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GOLF TODAY PREMIERES ON GOLF CHANNEL TODAY AT NOON ET

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This Week’s Guests Include Jack Nicklaus, Brandel Chamblee, and Tony Dungy

Jimmy Roberts and Anna Whiteley Host Monday-Tuesday Episodes of Golf Today – Shane Bacon and Damon Hack Host Wednesday-Sunday

Golf Central Presented by Callaway Golf Makes 2021 Debut at 4 p.m. ET

STAMFORD, Conn. – January 4, 2021 – Golf Today – GOLF Channel’s new daily studio program shaping the daily conversation throughout the golf world – debuts today, Monday, Jan. 4, at noon ET.

Shane Bacon and Damon Hack will host Wednesday-Sunday episodes of Golf Today, while Jimmy Roberts and Anna Whiteley will anchor Mondays and Tuesdays. Golf Today will typically air 12-2 p.m. ET from Monday to Wednesday and precede pre-game tournament coverage from Thursday to Sunday on GOLF Channel.

Today’s premiere will feature contributions from all four co-hosts, as well as interviews with 18-time major champion and World Golf Hall of Famer Jack Nicklaus and Golf Central analyst Brandel Chamblee. Additional guests scheduled to appear this week on Golf Today include Football Night in America analyst Tony Dungy and PointsBet editor Teddy Greenstein.

“Golf Today represents a natural progression in our daily studio programming. At midday, we can lead the daily golf conversation with access to newsmakers in all time zones, Tour players on the range preparing for upcoming tournaments and live press conferences,” said Molly Solomon, executive producer, GOLF Channel.

The program will also feature regular contributions from a number of GOLF Channel analysts and reporters, including Jaime Diaz, Paige Mackenzie, Tripp Isenhour, Steve Burkowski, Ryan Lavner and Matt Adams. Click here for a sneak peek of the Golf Today set. Golf Today harkens back to GOLF Channel’s inaugural year of 1995, when the program of the same name served as the network’s original live tournament pre-game show.

In addition, Golf Central Presented by Callaway Golf makes its 2021 debut today at 4 p.m. ET on GOLF Channel, hosted by Anna Whiteley with Tripp Isenhour and Todd Lewis. Golf Central will continue to air in its typical weeknight windows on GOLF Channel and encore editions will air the following morning.

-NBC SPORTS-

GOLF Channel Notable Quotes – 2020 U.S. Women’s Open Final Round

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Golf Central – Final Round

Champions Golf Club (Cypress Creek Course) – Houston, Texas

Monday, December 14

 

75th U.S. Women’s Open – Final Round Leaderboard

A Lim Kim -3
Jin Young Ko -2
Amy Olson -2
Hinako Shibuno -1
Megan Khang +1

On A Lim Kim (3-under, winner)

Brandel Chamblee – “You don’t see this every day – in fact, it’s been 25 years since someone came from five behind to win the U.S. Women’s Open…she didn’t just birdie the last holes, she birdied the last three holes. What she did today was stand up at the biggest moment of her life and do something that, well, you’d have to rack your brain to come up with anything comparable.”

Dan Hicks – “You think back to Charl Schwartzel at the Masters with a four birdie-in-a-row finish. This is right up there…she’s the only golfer to birdie 16, 17 and 18 here at Cypress all week long, and she did it with the heat on.”

Paige Mackenzie – “We’ve seen these dramatic finishes at this championship…(the U.S. Women’s Open) manages to produce the best golf because players are pushed to the limit. And when players are pushed, you often get the best player coming out when their back is against the wall.”

Chamblee – “She’s not just a long hitter, she’s a phenomenal putter. This is one of the coolest strokes I’ve seen in a long time. It reminds me a little bit of Rickie Fowler.”

Amanda Blumenherst – “She had a very relaxed demeanor and physically was relaxed with the putting stroke. One of the reasons she was relaxed is because she started the day in ninth place…when you don’t have that spotlight in that final group, there is something extremely freeing and relaxing about being able to come back…while you want to be in that final group, and everyone says that they do…she could just play relaxed.”

 

On Amy Olson (2-under, T-2nd)

Hicks – “I know she came up one shot short, but everybody gained even more respect for Amy Olson for what she was able to do today amidst these incredibly trying circumstances.”

Mackenzie – “The difference between her runner-up finish at Evian and here is that she didn’t lose this event, A Lim Kim played tremendous down the stretch…a lot to be proud of today.”

Chamblee – “She didn’t win but she won a lot of friends and a lot of fans over the last few days…I can’t help but think she gained a lot of confidence about playing with all of the world watching her and certainly most of the world pulling for her.”

