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NOTES AND QUOTES – THE PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP ON NBC (FINAL ROUND)

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“Probably one of the best rounds of my life, tee-to-green…I’ve seen some pretty crazy stuff on TV happen in the past on this back nine, so I was glad to be on the better side of it this year.” – Justin Thomas to Steve Sands

“As long as we are going to watch golf in the future, I doubt we will see more than a handful of ball-striking rounds by a winner better than this one.” – Brandel Chamblee on Thomas (-14, Champion)

“Today showed a lot to me – when he didn’t have his best, there was no momentum there in that final group…hats off to him.” – Justin Leonard on Lee Westwood (-13, 2nd place)

STAMFORD, Conn. – March 14, 2021 – NBC Sports concluded its comprehensive coverage of the 2021 edition of THE PLAYERS Championship today on NBC from The Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. Justin Thomas won his first career PLAYERS Championship with a final-round 68, hitting 17 of 18 greens in regulation en route to a one-stroke victory over Lee Westwood.

THE PLAYERS Championship – Final Leaderboard

Player Total
Justin Thomas -14
Lee Westwood -13
Brian Harman -12
Bryson DeChambeau -12
Paul Casey -11
Talor Gooch -11

 

On Justin Thomas (14-under, Champion)

Thomas to Steve Sands on closing out THE PLAYERS Championship: “It’s a lot harder than when there weren’t fans here, that’s for sure…probably one of the best rounds of my life, tee-to-green…I’ve seen some pretty crazy stuff on TV happen in the past on this back nine, so I was glad to be on the better side of it this year.”

Brandel Chamblee on today’s round: “That didn’t disappoint…Sublime play was interrupted for a brief moment by a shank, a top, and a slice, but none of those were coming from Justin Thomas. He absolutely had it on a string…That was one of the best ball-striking rounds that I’ve ever seen.”

Chamblee on Thomas’ final round: “As long as I’ve watched golf, I’ve seen only a handful of rounds better than what I saw today from a ball-striking standpoint. As long as we are going to watch golf in the future, I doubt we will see more than a handful of ball-striking rounds by a winner better than this one.”

Paul Azinger on Thomas: “He really did earn it. He scratched and clawed just to make the cut. And then he just blistered this golf course on the weekend.”

On Lee Westwood (13-under, 2nd)

Justin Leonard on Westwood: “I’ve always been impressed with Lee Westwood ever since I met him 25 years ago. Today showed a lot to me, when he didn’t have his best, there was no momentum there in that final group…hats off to him. I don’t know what his beverage of choice is as an adult, but after these last two weeks and the way he’s played, he deserves a few of them tonight.”

Chamblee: “He’s a reminder that the elder statesmen are not ceding all the ground to the younger players. When you start talking about longevity in this game, it’s enviable what he’s done.”

On Bryson DeChambeau at the 4th hole

Dan Hicks: “His mind is big-time scrambled right now. He can’t figure something out. That is as bizarre a pair of shots in a row that we’ve seen DeChambeau hit in a long time.”

Gary Koch: “He talks about being a perfectionist. Right now, it’s anything but.”

David Feherty: “That was ‘worse than most.’”

Roger Maltbie: “This is about as interesting a hole as I’ve seen played in just about 30 years.”

–NBC SPORTS–

NOTES AND QUOTES – THE PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP ON NBC (THIRD ROUND)

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“He has been in complete control. Tee to green, it has been a clinic on one of the most challenging, most difficult, most visually intimidating golf courses.” – Paul Azinger on Lee Westwood (-13, Leader)

“He can hit them long and he can hit them pretty straight. When he is making more than his share (of putts), it’s hardly a fair fight.” – Brandel Chamblee on Bryson DeChambeau (-11, 2nd place)

Sunday’s Final Round Coverage Begins on NBC at 1 p.m. ET, Preceded by Live From THE PLAYERS at 9 a.m. ET on GOLF Channel

STAMFORD, Conn. – March 13, 2021 – NBC Sports continued its comprehensive coverage of the 2021 edition of THE PLAYERS Championship today on NBC from The Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.

Sunday’s final round coverage begins with Live From THE PLAYERS at 9 a.m. ET on GOLF Channel, and moves to NBC at 1 p.m. ET.

THE PLAYERS Championship – Third Round Leaderboard

Player Total
Lee Westwood -13
Bryson DeChambeau -11
Justin Thomas -10
Doug Ghim -10
Jon Rahm -9
Paul Casey -9
Brian Harman -9

 

On Lee Westwood and Bryson DeChambeau Final Round Pairing For Second Consecutive Sunday

Brandel Chamblee: “Ordinarily you’ve got to wait a little while for sequels. It was two years between “The Godfather” and “The Godfather II”, but there Bryson sits like Luca Brasi, not letting Westwood in, and here we go again. Back-to-back weeks — a terrific soiree between Lee Westwood and Bryson DeChambeau.”

On Lee Westwood (13-under, leader)

Paul Azinger on Westwood: “He has been in complete control. Tee to green, it has been a clinic on one of the most challenging, most difficult, most visually intimidating golf courses. This would be by far the biggest win of his career.”

Chamblee on Westwood’s relaxed attitude: “He has talked about how he’s put less pressure on himself. It’s quite evident when you watch him work his way around the course that he is more relaxed…and missing putt after putt after putt today, you could forgive him if the blood began to boil a bit…that was as fine an example of patience as you will ever see.”

Justin Leonard on what takeaways Westwood can take from last week at the Arnold Palmer Invitational: “For him, making that putt on 18…to force Bryson (DeChambeau) to make his (putt), I think he can lean on just that one exchange on the 18th green last week. His attitude coming in here was all positive.”

