BMW Championship Round 1 Tee Times: Scheffler, McIlroy Set
By Staff Writer
3 min read
Key takeaways
- Scottie Scheffler tees off at 2:33 p.m. ET Thursday, paired with Matt Fitzpatrick, the 23rd of 25 groups off the first tee.
- Rory McIlroy goes off 73 minutes earlier, at 1:20 p.m. ET, alongside Xander Schauffele.
- All 50 players in the field play all four rounds at Bellerive Country Club — there is no 36-hole cut.
- Only the top 30 in FedExCup points move on to the Tour Championship at East Lake, ending the season for 20 players on Sunday.
- The winner earns $3.6 million from the $20 million purse; last place still takes home at least $66,000.
Round 1 of the BMW Championship tees off Thursday at Bellerive Country Club in Town and Country, Missouri, with Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy in the field's two marquee groups, separated by just over an hour on the tee sheet.
Who tees off when at Bellerive?
The tee sheet runs from 10:03 a.m. ET (9:03 a.m. local CDT) to 2:55 p.m. ET (1:55 p.m. CDT), with all 25 pairings going off the first tee only — there is no split-tee start. Justin Thomas and Sahith Theegala open the tournament in the first group. McIlroy tees off at 1:20 p.m. ET alongside major champion Xander Schauffele, the 17th pairing of the day. Scheffler follows at 2:33 p.m. ET with Matt Fitzpatrick, in the 23rd group. Both Fitzpatrick brothers are in the 50-man field: Alex Fitzpatrick played earlier, at 11:27 a.m. ET, alongside Kristoffer Reitan.
| Pairing | Tee Time (ET) | Tee Time (CDT) | Group |
|---|---|---|---|
| Justin Thomas / Sahith Theegala | 10:03 a.m. | 9:03 a.m. | 1st |
| Alex Fitzpatrick / Kristoffer Reitan | 11:27 a.m. | 10:27 a.m. | 9th |
| Rory McIlroy / Xander Schauffele | 1:20 p.m. | 12:20 p.m. | 17th |
| Scottie Scheffler / Matt Fitzpatrick | 2:33 p.m. | 1:33 p.m. | 23rd |
| Maverick McNealy / Matt McCarty | 2:55 p.m. | 1:55 p.m. | 25th (last) |
Why the 'no cut' label is misleading
All 50 players at Bellerive will complete four rounds and collect a share of the $20 million purse, with the winner taking home $3.6 million and last place earning at least $66,000. But the tournament still ends 20 golfers' seasons on Sunday: only the top 30 in FedExCup points advance to the Tour Championship at East Lake, where the field starts even par for the finale. Simply reaching this 50-man field already locks in full exemptions into all eight 2027 PGA Tour Signature Events, regardless of how the week finishes.
Who is on the bubble?
Entering Round 1, Rickie Fowler, Bud Cauley and Kurt Kitayama held the last three qualifying spots, 28th through 30th in points, with Gary Woodland, J.T. Poston and Alex Noren chasing just behind them. With 750 points going to the winner and a heavy points spread through the top 10, a single big round can shuffle who plays on through Labor Day weekend.
Bellerive sits in Town and Country, Missouri, roughly 16 miles west of downtown St. Louis. Bellerive is not part of LoopGolf's booking network, but fans can catch both marquee pairings on Golf Channel between 3 and 5 p.m. ET, when McIlroy turns for his back nine as Scheffler works through his opening holes.
Frequently asked questions
What time does Scottie Scheffler tee off in BMW Championship Round 1?
Scheffler tees off at 2:33 p.m. ET (1:33 p.m. CDT) Thursday, paired with Matt Fitzpatrick.
What time does Rory McIlroy tee off?
McIlroy goes off at 1:20 p.m. ET (12:20 p.m. CDT), 73 minutes ahead of Scheffler, playing with Xander Schauffele.
Is there a 36-hole cut at the BMW Championship?
No. All 50 players complete four full rounds. Instead, only the top 30 in FedExCup points advance to the Tour Championship.
How much prize money is on offer?
The purse is $20 million, with $3.6 million going to the winner and at least $66,000 to last place.
Where is the 2026 BMW Championship being played?
Bellerive Country Club in Town and Country, Missouri, a St. Louis suburb.
- bmw championship
- scottie scheffler
- rory mcilroy
- bellerive country club
- fedexcup
- tee times
- matt fitzpatrick
- xander schauffele
