Texas Tech University Athletics
Three Red Raiders set for the 154th Open Championship
July 14, 2026 | Men's Golf
LUBBOCK, Texas – The Texas Tech men's golf team, past and present members, are preparing for a special week in Southport, England, at Royal Birkdale Golf Club as a trio of Red Raiders prepare to tee off at the 154th edition of The Open Championship, the final major championship on the 2026 calendar.
Ludvig Aberg (2019-23) is set to make his third appearance, while Baard Skogen (2020-24) and Tim Wiedemeyer (2023-present) are preparing to make their respective debuts in golf's oldest major championship. The opening round is Thursday, July 16, featuring a field of 156 that will be cut after the first 36 holes of play, with the 70 lowest scores and ties qualifying for the weekend with a chance to win the Claret Jug.
Aberg, one of golf's young superstars, qualified via a pair of exemptions: the first 50 players on the Official World Golf Ranking for Week 21, 2026, and the first 30 players from the final 2025 FedExCup Points List. After missing the cut in his debut at Royal Troon in 2024, shooting 75-76, Aberg tied for 23rd in his second Open appearance at Royal Portrush last year (73-67-68-70), carding a 6-under 278.
Skogen, who turned professional in 2024, will make his debut at The Open after earning his place through Final Qualifying at Royal Cinque Ports. The Norwegian shot a 4-under 68 in his first round before a blemish-free 64 in the second round that included eight birdies to finish in a tie atop the leaderboard at 12-under to clinch one of the five spots up for grabs in the qualifier. Skogen, who plays on the HotelPlanner Tour, noted after the event that he had planned to go on a road trip around Europe with his parents this summer, but those plans have been cancelled for The Open.
Wiedemeyer, who is preparing for his senior season with the Red Raiders, is having a summer to remember. After wrapping up his 2025-26 junior campaign, he earned All-America honors for the first time in his career, being named a Golfweek Third Team All-American and PING Third Team All-American, as well as being tabbed a First Team All-Big 12 selection. The Olching, Germany, native also earned his first selection to the Arnold Palmer Cup, participating in Team International's win, July 3-5.
Wiedemeyer, who will be one of 10 amateurs competing in the 154th Open Championship, secured his spot by being one of the six individuals who won a respective amateur qualifying event. Wiedemeyer topped the field at the 2026 European Amateur by shooting a 72-hole 13-under 271, two shots clear of second, at Vanajanlinna Golf & Country Club, Finland, across June 24-27.
With even deeper Red Raider ties, Wiedemeyer will have Texas Tech associate head coach James Vargas serving as his caddie at Royal Birkdale.
The 154th Open will be the third consecutive championship featuring a Texas Tech amateur in the field, a feat no other American university can claim. The streak started with Calum Scott in 2024, who won the Silver Medal at the 152nd Open Championship at Royal Troon in a field of 12 qualifying amateurs, while Connor Graham represented Texas Tech as one of nine qualifying amateurs at the 153rd Open Championship at Royal Portrush Golf Club.
Texas Tech is one of nine American universities that will have three or more golfers representing their college. That group is led by Oklahoma State (8) and Georgia (6), followed by Arizona State, Texas and Wake Forest with four, and then California, Florida State, Texas Tech and UNLV with three each.
Over 300,000 spectators are expected to attend Royal Birkdale Golf Club for the year's championship, the club's first time to host The Open since 2017. The Open Championship will be broadcast in the United States across NBC, USA Network and Peacock.
154th OPEN AT ROYAL BIRKDALE TEE TIMES (leaderboard)
Aberg (game 45)
Thursday: 9:04 a.m. CDT, 3:04 pm. BST
Friday: 3:58 a.m. CDT, 9:58 a.m. BST
Wiedemeyer (game 47)
Thursday: 9:26 a.m. CDT, 3:26 p.m. BST
Friday: 4:20 a.m. CDT, 10:20 a.m. BST
Skogen (game 51)
Thursday: 10:10 a.m. CDT, 4:10 p.m. BST
Friday: 5:04 a.m. CDT, 11:04 a.m. BST
OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP TV & STREAMING SCHEDULE BY DAY
Below are the television and streaming times for the 2026 Open Championship (via Forbes.com)
THURSDAY, JULY 16
Television: 3 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. (USA)
Streaming: 12:30 a.m. – 3 a.m. (Peacock)
FRIDAY, JULY 17
Television: 3 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. (USA)
Streaming: 12:30 a.m. – 3 a.m. (Peacock)
SATURDAY, JULY 18
Television: 4–6 a.m. (USA); 6 a.m. – 2 p.m. (NBC)
Streaming: 6 a.m. – 2 p.m. (Peacock)
SUNDAY, JULY 19
Television: 3–6 a.m. (USA); 6 a.m. – 1 p.m. (NBC)
Streaming: 6 a.m. – 1 p.m. (Peacock)
All times converted to Central Daylight Time
Ludvig Aberg (2019-23) is set to make his third appearance, while Baard Skogen (2020-24) and Tim Wiedemeyer (2023-present) are preparing to make their respective debuts in golf's oldest major championship. The opening round is Thursday, July 16, featuring a field of 156 that will be cut after the first 36 holes of play, with the 70 lowest scores and ties qualifying for the weekend with a chance to win the Claret Jug.