On Bryson DeChambeau (11-under, 2nd)

Chamblee on DeChambeau: “He can hit them long and he can hit them pretty straight. When he is making more than his share (of putts) the last two years on the PGA TOUR, it’s hardly a fair fight.”

Azinger on DeChambeau after par putt on the 18th: “Has this become his strength? The putter? We thought it was all the power — but he’s way more than just power…nobody works harder. He’s not one-dimensional.”

Chamblee on DeChambeau’s mindset: “He’s in another back-and-forth with Lee Westwood, certainly another great day of competition ahead of him (on Sunday). But you get the impression he’s really just competing with himself. He’s trying to see how far, how high, how fast he can hit this club and carry that perfection all the way through his golf bag.”

Leonard on DeChambeau’s all-around game: “He knows how to play small ball. Obviously, he’s the best at playing big ball, but he also knows how to play small ball. This week, it’s been a combination of the two…he’s got great control for having that much speed.”

–NBC SPORTS–

NOTES AND QUOTES – THE PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP ON GOLF CHANNEL (SECOND ROUND)

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“The swing has held up marvelously over the years…He’s much improved (in his putting).” – Brandel Chamblee on Lee Westwood (1st)

“He’s missing it in the right spots. We talk about golf being a game of misses, I don’t think anybody understands that more than Bryson DeChambeau” – Justin Leonard on DeChambeau (T-5th)

First Round Coverage of THE PLAYERS on GOLF Channel Up 34% from Last Year; Live From THE PLAYERS Viewership Up Nearly 40%

STAMFORD, Conn. – March 12, 2021 – NBC Sports continued its comprehensive coverage of the 2021 edition of THE PLAYERS Championship today on GOLF Channel from The Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.

Yesterday’s first round coverage of THE PLAYERS Championship on GOLF Channel averaged 869,000 viewers, up 34% from last year and ranks as the third-most watched first round in network history. Viewership for pre- and post-round coverage on Live From THE PLAYERS Championship was up nearly 40%.

Saturday’s third round coverage begins with Live From THE PLAYERS at 9 a.m. ET on GOLF Channel and moves to NBC at 1 p.m. ET.

THE PLAYERS Championship – Second Round Leaderboard (Play Suspended Due to Darkness)

Player Total
Lee Westwood -9
Matthew Fitzpatrick -8
Chris Kirk -7
Sergio Garcia -7

 

On Lee Westwood (9-under, leader)

Brandel Chamblee on Westwood: “The swing has held up marvelously over the years…and as we’ve seen the last two years that he’s been playing over here on the PGA TOUR, he’s much improved (in his putting).”

Leonard on Ryder Cup as motivating factor for Westwood’s play: “That carrot is dangled out there. He’s been in a lot of team rooms with his cleats on. He’s also been in a couple wearing an IFB and a walkie-talkie in his pocket. I think he wants to have the cleats on again and because of that, wanting to be a part of that, is really keeping him going and keeping him motivated.”

Nick Faldo on how Westwood’s attitude has helped his game: “It’s not just happened last week, his attitude, it’s been going for about a good three or four years. As he said, ‘I give one hundred percent in preparation and picking the club, and then let it go.’ How nice to just not be carrying the baggage.”

On Bryson DeChambeau (6-under, T-5th)

Leonard on DeChambeau’s driver: “He’s missing it in the right spots. We talk about golf being a game of misses, I don’t think anybody understands that more than Bryson DeChambeau. So, he does have some control over it because he’s not missing it in the bad places, but I’m sure he’d like to get a few more in the fairway.”

Chamblee on DeChambeau: “This is creation in process. This literally is Shakespeare sitting down trying to come up with a plot and characters and it’s beautiful to watch…this is messy, he’s making it up, he’s dragging in data and trying to connect the dots…all credit to the people on his team, but it’s the doer that connects the dots.”

Chamblee on DeChambeau’s iron play: “We know that he’s got the seventh or eighth gears off of the tees like a Ferrari, but he’s also got great touch coming into these greens.”

On Sergio Garcia (7-under, T-3rd)

Leonard on Garcia’s perspective: “I think he’s found a place in life where he’s got balance…I think Sergio is really enjoying being a husband, being a father. It’s easy being at the top of your profession and put that profession kind of at the top of everything you do. It doesn’t make it easier to perform in that profession. I think a lot of times when you get a perspective…when golf kind of moves down the list a little bit, I think it makes it a little easier to play the game.”

Chamblee on Garcia and his putting: “If there’s one golf course that suits him better than any other, because it mitigates his weakness (his putting), it’s this one and we saw it today.”

–NBC SPORTS–

NOTES AND QUOTES – THE PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP ON GOLF CHANNEL (FIRST ROUND)

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“I felt like the receptionist at an endodontist’s office – that’s where you go in to get your root canal.” – Justin Leonard on difficulties of 17th hole

“Every champion knows, even in the practice rounds, you’re preparing your mind for if you’re there on Sunday, ‘Can I do it?’” – Paul Azinger on 17th hole

“He plays well here primarily because this golf course puts a premium on ball striking…The equivalent to him of clay to (Rafael) Nadal.” – Brandel Chamblee on Sergio Garcia

STAMFORD, Conn. – March 11, 2021 – NBC Sports began its comprehensive coverage of the 2021 edition of THE PLAYERS Championship today on GOLF Channel from The Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.

Friday’s second round coverage begins with Live From THE PLAYERS at 8:30 a.m. ET on GOLF Channel, and continues with second round coverage at Noon ET on GOLF Channel.

