Wells Fargo Championship 2017 live stream: Tee times, TV schedule, and how to watch Thursday online

May can be a tough month on the PGA Tour calendar. It’s sandwiched in between a bunch of months with major championships. Granted, there’s The Players, which everyone plays if they have an exemption. But it’s also a stretch where players feel they can pick and choose a bit, especially before the summer sprint really starts in earnest. So you can get a lull between the Masters and the end of May.

One of the premier events during this stretch, and really on the entire PGA Tour schedule, is the Wells Fargo Championship. The tournament’s identity and appeal largely come from its venue, Quail Hollow in Charlotte. It’s an excellently maintained track, long, and with major championship bones. This year, however, Quail is actually hosting a major, the PGA Championship in August. So the annual May stop for the Wells Fargo was a no go, taking some appeal away for the players that have always put it on their schedule because of the course.

This year’s Wells Fargo moves across the state to the Wilmington area and Tom Fazio’s Eagle Point. From all early accounts, the place is absolutely pure. The conditioning of the course is what we’ve heard the most about so far, with Augusta-esque perfection from tee to green. While it’s not Quail Hollow, this might be a nice change on the schedule and a good opportunity to see some of the best in the world on a new track.

While the course looks like a strong replacement for Quail, the field took a bit of a hit this year. As I noted last week, some of that could be due to the boost in popularity of the Zurich Classic. The interest in that new two-man team format may have made the weeks preceding it and this week an easier pass for some of the bigger names (13 of the top 30 played last week in NOLA, which had 3 of the top 30 last year). Rory McIlroy, a staple at the Wells Fargo, also got married and is taking a break until next week’s Players. Andy at the Fried Egg ran the numbers and after 14 of the top 25 committed to last year’s Wells Fargo, only 6 showed up this year at Eagle Point.

The field may be down, but that doesn’t mean this won’t still be a good watch. The new course is worth checking out and old friend Phil Mickelson will be back in action, making his first start since the Masters. The world No. 1, Dustin Johnson, is also back, making his first start since the WGC Dell Match Play. That’s who everyone will want to see, especially with The Players coming up next week. DJ says he’s healthy and ready to go again after his fall at the Masters. We’ll get a look early on Thursday, when he’s playing in one of PGA Tour Live’s featured groups streams before 8 a.m. ET. Here’s the full media schedule for the opening round:

2 to 6 p.m. ET — Golf Channel

7 p.m. to 11 p.m. — Golf Channel replay

7 a.m. -- PGA Tour Live starts with coverage from range and opening holes

Featured Groups (PGA Tour Live subscription required)

2 to 6 p.m. — PGA Tour Live featured holes coverage (No subscription required)

2 to 6 p.m. — Golf Channel simulcast stream

Noon to 6 p.m. — PGA Tour Radio on Sirius-XM (Ch. 92/208 and streamed here)

And here’s the full tee sheet for the opening round at Eagle Point.