Aberg, one of golf's young superstars, qualified via a pair of exemptions: the first 50 players on the Official World Golf Ranking for Week 21, 2026, and the first 30 players from the final 2025 FedExCup Points List. After missing the cut in his debut at Royal Troon in 2024, shooting 75-76, Aberg tied for 23rd in his second Open appearance at Royal Portrush last year (73-67-68-70), carding a 6-under 278.
Skogen, who turned professional in 2024, will make his debut at The Open after earning his place through Final Qualifying at Royal Cinque Ports. The Norwegian shot a 4-under 68 in his first round before a blemish-free 64 in the second round that included eight birdies to finish in a tie atop the leaderboard at 12-under to clinch one of the five spots up for grabs in the qualifier. Skogen, who plays on the HotelPlanner Tour, noted after the event that he had planned to go on a road trip around Europe with his parents this summer, but those plans have been cancelled for The Open.
Wiedemeyer, who is preparing for his senior season with the Red Raiders, is having a summer to remember. After wrapping up his 2025-26 junior campaign, he earned All-America honors for the first time in his career, being named a Golfweek Third Team All-American and PING Third Team All-American, as well as being tabbed a First Team All-Big 12 selection. The Olching, Germany, native also earned his first selection to the Arnold Palmer Cup, participating in Team International's win, July 3-5.
Wiedemeyer, who will be one of 10 amateurs competing in the 154th Open Championship, secured his spot by being one of the six individuals who won a respective amateur qualifying event. Wiedemeyer topped the field at the 2026 European Amateur by shooting a 72-hole 13-under 271, two shots clear of second, at Vanajanlinna Golf & Country Club, Finland, across June 24-27.
With even deeper Red Raider ties, Wiedemeyer will have Texas Tech associate head coach James Vargas serving as his caddie at Royal Birkdale.
The 154th Open will be the third consecutive championship featuring a Texas Tech amateur in the field, a feat no other American university can claim. The streak started with Calum Scott in 2024, who won the Silver Medal at the 152nd Open Championship at Royal Troon in a field of 12 qualifying amateurs, while Connor Graham represented Texas Tech as one of nine qualifying amateurs at the 153rd Open Championship at Royal Portrush Golf Club.
Texas Tech is one of nine American universities that will have three or more golfers representing their college. That group is led by Oklahoma State (8) and Georgia (6), followed by Arizona State, Texas and Wake Forest with four, and then California, Florida State, Texas Tech and UNLV with three each.
Over 300,000 spectators are expected to attend Royal Birkdale Golf Club for the year's championship, the club's first time to host The Open since 2017. The Open Championship will be broadcast in the United States across NBC, USA Network and Peacock.
154th OPEN AT ROYAL BIRKDALE TEE TIMES (leaderboard)
Aberg (game 45)
Thursday: 9:04 a.m. CDT, 3:04 pm. BST
Friday: 3:58 a.m. CDT, 9:58 a.m. BST
Wiedemeyer (game 47)
Thursday: 9:26 a.m. CDT, 3:26 p.m. BST
Friday: 4:20 a.m. CDT, 10:20 a.m. BST
Skogen (game 51)
Thursday: 10:10 a.m. CDT, 4:10 p.m. BST
Friday: 5:04 a.m. CDT, 11:04 a.m. BST
OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP TV & STREAMING SCHEDULE BY DAY
Below are the television and streaming times for the 2026 Open Championship (via Forbes.com)
THURSDAY, JULY 16
Television: 3 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. (USA)
Streaming: 12:30 a.m. – 3 a.m. (Peacock)
FRIDAY, JULY 17
Television: 3 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. (USA)
Streaming: 12:30 a.m. – 3 a.m. (Peacock)
SATURDAY, JULY 18
Television: 4–6 a.m. (USA); 6 a.m. – 2 p.m. (NBC)
Streaming: 6 a.m. – 2 p.m. (Peacock)
SUNDAY, JULY 19
Television: 3–6 a.m. (USA); 6 a.m. – 1 p.m. (NBC)
Streaming: 6 a.m. – 1 p.m. (Peacock)
All times converted to Central Daylight Time
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