THE PLAYERS Championship – First Round Leaderboard (Play Suspended Due to Darkness)

Player Total
Sergio Garcia -7
Brian Harman -5
Matthew Fitzpatrick -4
Corey Conners -4
Shane Lowry -4

 

On Difficulties at 17th Hole at TPC Sawgrass

Justin Leonard: “I felt like I was the receptionist at an endodontist’s office today – that’s where you go into to get your root canal. That’s what it felt like today…‘You’re going to hurt by the time you get out of here, but trust me, you need to go through this.’”

Paul Azinger: “It’s a long wait until that tee time and you can’t get 17 out of your head. That’s the hole that gets you…It’s all about 17. Every champion knows, even in the practice rounds, you’re preparing your mind for if you’re there on Sunday, ‘Can I do it?’ And that’s what it’s all about, but it is an emotional roller coaster for these guys.”

Brandel Chamblee: “This golf course teases you, tempts you, torments you. You want to get up on the 17th hole and have a nice, quiet ballad playing in your head. But invariably, the theme from ‘The Exorcist’ comes to mind. It is the most daunting of golf courses, and that particular shot is the most harrowing shot in all of golf.”

Shane Bacon: “The 17th hole woke up today on the wrong side of the bed.”

Azinger: “This is a sucker pin and (the players) cannot take their eyes off it. It’s just a wedge, and so many of them want to just still get it on there hole-high.”

On Sergio Garcia (7-under, leader)

Chamblee on Garcia’s career success at TPC Sawgrass: “He plays well here primarily because this golf course puts a premium on ball striking…This is the equivalent to him of clay to (Rafael) Nadal.”

On Jordan Spieth (2-under, T-12th)

Leonard: “He should look at today as a big victory. He hasn’t had a round like this where he drove the ball consistently good throughout the entire day, it’s been too long of a time…For him to get over the hump, he needs to do what he did today more often.”

Chamblee on Spieth’s driving accuracy: “I didn’t see this coming. He drove it better last week, I’ll give him that, but he spent most of the year hitting right around six fairways per round. He hit double that today.”

On Bryson DeChambeau (3-under, T-6th)

Leonard on the advantage of DeChambeau’s distance: “Angle of descent – when you can come in with a short iron like he is (on the 16th hole), the water isn’t even a consideration.”

–NBC SPORTS–

THE PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP HEADLINES NBC SPORTS’ GOLF COVERAGE THIS WEEKEND ON NBC AND GOLF CHANNEL

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NBC Sports Presents 20+ Hours of Live Tournament Coverage from TPC Sawgrass, Featuring More Than 10 On-Site Commentators

Live From THE PLAYERS Provides Daily Coverage From TPC Sawgrass, Continuing Tonight at 7 p.m. ET on GOLF Channel; More Than 40 Hours of Total Live From Coverage this Week

Various Features Surrounding THE PLAYERS Coverage, Including a Look Back at Last Year’s Events, the Brentwood Four, and Gary Koch’s Famous ‘Better Than Most’ Call

WATCH: Rory McIlroy Featured on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon; Jordan Spieth Joins Mike Tirico Live on The TODAY Show from 17th Hole at Sawgrass

PGA TOUR Viewership on NBC Up 30% in 2021

STAMFORD, Conn. – March 10, 2021 – THE PLAYERS Championship from TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., headlines NBC Sports’ PGA TOUR coverage this week on NBC and GOLF Channel. This year’s field at THE PLAYERS features last week’s Arnold Palmer Invitational winner Bryson DeChambeau, world No. 1 Dustin Johnson, Rory McIlroy, Justin Thomas, Jordan Spieth, and more.

In total, NBC Sports will have nearly 30 commentators and analysts covering this year’s tournament. Live From THE PLAYERS continues with on-site coverage on GOLF Channel tonight at 7 p.m. ET. For a complete schedule of coverage throughout the remainder of the week, click here.

Earlier this week, NBC Sports announced its comprehensive live coverage of THE PLAYERS Championship across NBC and GOLF Channel, including numerous in-depth features that will be spotlighted during Live From THE PLAYERS throughout the week. Click here for more info.

Ahead of THE PLAYERS, Rory McIlroy was a guest on Tuesday night’s edition of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, and Jordan Spieth appeared live with Mike Tirico on Wednesday morning’s edition of The TODAY Show from the iconic 17th hole at TPC Sawgrass.

Earlier this week in honor of THE PLAYERS, NASCAR on NBC commentators and avid golfers Rick Allen, Steve Letarte and Dale Jarrett discussed their thoughts surrounding the best golfers in NASCAR and their personal dream foursomes on the latest episode of NASCAR America Splash ‘N Go. Click here to view the episode.

Earlier today, NBC Sports announced significant viewership gains for the PGA TOUR to open the 2021 calendar year, delivering a 30% year-over-year viewership increase on NBC and a 24% increase for GOLF Channel/NBC tournament coverage through last week’s Arnold Palmer Invitational.

THE PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP FROM TPC SAWGRASS

NBC/GOLF Channel Broadcast Team

  • Host: Mike Tirico
  • Play by Play: Dan Hicks / Terry Gannon
  • Analyst: Paul Azinger / Nick Faldo
  • Tower: Gary Koch / David Feherty / Justin Leonard
  • On-Course: Roger Maltbie / Jim “Bones” Mackay / John Wood
  • Interviews: Steve Sands
  • Essays: Jimmy Roberts

How To Watch – Thursday, March 11 – Sunday, March 14 (all times ET)

  • TV – NBC, GOLF Channel
  • Streaming – NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app
Date NBC GOLF Channel
Thursday   Noon-6 p.m.
Friday   Noon-6 p.m.
Saturday 1-6 p.m.  
Sunday 1-6 p.m.  

