Golf

Irish Open 2017: Tee times, TV channel, and live stream for Sunday

It’s coffeegolf season and Sunday at the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open should be a fun one.

Jul 9, 2017, 11:00 AM UTC

Jon Rahm tees off on the stunning first hole of the Irish Open at Portstewart.

Photo by Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images

July is the best month for what I like to call “coffeegolf.” That’s the golf that’s fully up and running before you’re even out of bed, and set up to occupy your casual summer morning. This is, arguably, the strongest stretch the European Tour has to offer. They have built the schedule around the British Open, which, obviously, draws a loaded international field. World talents, including Americans, cross the pond to play an event or two around The Open, get climatized for the third major, and patronize the Euro Tour.

The European Tour has made the stretch even more formidable with some schedule changes and the formation of the “Rolex Series,” an eight tournament group with increased purses and points spread across the globe and season-long schedule. Three of those tournaments are clustered here in July leading into The Open. It’s “open season” now with last week’s French Open, this week’s Irish Open, and next week’s Scottish Open all drawing strong fields before the oldest major championship in golf.

The Irish Open, a historic event that had been on the ropes, has gotten an incredible boost by partnering with Rory McIlroy. We see legends and larger-than-life names often take on a tournament or two on both sides of the Atlantic. Rory is the latest superstar to have his foundation really own an event and become the face of it. This is the first year of a change in date, moving from May to July, and it should only add to the field strength with some Americans making the flight over during a weaker PGA Tour stretch and with links golf becoming a priority.

McIlroy missed his fourth cut in the last five years and won’t be around to defend his title from last year, which was one of the more exhilarating Sunday finishes of 2016. But Sunday does have a star to watch with your coffee. Jon Rahm shares the lead with American Daniel Im. Anyone who watches golf will tell you Rahm has the chance to be the next mega-talent multi-major winner, and he’s been in contention on the PGA Tour ever since he turned pro just a year ago.

Rahm walks up the 18th on Saturday at the Irish Open.

Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images

After a strong start to this season, Rahm hit a rough patch (relative term for someone like Rahm!) in recent weeks but an Irish Open win would be a nice return to form before The Open. He has not played much Euro Tour as a pro, chosing to focus on his status and card in the States, but a Rahm win would be a nice pairing with the boost in stature of this event and this stretch on the Euro Tour schedule. That’s a big name to add to the increased hype of the Irish Open and Rolex Series.

Golf Channel will have the coverage Sunday morning. I love watching a final round come down to the wire and resolve itself before lunch. Just like primetime golf, it’s a great change of pace from the usual late-afternoon obligation on the couch. Get your coffee, watch some of the best in the world at big-time events in a different setting playing a different style of golf, and then go out and enjoy your summer afternoon like a normal human being. It’s what makes July my favorite golf-viewing stretches of the year.

Here are some of the nuts and bolts for this Sunday at the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open (all times ET).