Blumenherst –“There seemed to be a sense of calm while she was playing today…having something bigger to play for and having that sense of, ‘It’s not always about golf…’ I saw that with Amy today. At the Evian when she lost in 2018, she was getting so anxious on the 72nd hole and was all over the place. Today, from the first tee shot to the last putt…she had such confidence and that just impressed me so much, because she could have just mentally checked out.”

 

-NBC SPORTS-

NOTABLE QUOTES – GOLF CENTRAL LIVE FROM THE U.S. OPEN – WEDNESDAY

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Golf Channel Notable Quotes
Golf Central Live From the U.S. Open
Wednesday, June 14, 2017
Erin Hills
Erin, Wisconsin 

On Erin Hills
David Duval – “Everyone is anxious and excited to see how this incredible canvas plays out come early tomorrow morning.”
Duval – “The players have some nervousness and excitement on the start of the U.S. Open as well because they don’t necessarily know what a good score is going to be here at the US Open. Nobody knows.”
Mark Rolfing – “There is a lot of intrigue. It is a very unusual feeling the day before the start of a U.S. Open, because the player complaint meter is running very low right now. The players are excited, they are all in good moods and it has a very festive feeling to it.  It is not a typical feeling Wednesday prior to the U.S. Open where there is a lot of tenseness in the air. It is a festival out here today.”
Rolfing – “This is going to a very predictable yet really fair and excellent test of golf.”

On Dustin Johnson
Rolfing – “Strategically he is not forced to play a totally power game now. He is so good with the wedges now that he can play this course somewhat conservative.” 

On Jordan Spieth
Justin Leonard – “We know how he intense he is on the golf course. Today, the Wednesday before the U.S. Open, to see Jordan out there by himself and having fun, goofing around with his sister. It shows me that he is relaxed, ready to go, and is a bad sign for the rest of the guys here.”
Rolfing – “He is genuine. Ellie, his sister, is true motivation for Jordan. Always has been and always will be. He gets tremendous strength from his sister.” 

Davis Love III speaking with Golf Channel’s Todd Lewis on caddying for his son, Dru
Davis Love III – “It has been exciting for Dru. I got him through the local qualifying and then he made it on to the sectional on his own while I was trying to play. Obviously this week playing in his first major championship in his first week as a professional, it is pretty incredible to be on the bag. People have been asking me, ‘Don’t you wish you were playing?’ I don’t think I’d rather be playing than to get to do this. What a great experience it is for me and hopefully I can help him.”
Love III – “It’s hard because he is so good and hits it so far I don’t know how to club him sometimes. He has grown up inside the ropes, so we are going to have some fun out there this week.”
Love III – “I’ve caddied for him in 72-hole tournaments in the past, but not on these kinds of hills and not with this pro bag. It is going to be a challenge for any caddie this week. It is going to be a long walk for everybody. Once we get inside the ropes, the adrenaline will take over and I’ll be able to make it.” 

On Davis Love III caddying for his son, Dru
Rolfing – “One of the keys for the two Loves this week is to manage their expectations properly.”
Leonard – “The thoughts that go through your head as a parent, watching your kids playing sporting events. Things I would say or could say as I watch, Davis is going to vocalize those thoughts this week as he caddies for Dru.”

-NBC Sports Group-

NOTABLE QUOTES: NCAA WOMEN’S GOLF CHAMPIONSHIPS – SEMIFINALS – NORTHWESTERN AND ARIZONA STATE ADVANCE TO CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH

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Golf Channel Notable Quotes
NCAA Women’s Golf Championships
Team Match Play, Semifinals
Wednesday, May 24, 2017
Rich Harvest Farms
Sugar Grove, Ill.

**Semifinal play was suspended on Tuesday due to darkness and resumed today (Wednesday) at 10 a.m. ET**

**Northwestern will compete against Arizona State in today’s championship match.**

Golf Channel / Wednesday NCAA Championships Programming Schedule (all times ET)
Golf Central Pre Game           2:30-4 p.m.
Championship Match              4-8 p.m.
Golf Central                            8-9 p.m.

Semifinal Match Results
Arizona State defeated Stanford 3-2
Northwestern Southern California 3-2

On the NCAA Women’s Golf Championships Semifinals
Bob Papa – “High drama at Rich Harvest Farms for the NCAA Women’s Division I Championships.”
Karen Stupples – “I’m sitting here in complete disbelief and almost an emotional wreck from the whole experience to be honest. You have the highs for the victories for the teams, but also the absolute lows. The bottom, gutty feeling that you feel for those players like Gabriella Then, knowing their whole hopes on their teams rested on their shoulders and they didn’t do it. They are so devastated. I really feel for them. Has to be a really tough thing to go through, especially knowing you can’t come back next year for another try.”

On Arizona State defeating Stanford 3-2
Kay Cockerill – “What a difference 13 hours makes and a decision by the Sun Devils to wait and come out this morning.”