Notable Players This Week

  • Dustin Johnson
  • Bryson DeChambeau
  • Rory McIlroy
  • Justin Thomas
  • Jordan Spieth
  • Patrick Reed
  • Jon Rahm
  • Xander Schauffele
  • Collin Morikawa

EUROPEAN TOUR: COMMERCIAL BANK QATAR MASTERS

How To Watch – Thursday, March 11 – Sunday, March 14 (all times ET)

  • TV – GOLF Channel
  • Streaming – NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app
Date GOLF Channel
Thursday 4-6 a.m.
Friday 4-6 a.m.
Saturday 2-6 p.m.
Sunday 2-6 p.m.

 

Notable Players This Week

  • Thomas Pieters
  • Brandon Stone
  • Rasmus Hojgaard
  • Justin Harding
  • Jorge Campillo

BROADCAST NOTES

  • 40+ Hours of Live From THE PLAYERS this Week on GOLF Channel: Live From THE PLAYERS coverage on GOLF Channel continues today, leading into pre-and post-tournament coverage Thursday-Sunday. This week’s Live From includes commentary and analysis from Anna Whiteley, Shane Bacon, Damon Hack, George Savaricas, Cara Banks, Rich Lerner, Brandel Chamblee, Justin Leonard, Jaime Diaz, Todd Lewis, Billy Kratzert, David Duval, Arron Oberholser, Notah Begay, Mark Rolfing, Steve Burkowski, Ryan Lavner, and Rex Hoggard.
Date Live From THE PLAYERS
Wednesday 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; 7-9 p.m.
Thursday 9 a.m.-Noon; 6-8 p.m.
Friday 9 a.m.-Noon; 6-8 p.m.
Saturday 9 a.m.-1 p.m.; 6-8 p.m.
Sunday 9 a.m.-1 p.m.; 6-8 p.m.

 

  • THE PLAYERS Championship Features: Throughout the week on Live From, GOLF Channel is presenting features and profiles surrounding THE PLAYERS Championship:
    • PGA TOUR Shutdown: A look back on the events that unfolded during last year’s THE PLAYERS Championship leading to the PGA TOUR’s decision to cancel the tournament and suspend the season at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, including interviews with PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan, Executive Director of THE PLAYERS Championship Jared Rice, and more.
    • Brentwood Four: Depicts how four Black men fought to desegregate Brentwood Golf Course in Jacksonville and all public facilities throughout the city in the early 1960s.
    • ‘Better Than Most’: A scientific breakdown of Tiger Woods’ iconic putt on the 17th hole at the 2001 THE PLAYERS Championship and the impact of NBC Sports’ Gary Koch’s famous call, featuring interviews with Koch, Dan Hicks and Jim ‘Bones’ Mackay.
    • What Golf Did for Me: How the game of golf helped individuals cope with the COVID-19 pandemic in various ways.
    • Golfchannel.com writer Ryan Lavner pens a piece on the events of last year’s tournament leading up to its cancelation.

 

–NBC SPORTS–

PGA TOUR VIEWERSHIP ON NBC UP 30% IN 2021

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Combined GOLF Channel/NBC PGA TOUR Viewership Up 24% vs. 2020

Arnold Palmer Invitational Viewership Up 49% vs. 2020; Sunday’s Final Round Viewership on NBC Peaks at More Than 5.6 Million Viewers

8 of 10 PGA TOUR Events on GOLF Channel/NBC in 2021 Have Delivered Audience Increases

26 Tournament Telecasts on GOLF Channel/NBC Up At Least 10%

STAMFORD, Conn. – March 10, 2021 – NBC Sports has produced significant viewership gains for the PGA TOUR to open the 2021 calendar year, delivering a 30% year-over-year viewership increase on NBC and a 24% increase for GOLF Channel/NBC tournament coverage through last week’s Arnold Palmer Invitational, according to data provided by The Nielsen Company.

Twenty-six tournament telecasts on GOLF Channel/NBC have seen at least 10% viewership growth in 2021 compared to the first two months of 2020, and eight of the 10 PGA TOUR events on GOLF Channel/NBC in 2021 have posted year-over-year viewership growth vs. comparable coverage of the same event, most notably:

  • Arnold Palmer Invitational on GOLF Channel/NBC up 49%
  • Waste Management Phoenix Open on GOLF Channel up 38%
  • AT&T Pebble Beach on GOLF Channel up 29%

 

Following are viewership highlights from last week’s Arnold Palmer Invitational on GOLF Channel/NBC:

  • Sunday’s final round viewership on NBC averaged 3.9 million viewers, up 49% vs. 2020.
  • Final round viewership on NBC peaked at more than 5.6 million viewers (6-6:15 p.m. ET) as Bryson DeChambeau defeated Lee Westwood by one shot.
  • Saturday’s third round on NBC was the most-watched sports event of the day, averaging 2.5 million viewers, up 41% vs. 2020.
  • Most-watched second round (GOLF Channel), third and final rounds (NBC) for the API since 2018.

 

The season began at the 2021 Sentry Tournament of Champions on GOLF Channel/NBC (Jan. 7-10), which delivered:

  • Most-watched first and third rounds on GOLF Channel since 2018
  • Most-watched final round on GOLF Channel/NBC since 2017
  • Most-watched second round on GOLF Channel since 2016

 

Additionally, the final round of the Waste Management Phoenix Open (Feb. 7) averaged 3.7 million viewers, up 29% vs. 2020 final round coverage on CBS. Lead-in coverage on GOLF Channel averaged 1.3 million viewers, up 83% vs. 2020.

GOLF Channel and NBC continue their annual coverage of the PGA TOUR’s Spring Swing this week with THE PLAYERS Championship, delivering more than 65 hours of coverage from TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.

