Peter Jacobsen Guest Analyst on NBC Sports’ Coverage
“There are no better golf analysts on TV than Johnny Miller and Dottie Pepper.” – St. Petersburg Times
NEW YORK – March 25, 2009 – Tiger Woods and Vijay Singh lead a world-class field as NBC Sports broadcasts live high definition coverage of the Arnold Palmer Invitational Saturday and Sunday, 2:30-6 p.m. ET, from Bay Hill Club and Lodge in Orlando, Fla. Woods is seeking his sixth title at Bay Hill, having won last year and four straight from 2000-03. Last year, it took a dramatic 24-foot putt for birdie on the 72nd hole to earn his fifth Bay Hill title.
Host Dan Hicks and analyst Johnny Miller, in their 10th season together as NBC’s lead golf team, will anchor the coverage from the 18th hole tower. They are joined by tower reporter Gary Koch (who won at Bay Hill in 1977 and 1984); course reporters Dottie Pepper, Roger Maltbie and Mark Rolfing; and interviewer/essayist Jimmy Roberts. Peter Jacobsen will join NBC’s coverage this week as a guest analyst in the 15th tower. NBC’s golf coverage is produced by Tommy Roy, among the most nominated persons in the history of the Sports Emmys.
WOODS NO. 1 RANKING AT STAKE: Phil Mickelson has moved to within 0.2 average points of Woods, and can potentially overtake Tiger next week at the Shell Houston Open on NBC. Tiger has been No. 1 for the last 198 weeks and for a total of 540 weeks in his career.
MALTBIE ON TIGER’S GAME: “Tiger’s not thinking about his ranking. What’s in his head is putting better, winning here and getting ready for Augusta. Tiger hasn’t lost faith in Tiger. His ball striking was spot on at Doral; the putting will come sooner rather than later. This is a good spot for him. He loves this course and the greens are in the best shape I’ve ever seen them.”
MALTBIE ON IF TIGER’S DOMINANCE IS GOOD FOR GAME: “I think it’s part of a warrior mentality — me against you and I’m going to win. It’s important to have that rivalry. Look at Jack and Arnold, obviously two great champions. That drove the whole golf business. It’s important to have a Phil challenge and get his share of licks in and win every now and then. I think that would be very healthy for the game.”
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING ABOUT NBC’S GOLF COVERAGE:
USA Today: “With avid golfer Tommy Roy as producer, NBC seems to capture more of the beyond-the-obvious nuances of the game…The most thorough coverage in golf.”
St. Petersburg Times: “Spending a weekend afternoon watching golf on NBC is always a pleasure…It’s clear that NBC has the best golf coverage.”
Golf World: “Two of the best things a television network can provide its viewers are honest debate and the ability to take the audience to a place it normally can’t go. NBC delivered royally on both counts.” (2009, WGC-CA Championship at Doral)
USA Today: “Excellent eavesdropping of players conversations with caddies.”
ON JOHNNY MILLER:
Golf Digest: “The dominant voice in golf.”
LA Times: “Doesn’t just sound like an expert, he is one.”
NY Post: “Unquestionably golf’s best analyst.”
USA Today: “The best color analyst in golf, if not all sports TV.”
Vijay Singh: “Miller knows what goes through our heads. A lot of times we just don’t want to hear it.”
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: “He interacts with Roger Maltbie (aka, The Course Whisperer) as though they are at a backyard BBQ.”
ON MILLER AND DAN HICKS:
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: “Golf’s best announcing team.”
ON HICKS:
USA Today: “Smooth and underrated. The perfect complement to Johnny Miller.”
LA Times: “Few are smoother than Hicks.”
LA Times: “Has a ringmasters job and handles it with ease.”
ON MALTBIE:
Golf Digest: “A combination of a player’s feel and a critic’s discerning eye.”
ON DOTTIE PEPPER:
NY Post: “Strong, well-informed, direct, concise, not to shy to speak non-pandering, been-there opinion.”
St. Petersburg Times: “There are no better golf analysts on TV than Johnny Miller and Dottie Miller.”
Palm Beach Post: “Genuine emotion by a knowledgeable player. Golf needs a dose of passion, not just whispered euphemism.”
HIGHLIGHTS OF NBC’S 2009 GOLF SCHEDULE: NBC’s 2009 PGA TOUR coverage is highlighted by two World Golf Championship events, THE PLAYERS, and three of the four season-ending events in the PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedEx Cup, including The TOUR Championship. NBC also broadcasts the U.S. Open, U.S. Women’s Open and Presidents Cup.
Remaining schedule (all times ET):
Arnold Palmer Invitational – Orlando, Fla.
Saturday, March 28 2:30–6 p.m.
Sunday, March 29 2:30–6 p.m.
Shell Houston Open – Houston, Texas
Saturday, April 4 1–5 p.m.
Sunday, April 5 3–6 p.m.
THE PLAYERS – Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.
Saturday, May 9 2–7 p.m.
Sunday, May 10 2–7 p.m.
Senior PGA Championship – Cleveland, Ohio
Saturday, May 23 Noon-3 p.m.
Sunday, May 24 Noon–3 p.m.
U.S. Open Championship – Bethpage State Park, Farmingdale, N.Y.
Thursday, June 18 3–5 p.m.
Friday, June 19 3–5 p.m.
Saturday, June 20 2–8 p.m.
Sunday, June 21 1:30–7:30 p.m.
U.S. Women’s Open Championship – Bethlehem, Pa.
Saturday, July 11 3–6 p.m.
Sunday, July 12 3–6 p.m.
U.S. Senior Open Championship – Carmel, Ind.
Saturday, August 1 3–6 p.m.
Sunday, August 2 3–6 p.m.
Deutsche Bank Championship – Norton, Mass.
Sunday, September 6 3–6 p.m.
Monday, September 7 3–7 p.m.
BMW Championship – Chicago, Ill.
Saturday, September 12 3–6 p.m.
Sunday, September 13 2–6 p.m.
Samsung World Championship – Palm Desert, Calif.
Saturday, September 19 1:30-3:30 p.m.
Sunday, September 20 4-6 p.m.
The TOUR Championship – Atlanta, Ga.
Saturday, September 26 2–6 p.m.
Sunday, September 27 1:30–6 p.m.
Senior Players Championship – Baltimore, Md.
Saturday, October 3 1:30-3:30 p.m.
Sunday, October 4 4-6 p.m.
Presidents Cup – San Francisco, Calif.
Saturday, October 10 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Sunday, October 11 Noon – 6 p.m.
Merrill Lynch Shootout – Naples, Fla.
Saturday, December 12 4-6 p.m.
Sunday, December 13 3-6 p.m.
Chevron World Challenge – Thousand Oaks, Calif.
Saturday, December 19 3-6 p.m.
Sunday, December 20 3-6 p.m.
BURTON U.S. OPEN SNOWBOARDING CHAMPIONSHIPS, SUNDAY, 1-2:30 PM ET
NBC Sports’ golf coverage is preceded by the 27th annual Burton U.S. Open Snowboarding Championships from Stratton Mountain, Vt., Sunday at 1 p.m. ET. The final stop in the U.S. Open Series features halfpipe, slopestyle and quarterpipe action from athletes such as past Olympic medalists Kelly Clark and Danny Kass, as well as future Olympic hopefuls Kevin Pearce and Ellery Hollingswood. There’s more than $200,000 up for grabs; the U.S. Open was one of snowboarding’s first events worldwide to offer equal prize money for both male and female competitors.
Commentators Pat Parnell, Todd Richards, and Tina Dixon cover the action.
Recent Comments