Arizona State’s Linnea Strom speaking with Golf Channel’s Billy Ray Brown after her match
Linnea Strom – “I had a good feeling going into today. On 16 yesterday I was a little bit pissed off because I made some mistakes early in the round. I wanted to finish the day strong and I did and I had a really good feeling going into today’s round.”
Strom – “Our men’s team came in this morning, so told my assistant coach that ‘Wow, I could hear the guys, this is so good.’ But I just tried to focus on my own game and stay in the present and I did. Finishing on 18 going into 1, I knew that Monica won and I knew it was down to my match. So excited.” 

Arizona State Head Coach Missy Farr-Kaye speaking with Golf Channel’s Kay Cockerill after the semifinals
Missy Farr-Kaye – “What I said to the whole team this morning was, ‘We made it to May 24.’ This was our goal all year. We achieved our goal. So we can’t make any mistakes, let’s relax, let’s go play. I’m so proud of them win or lose. I really wanted them to feel relaxed. They have enough pressure on themselves that they weren’t going to get an ounce of that from me. I said, ‘Let’s go play, let’s go see what we can do, we have a great opportunity let’s just go see what we can do with it.’”

Arizona State’s Monica Vaughn speaking with Golf Channel’s Kay Cockerill after defeating Stanford’s Albane Valenzuela in sudden-death (19 holes)
Monica Vaughn – “That was about the greatest shot I’ve ever hit in my life [the pitch that lipped out for eagle on 18]. I’ve hit that shot a couple of times this week on that hole so I kind of knew what it would be like. I just was ready to go. I think it was a great idea to stop play obviously. Yesterday I had a little angry nervousness in me and today I had good nervousness, so I used that to my advantage and got it done out there.”

Stanford Head Coach Anne Walker speaking with Golf Channel’s Billy Ray Brown after the semifinals
Anne Walker – “I think this match with ASU both yesterday and today shows that women’s college golf in general is just really impressive.”
Walker – “She (Madeline Chou) was unbelievable. Going up against Linnea Strom, top-10 player in the world, first team All-American, Linnea has got accolades galore so I couldn’t be any prouder of Maddie at this point.”
Walker – “We lose Casey this year. I think she is a big loss – her match play record and her heart speaks for itself – but I’m confident that the players coming in can step up and embrace the challenge”

Papa – “What a run it has been by Stanford since we have been broadcasting the NCAA’s.”
Papa – “A great college career for Casey Danielson. It has been a lot of fun watching her grow and be a team leader for Stanford. She has given us a lot of thrills the past three years.”

On Northwestern defeating Southern California 3-2
Cockerill – “The rest for Northwestern did them a world of good.”
Papa – The sophomore [Janet Mao] from Johns Creek Georgia has nerves of steel.”
Curt Byrum – “Her [Janet Mao]’s short game has been razor sharp all day and yesterday.”
Byrum – “She chips and pitches the ball as well as anybody I’ve seen all week.”

Northwestern Head Coach Emily Fletcher speaking with Golf Channel’s Billy Ray Brown following the semifinals
Emily Fletcher – “They just believe in each other. They had an energy this morning and an aura about them. They just felt like they had some fight left in them. There was no give up. I’m telling you they were relaxed this morning. They really felt like they could come out and swing the momentum. We knew we were going to have some people cheering us on. They just kept fighting.”
Fletcher – “I can’t give it enough credit. It has been tremendous. It is amazing what two or three hundred people can do for the spirts of our kids and our energy. Especially coming down the stretch, when something good happens, we knew it and we could feel it. For Janet to make that putt, it couldn’t get any better for us. She endured some tough stuff at Big Ten’s and we told her it was going to make her better and it did.”

Northwestern’s Janet Mao speaking with Golf Channel’s Gail Graham following the semifinals (defeated USC’s Gabriella Then in 19 holes to clinch the 3rd point for Northwestern)
Janet Mao – “The first thing she [Coach Emily Fletcher] said to me was, ‘Can we get some tears of joy.’ Big Ten’s was a really hard experience for me. Having an experience like that and being able to rally around that and having my girls out here and everybody out here and to make that putt was an unreal feeling. I’m really glad it went in.”
Mao – “When I was over the putt I said, ‘It’s due time for me to make a putt.” So I needed to trust my line, trust my athleticism and it will go in.”

USC Head Coach Andrea Gaston speaking with Golf Channel’s Kay Cockerill following the semifinals
Andrea Gaston – “First I want to say thank you to my Lord and Savior. I feel so blessed that our teams over the years have made it here and so grateful for the opportunity. I know how bad these ladies feel. They fought their hearts out and I’m really proud of them. I know we were in Northwestern’s territory. They had a lot of fans out here but we fought really hard. I thought going in to today with four in the lead that we could hold it but you never know what the momentum swings are going to be. We lost a great player in the fall. We didn’t have a number one this year. We had a really balanced team and just to have this opportunity to be in the final four. I wish we could have made it in the finals, but sometimes that is what it is meant to be, just as it turns out”

USC’s Tiffany Chan speaking with Golf Channel’s Curt Byrum following her match
Tiffany Chan – “I tried to play my best out there, because every stroke counts and in match play anything can happen. We came short last year so everyone wants to win as much as they could. I wasn’t hitting my best, I think both of us got a little tired but I scrambled a lot. Thank God I have my first point.”