*all viewership numbers are TV-only and do not include streaming metrics

–NBC SPORTS–

NBC SPORTS SURROUNDS THE PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP WITH MORE THAN 65 HOURS OF LIVE COVERAGE ON GOLF CHANNEL AND NBC

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NBC Sports Presents 20+ Hours of Live Tournament Coverage from TPC Sawgrass, Featuring More Than 10 On-Site Commentators

Live From THE PLAYERS Provides Daily Coverage From TPC Sawgrass, Beginning Tonight at 7 p.m. ET on GOLF Channel; More Than 40 Hours of Total Live From Coverage this Week

Various Features Surrounding THE PLAYERS, Including A Look Back at Last Year’s Events, the Brentwood Four, and Gary Koch’s Famous ‘Better Than Most’ Call

STAMFORD, Conn. – March 8, 2021 – NBC Sports surrounds THE PLAYERS Championship with more than 65 hours of live pre- and tournament coverage across GOLF Channel and NBC this week from TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.

In total, NBC Sports will have nearly 30 commentators and analysts covering this year’s tournament. Live From THE PLAYERS will be on-site to provide more than 40 hours of coverage on GOLF Channel beginning tonight at 7 p.m. ET with nearly 20 commentators contributing throughout the week.

This year’s field at THE PLAYERS features last week’s Arnold Palmer Invitational winner Bryson DeChambeau, world No. 1 Dustin Johnson, Rory McIlroy, Justin Thomas, Jordan Spieth, and more.

This week on Live From, GOLF Channel will present a variety of in-depth features surrounding THE PLAYERS Championship:

    • PGA TOUR Shutdown: A look back on the events that unfolded during last year’s THE PLAYERS Championship leading to the PGA TOUR’s decision to cancel the tournament and suspend the season at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, including interviews with PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan, Executive Director of THE PLAYERS Championship Jared Rice, and more.
    • Brentwood Four: Depicts how four Black men fought to desegregate Brentwood Golf Course in Jacksonville and all public facilities throughout the city in the early 1960s.
    • “Better Than Most”: A scientific breakdown of Tiger Woods’ iconic putt on the 17th hole at the 2001 THE PLAYERS Championship and the impact of NBC Sports’ Gary Koch’s famous call, featuring interviews with Koch, Dan Hicks and Jim ‘Bones’ Mackay.
    • What Golf Did for Me: How the game of golf helped individuals cope with the COVID-19 pandemic in various ways.

 

Additionally, GolfChannel.com writer Ryan Lavner pens a piece on the events of last year’s tournament leading up to its cancelation.

THE PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP FROM TPC SAWGRASS

NBC/GOLF Channel Broadcast Team

    • Host: Mike Tirico
    • Play by Play: Dan Hicks / Terry Gannon
    • Analyst: Paul Azinger / Nick Faldo
    • Tower: Gary Koch / David Feherty / Justin Leonard
    • On-Course: Roger Maltbie / Jim “Bones” Mackay / John Wood
    • Interviews: Steve Sands
    • Essays: Jimmy Roberts

 

How To Watch – Thursday, March 11 – Sunday, March 14 (all times ET)

    • TV – NBC, GOLF Channel
    • Streaming – NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app

 

Date NBC GOLF Channel
Thursday Noon-6 p.m.
Friday Noon-6 p.m.
Saturday 1-6 p.m.
Sunday 1-6 p.m.

 

Notable Players This Week

    • Dustin Johnson
    • Bryson DeChambeau
    • Rory McIlroy
    • Justin Thomas
    • Jordan Spieth
    • Patrick Reed
    • Jon Rahm
    • Xander Schauffele
    • Collin Morikawa

 

BROADCAST NOTES

    • 40+ Hours of Live From THE PLAYERS this Week on GOLF Channel: Live From THE PLAYERS on GOLF Channel will provide wall-to-wall coverage beginning today-Wednesday and pre-and post-tournament coverage Thursday-Sunday. This week’s Live From includes Anna Whiteley, Shane Bacon, Damon Hack, George Savaricas, Cara Banks, Rich Lerner, Brandel Chamblee, Justin Leonard, Jaime Diaz, Todd Lewis, Billy Kratzert, David Duval, Arron Oberholser, Notah Begay, Mark Rolfing, Steve Burkowski, Ryan Lavner, and Rex Hoggard.

 

Date Live From THE PLAYERS
Monday 7-9 p.m.
Tuesday 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; 7-9 p.m.
Wednesday 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; 7-9 p.m.
Thursday 9 a.m.-Noon; 6-8 p.m.
Friday 9 a.m.-Noon; 6-8 p.m.
Saturday 9 a.m.-1 p.m.; 6-8 p.m.
Sunday 9 a.m.-1 p.m.; 6-8 p.m.

 

–NBC SPORTS–

ARNOLD PALMER INVITATIONAL PRESENTED LIVE ACROSS NBC AND GOLF CHANNEL THIS WEEKEND

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Spieth, DeChambeau, McIlroy and Reed Headline Arnold Palmer Invitational Field

GOLF Channel Provides Live Coverage of LPGA Tour Drive on Championship Presented by Volvik at Golden Ocala Thursday-Sunday

Morgan Pressel Makes 2021 On-Air Debut With GOLF Channel This Weekend at LPGA Tour Drive On Championship

GOLF Channel and NBC Continue Trend of Viewership Gains with PGA TOUR WGC-Workday Championship and Gainbridge LPGA Coverage

STAMFORD, Conn. – March 3, 2021 – Bay Hill Club and Lodge hosts the PGA TOUR this week, when the Arnold Palmer Invitational takes place Thursday-Sunday in Orlando, Fla., on NBC and GOLF Channel. Jordan Spieth, Bryson DeChambeau, Rory McIlroy and Patrick Reed headline the field, which features 13 of the top 25 players on the Official World Golf Ranking. Tyrrell Hatton defends his Arnold Palmer Invitational title from last year.

