick Reed
- Brooks Koepka
- Alex Fitzpatrick
Rory McIlroy is the defending champion after winning the 2025 Irish Open at The K Club.
That gives the 2026 event an obvious storyline. McIlroy is not just another big name in the field. He is trying to defend one of the most important titles in Irish golf.
Why the Irish Open Matters
The Irish Open matters because it is more than just another DP World Tour event.
It has history, strong crowds and a proper national-open feel. It has also been won by some huge names over the years, including Seve Ballesteros, Nick Faldo, Bernhard Langer, Colin Montgomerie, Rory McIlroy, Shane Lowry and Jon Rahm.
For Irish players, it carries extra weight.
Winning your national open is different. The crowd is louder, the attention is heavier and the pressure can feel more personal.
That is why players like McIlroy, Lowry and Harrington naturally become the centre of attention when the Irish Open comes around.
What Time Is the Final Round?
The final round of the 2026 Irish Open is scheduled to be shown from 1:30pm to 6:30pm BST on Sunday 13 September.
Coverage is listed as live in full on Sky Sports+, with Sky Sports Golf also carrying coverage from 5:00pm to 6:30pm.
That means the final hour should be easy to find on Sky Sports Golf, but if you want the full Sunday coverage, Sky Sports+ is the key channel to check.
For Irish viewers, RTÉ coverage is also scheduled to begin at 1:30pm on Sunday.
Best Ways to Follow If You Cannot Watch Live
If you cannot watch the Irish Open live, there are still a few useful ways to follow it.
The best options are:
- DP World Tour leaderboard
- DP World Tour app
- Sky Sports Golf updates
- RTÉ Sport updates in Ireland
- Social clips from the DP World Tour
- Round reports after each day
For a tournament like the Irish Open, the leaderboard can move quickly in links conditions. A player can make three birdies in a short stretch, but one poor hole in the wind can undo a round just as fast.
That is why live scoring is useful even if you cannot sit and watch every shot.
What Should You Watch For?
The Irish Open is worth watching for more than just the winner.
A few things matter this week.
Rory McIlroy’s title defence
McIlroy defending the Irish Open is the main story. Any time he plays in Ireland, the atmosphere is different. If he is anywhere near the lead over the weekend, the coverage will naturally centre around him.
Shane Lowry on home soil
Lowry has a special connection with this event because he won it as an amateur in 2009. He remains one of the most popular Irish golfers to watch, especially in front of a home crowd.
Jon Rahm back in Ireland
Rahm has won the Irish Open twice before and has a strong record in Ireland. On a links-style test, he is always worth watching.
The links conditions
Doonbeg should provide a proper links challenge. Wind direction, firmness and weather changes can alter the tournament quickly.
Ryder Cup names
With players like McIlroy, Rahm, Lowry, Hatton, MacIntyre and Højgaard involved, the Irish Open also has a Ryder Cup feel. That adds another layer to the week.
Irish Open vs The Open
The Irish Open is not a major.
The four men’s majors are:
- The Masters
- PGA Championship
- U.S. Open
- The Open
The Irish Open is a DP World Tour event. It is still important, especially in Ireland, but it is not the same as The Open Championship.
That said, because the Irish Open is often played on strong Irish courses and can feature links conditions, it can feel closer to a major-style test than some standard tour events.
Is the Irish Open Part of the DP World Tour?
Yes.
The Irish Open is part of the DP World Tour schedule.
In 2026, it is part of the DP World Tour’s “Back 9” phase, which comes late in the season and helps shape the Race to Dubai standings.
That means there is more at stake than just the trophy. Players are also chasing Race to Dubai points, status, momentum and spots in the season-ending play-offs.
Quick Guide: How to Watch the Irish Open
For UK viewers:
- Watch live on Sky Sports
- Use Sky Sports Golf, Sky Sports+ and Sky Sports Main Event
- Stream through Sky Go if you already have Sky Sports
- Stream through NOW with a Sports Membership if you do not have Sky
For Irish viewers:
- Watch live on RTÉ and RTÉ Player
- Watch through Sky Sports
- Stream through Sky Go or NOW
Key times:
- Thursday: 1:30pm to 7:00pm
- Friday: 9:30am to 3:00pm and 5:00pm to 7:00pm
- Saturday: 2:30pm to 7:30pm
- Sunday: 1:30pm to 6:30pm
The Bottom Line
The 2026 Irish Open is live from Doonbeg from Thursday 10 September to Sunday 13 September.
UK viewers can watch on Sky Sports, Sky Sports+ and NOW. Irish viewers can also watch through RTÉ and RTÉ Player.
The tournament has a strong field, a proper links setting and plenty of big names, including Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm, Shane Lowry, Pádraig Harrington, Tyrrell Hatton and Robert MacIntyre.
If you only watch one part of it, make it Sunday afternoon. The final round should give the best mix of leaderboard pressure, links golf and Irish Open atmosphere.
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