The LPGA Tour’s season continues at the inaugural Drive On Championship presented by Volvik from Golden Ocala Golf and Equestrian Club in Ocala, Fla. The Korda sisters – Nelly Korda and Jessica Korda – headline the field, as the LPGA Tour’s only winners thus far in 2021.

Yesterday, NBC Sports announced that major champion and two-time LPGA Tour winner Morgan Pressel has joined GOLF Channel and NBC as an analyst and on-course reporter for LPGA Tour, PGA TOUR and USGA coverage. She will make her 2021 on-air debut this week at the LPGA Drive On Championship presented by Volvik at Golden Ocala on GOLF Channel. Click here for more info.

GOLF Channel and NBC continue to deliver viewership gains for the PGA TOUR and LPGA Tour. Following are viewership highlights from last weekend’s coverage:

  • WGC-Workday Championship coverage across GOLF Channel and NBC averaged 1.234 million viewers, up 9 % vs. 2020;
  • Early-round and lead-in coverage on GOLF Channel averaged 626,000 viewers, up 37% vs. comparable coverage in 2020;
  • Gainbridge LPGA coverage in primetime on GOLF Channel averaged 188,000 viewers, up 18% vs. 2020.

PGA TOUR: ARNOLD PALMER INVITATIONAL

NBC/GOLF Channel Broadcast Team

  • Play by Play: Dan Hicks
  • Analyst: Paul Azinger / Justin Leonard
  • Tower: David Feherty
  • On-Course: Notah Begay / Jim “Bones” Mackay / Roger Maltbie
  • Interviews: Steve Sands
  • Essays: Jimmy Roberts

How To Watch – Thursday, March 4 – Sunday, March 7 (all times ET)

  • TV – NBC, GOLF Channel
  • Streaming – NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app
Date NBC GOLF Channel
Thursday   2-6 p.m.
Friday   2-6 p.m.
Saturday 2:30-6 p.m. 12:30-2:30 p.m.
Sunday 2:30-6 p.m. 12:30-2:30 p.m.

 

Notable Players This Week

  • Jordan Spieth
  • Bryson DeChambeau
  • Rory McIlroy
  • Patrick Reed
  • Rickie Fowler
  • Jason Day
  • Tommy Fleetwood
  • Tyrrell Hatton

LPGA TOUR: DRIVE ON CHAMPIONSHIP AT GOLDEN OCALA

GOLF Channel Broadcast Team

  • Play by Play: Grant Boone
  • Analyst: Morgan Pressel
  • Tower: Tom Abbott
  • On-Course: Karen Stupples / Jerry Foltz

How To Watch – Thursday, March 4 – Sunday, March 7 (all times ET)

  • TV – GOLF Channel
  • Streaming – NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app
Date GOLF Channel
Thursday 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
Friday 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
Saturday 2:30-5:30 p.m.
Sunday 2:30-5:30 p.m.

 

Notable Players This Week

  • Nelly Korda
  • Jessica Korda
  • Danielle Kang
  • Lexi Thompson
  • Brooke Henderson
  • Lydia Ko
  • Jin Young Ko
  • Stacy Lewis

BROADCAST NOTES

  • Golf Today and Golf Central: Golf Today and Golf Central will provide pre-and post-tournament coverage on GOLF Channel Thursday-Sunday. Shane Bacon and Damon Hack anchor Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday editions of Golf Today alongside Steve Burkowski. Rich Lerner, Brandel Chamblee, Mark Rolfing and Burkowski contribute to Golf Central pre- and post-round coverage this week.
Date Golf Today Golf Central
Thursday 8 a.m.-10 a.m. 1-2 p.m./6-7 p.m.
Friday 8 a.m.-10 a.m. 1-2 p.m./6-7 p.m.
Saturday 9:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m. 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m./6-7 p.m.
Sunday 9:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m. 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m./6-7 p.m.

 

–NBC SPORTS–

NBC SPORTS PRESENTS MORE THAN 50 HOURS OF LIVE TOURNAMENT COVERAGE ACROSS NBC, GOLF CHANNEL & NBC SPORTS DIGITAL PLATFORMS THIS WEEKEND

By

Johnson, DeChambeau, Koepka, and McIlroy Headline Star-Studded WGC-Workday Championship at The Concession

PGA TOUR Returns to Grand Reserve Country Club for Puerto Rico Open

Gainbridge LPGA at Lake Nona Golf & Country Club in Orlando, Fla., Features Return of Hall of Famer Annika Sorenstam

Phil Mickelson Headlines Field at Cologuard Classic, PGA TOUR Champions’ First Full-Event of 2021 from Omni Tucson National Golf Resort

STAMFORD, Conn. – Feb. 24, 2021 – NBC Sports will present more than 50 hours of live tournament coverage across NBC, GOLF Channel and NBC Sports digital platforms this weekend, including a star-studded field at the WGC-Workday Championship at The Concession in Bradenton, Fla.

World No. 1 Dustin Johnson, Bryson DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka, Rory McIlroy, and defending champion Patrick Reed highlight this week’s field at The Concession, which marks the first World Golf Championships event of 2021.

Following its West Coast swing, the PGA TOUR returns to the ‘island of enchantment’ for its annual event at Grand Reserve Country Club in Rio Grande, Puerto Rico. The event, which was won in 2020 by Viktor Hovland, is headlined this year by Ian Poulter, Lucas Glover, and Padraig Harrington.

The LPGA Tour returns to action this weekend with the Gainbridge LPGA at Lake Nona Golf & Country Club in Orlando, Fla. Hall of Famer Annika Sorenstam is expected to make her first appearance on Tour since her retirement in 2008, and former World No. 1 Yani Tseng will compete for the first time since 2019. Live coverage of the tournament can be streamed live on NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app, while GOLF Channel will provide primetime coverage Thursday-Sunday.

Phil Mickelson, seeking to become the first PGA TOUR Champions player to win each of his first three career starts, headlines the field at the Cologuard Classic from the Omni Tucson National Golf Resort in Tucson, Ariz. The Cologuard Classic marks the PGA Tour Champions’ first full-field event of 2021.

WGC-WORKDAY CHAMPIONSHIP AT THE CONCESSION

NBC/GOLF Channel Broadcast Team

    • Play by Play: Dan Hicks
    • Analyst: Paul Azinger
    • Tower: Gary Koch / David Feherty
    • On-Course: Notah Begay / Jim “Bones” Mackay / John Wood
    • Interviews: Steve Sands

 

How To Watch – Thursday, Feb. 25 – Sunday, Feb. 28 (all times ET)

    • TV – NBC, GOLF Channel
    • Streaming – NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app
Date NBC GOLF Channel
Thursday   1-6 p.m.
Friday   1-6 p.m.
Saturday 2:30-6 p.m. Noon-2:30 p.m.
Sunday 2:30-6 p.m. Noon-2:30 p.m.

 

Notable Players This Week

    • Dustin Johnson
    • Bryson DeChambeau
    • Brooks Koepka
    • Rory McIlroy
    • Patrick Reed
    • Jon Rahm
    • Xander Schauffele
    • Justin Thomas
    • Collin Morikawa

 

PGA TOUR: PUERTO RICO OPEN

GOLF Channel Broadcast Team

    • Play by Play: Whit Watson
    • Analyst: Trevor Immelman / Curt Byrum
    • Tower: Aaron Oberholser
    • On-Course: Jim Gallagher, Jr.

 

How To Watch – Thursday, Feb. 25 – Sunday, Feb. 28 (all times ET)

    • TV – GOLF Channel
    • Streaming – NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app
Date GOLF Channel
Thursday 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
Friday 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
Saturday 2:30-5 p.m.
Sunday 2:30-4:30 p.m.

 

Notable Players This Week

    • Ian Poulter
    • Lucas Glover
    • Padraig Harrington
    • Branden Grace

 

LPGA TOUR: GAINBRIDGE LPGA

GOLF Channel Broadcast Team

    • Play by Play: Grant Boone
    • Analyst: Judy Rankin
    • Tower: Tom Abbott
    • On-Course: Karen Stupples / Jerry Foltz

 

How To Watch – Thursday, Feb. 25 – Sunday, Feb. 28 (all times ET)

    • TV – GOLF Channel
    • Streaming – NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app (LIVE)
Date Streaming (LIVE) GOLF Channel
Thursday 2:30-5:30 p.m. 7-9 p.m.
Friday 2:30-5:30 p.m. 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Saturday Noon-3 p.m. 8-11 p.m.
Sunday Noon-3 p.m. 8-11 p.m.

 

Notable Players This Week

    • Annika Sorenstam
    • Yani Tseng
    • Jin Young Ko
    • Nelly Korda
    • Jessica Korda
    • Danielle Kang
    • Brooke Henderson
    • Lexi Thompson

 

PGA TOUR CHAMPIONS: COLOGUARD CLASSIC

GOLF Channel Broadcast Team

    • Play by Play: Bob Papa
    • Analyst: Lanny Wadkins
    • On-Course: John Cook / Billy Ray Brown

 

How To Watch – Friday, Feb. 26 – Sunday, Feb. 28 (all times ET)

    • TV – GOLF Channel
    • Streaming – NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app
Date GOLF Channel
Friday 8:30-10:30 p.m.
Saturday 5-7 p.m.
Sunday 4:30-7 p.m.

 

Notable Players This Week

    • Phil Mickelson
    • John Daly
    • Jim Furyk
    • Retief Goosen
    • Vijay Singh
    • Steve Stricker
    • Mike Weir
    • John Smoltz

 

BROADCAST NOTES

    • Golf Today and Golf Central: Golf Today and Golf Central will provide pre-and post-tournament coverage on GOLF Channel Thursday-Sunday. Shane Bacon and Damon Hack anchor Golf Today alongside Jaime Diaz, Todd Lewis, and Amy Rogers. Rich Lerner, Brandel Chamblee, Mark Rolfing, Diaz, Lewis, and Rogers contribute to Golf Central pre- and post-round coverage this week.
    • Black History Month: GOLF Channel concludes its celebration of Black History Month as February’s studio shows feature daily segments honoring Black pioneers by telling the stories of their lives in golf.

 

Date Golf Today Golf Central
Thursday 7:30-9 a.m. 9-10 a.m./6-7 p.m.
Friday 7:30-9 a.m. 9-10 a.m./6-6:30 p.m.
Saturday 9-11 a.m. 11 a.m.-Noon/7-8 p.m.
Sunday 9-11 a.m. 11 a.m.-Noon/7-8 p.m.

 

–NBC SPORTS–

GOLF CHANNEL PRESENTS LIVE TOURNAMENT COVERAGE OF GENESIS INVITATIONAL THIS WEEKEND

By

Johnson, Spieth, DeChambeau, and McIlroy Headline Star-Studded Genesis Invitational Field

Kira K. Dixon to Serve as Reporter for GOLF Channel PGA TOUR Coverage in 2021 – Makes Season Debut at Genesis Invitational This Week

Willie Mack III Joins Beyond The Fairway Podcast

GOLF Channel Continues 2021 PGA TOUR Viewership Gains and Milestones, Pebble Beach Coverage Up Nearly 30% vs. 2020

STAMFORD, Conn. – Feb. 17, 2021 – The PGA TOUR’s West Coast swing concludes with the Genesis Invitational from Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, Calif., as GOLF Channel presents live early-round coverage on Thursday and Friday and lead-in coverage on the weekend. This week’s star-studded field is highlighted by World No. 1 Dustin Johnson, Jordan Spieth, Bryson DeChambeau, and Rory McIlroy.

The Tiger Woods-hosted tournament features eight of the top 10 players on the Official World Golf Ranking and all three 2020 major champions (DeChambeau, Johnson and Collin Morikawa). Adam Scott defends his Genesis Invitational title from last year.

PGA TOUR: GENESIS INVITATIONAL

GOLF Channel Broadcast Team

  • Play by Play: Terry Gannon
  • Analyst: Nick Faldo
  • Tower: Frank Nobilo
  • On-Course: Trevor Immelman, Dottie Pepper
  • Interviews: Kira K. Dixon

How To Watch – Thursday, Feb. 18 – Sunday, Feb. 21 (all times ET)

  • TV – GOLF Channel
  • Streaming – NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app
Date GOLF Channel
Thursday Noon-2 p.m./ 2-6 p.m./6-8 p.m.*
Friday 2-6 p.m.
Saturday 1-3 p.m.
Sunday 1-3 p.m.


*Thursday’s coverage from Noon-2 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. ET will be a simulcast of PGA TOUR LIVE featured group coverage

Notable Players This Week

  • Dustin Johnson
  • Jordan Spieth
  • Bryson DeChambeau
  • Rory McIlroy
  • Brooks Koepka
  • Rickie Fowler
  • Jon Rahm
  • Xander Schauffele
  • Justin Thomas
  • Collin Morikawa

KIRA K. DIXON TO SERVE AS REPORTER FOR GOLF CHANNEL PGA TOUR COVERAGE IN 2021

Kira K. Dixon will serve as a GOLF Channel PGA TOUR reporter at a number of events in 2021 and makes her debut this week at the Genesis Invitational. Dixon has previously served as Golf Advisor’s Lifestyle Correspondent and host of Golf Advisor Living and Golf Advisor Round Trip on GOLF Channel.

“I’m thrilled to move into a role that has been a dream for the past five years,” said Dixon. “I look forward to bringing our audience reports from PGA TOUR stops throughout the year and being a member of the GOLF Channel team.”

BROADCAST NOTES

  • Golf Today and Golf Central: Golf Today and Golf Central will provide pre-and post-tournament coverage on GOLF Channel Thursday-Sunday. Shane Bacon and Damon Hack anchor Thursday, Saturday and Sunday editions of Golf Today alongside Kira K. Dixon. Cara Banks, Notah Begay, Jaime Diaz and Dixon contribute to Golf Central pre- and post-round coverage this week.

 

  • Black History Month: GOLF Channel continues to celebrate Black History Month as February’s studio shows will feature daily segments honoring Black pioneers by telling the stories of their lives in golf.
Date Golf Today Golf Central
Thursday 9 a.m.-11 a.m. 11 a.m.-Noon/8-9 p.m.
Friday 1-2 p.m./6-8 p.m.
Saturday 10 a.m.-Noon Noon-1 p.m./6-7 p.m.
Sunday 10 a.m.-Noon Noon-1 p.m./6:30-7:30 p.m.

 

BEYOND THE FAIRWAY

Willie Mack III, who earned the Charlie Sifford Exemption into the Genesis Invitational this week and made his PGA TOUR debut earlier this year at the Farmers Insurance Open, joined Doug Smith and Will Lowery on this week’s edition of Beyond The Fairway. Following are highlights from their conversation:

Mack III on how more opportunities and exemptions can help increase diversity in golf: “Financial opportunities and exemptions. We see other players come out and they get seven, eight exemptions when they come out of college, so somehow we have to change that and get more of a different background and get some diversity into the game of golf…It’s the opportunities. It’s not only African Americans that need it, but just people in general. Everybody that plays the game of golf and wants to be on the PGA TOUR, we all need the same chance. It’s kind of not the same chance out there, and I feel like somehow we need to change that.”

Mack III on earning the Charlie Sifford exemption into the Genesis Invitational and what he means to him: “For him being the first African American on the PGA TOUR, I owe him everything. I think not only me, but Tiger Woods and everybody after Charlie Sifford, who knows if any of us would be playing the game of golf today if it wasn’t for him. To be able to have an exemption named after him, it’s breathtaking and I’m actually speechless about the situation. You look back more than 10 years ago and you would never think that this exemption would exist.”

Mack III on Tiger Woods’ influence in his picking up the game of golf: “I remember me and my dad watching football, flipped the channel to golf, and Tiger was on. We just fell in love and were talking to each other, ‘Next week, let’s hit some balls (at the driving range).’ We went, loved it and that’s how we got to where we are today.”

GOLF CHANNEL CONTINUES 2021 PGA TOUR VIEWERSHIP GAINS AT PEBBLE BEACH

GOLF Channel’s early round and weekend lead-in coverage of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am averaged 807,000 viewers, up 28% vs. last year’s coverage on the network. Additional viewership highlights:

  • Thursday coverage on GOLF Channel averaged 487,000, up 31% vs. 2020 and marking the second most-watched First Round of Pebble Beach Pro-Am on GOLF Channel since 2007;
  • Sunday lead-in coverage on GOLF Channel averaged 1.450 million viewers, up 27% vs. last year to rank as second-most Final Round lead-in of the event since 2007.

–NBC SPORTS–