USC’s Muni He speaking with Golf Channel’s Kay Cockerill following her match
Muni He – “This is so exciting. I have never played anything like this where I’m playing for a team. The crowds out here are insane – and most of them are supporting Northwestern. It was an extra amount of stress and pressure for sure.”

-NBC Sports Group-

NOTABLE QUOTES: GOLF CENTRAL LIVE FROM THE PRESIDENTS CUP, TUESDAY (7-11 P.M. ET)

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Golf Channel Notable Quotes
Golf Central Live from the Presidents Cup
Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2015, 7-11 p.m. ET
Jack Nicklaus Golf Club Korea
Incheon, South Korea

On Day 1 foursomes Match #1 between Watson/Holmes vs. Scott/Matsuyama
David Duval – “To send out the bombers first, I love it. The guys play similar styles so they’re used to playing from the same positions.”

On Day 1 foursomes Match #2 between Kuchar/Reed vs. Oosthuizen/Grace
Brandel Chamblee – “The combative nature of Patrick Reed seems to match up nicely with match play.”
Paul McGinley – “The Ryder Cup was great for the brand of Patrick Reed. Among his peers as well too, people see him in a different light.” 

On Day 1 foursomes Match #3 between Fowler/Walker vs. Lahiri/Jaidee
Chamblee – “You could make an argument that [Lahiri/Jaidee] is [the International’s] strongest team… I look at this at probably the best matchup.”
McGinley – “If it was a typical Asian golf course with Asian greens and humidity, somewhere like Malaysia or Thailand I’d back them every day of the week. But they’re playing in South Korea in 66 degrees of heat with bent fairways and bent grass. It’s going to be a challenge for them.”

On Day 1 foursomes Match #4 between Mickelson/Z. Johnson vs. Day/Bowditch
Duval – “[Mickelson/Johnson] seems like a pairing of opposites. One is reckless abandon and one is very calculating moving around the golf course. I kind of like that in the foursomes play as long as you’re communicating about where you want to be and how you want to get around the golf course.”
Chamblee – “I look at a guy like Zach Johnson as a player that elevates everybody. He can mix up with anybody. He’s fabulous at a four-ball format. He’s fabulous in a foursomes format. You can count on him. Phil Mickelson is a little bit of a wild card.”

On Day 1 foursomes Match #5 between Spieth/D. Johnson vs. Lee/Leishman
Chamblee – “If you’re looking at the form of the 24 players, no one comes in here worse on form than Leishman. He’s missed his last three cuts… On paper I doubt that anybody is giving this match to anyone other than Jordan Spieth and Dustin Johnson.”

On the format change this year moving from 34 to 30 total matches
Duval – “Each team is going to have players that aren’t exactly on form. But if you can hide [those players] more than you have in the past, then you’re going strength vs. strength and you’re not exposing weaknesses.”
McGinley – “It brings more strategy into it… Stepping a guy down is a very difficult thing to do and it’s the man-management of that which is very important as well. It brings a whole new dynamic into it and I think it’s a good thing for the Presidents Cup.”
Chamblee – “I do believe that Nick Price has already won a considerable concession with the new format. To some extent, he’s already won it…”

On the potential for International competitors to drop the Presidents Cup from their schedule if they do not win this week
McGinley – “What they’re doing by saying ‘if we don’t perform well, we may walk away’, they’re putting themselves in a no-win situation… This positioning is a little unclear to me.”
Duval – “It’s a little disturbing, a little unsettling for the long term health of the event itself… It’s imperative that the International team competes strongly if not win this Presidents Cup.”
Chamblee – “This is the closest that golf gets to a team sport. It’s the closest that golf gets to a combat sport. The golf itself is pretty compelling, but the format makes it even more so.”

Jack Nicklaus speaking with Golf Channel’s Todd Lewis on the golf course and the competition
Jack Nicklaus – “The greens have got a little spice in them, we’ve softened them a little bit. The golf course is in great condition, and I think it will be a great event.”
Nicklaus – “I think the Presidents Cup teams are stronger than the Ryder Cup teams on paper. Yet we seem to lose the Ryder Cup and win the Presidents Cup… I think that all events go through a sort of ebb and flow. Right now I think the International team will have a very good chance to win. The format has changed a little bit… I thought that the beauty of the Presidents Cup is that you couldn’t hide anybody.”

-NBC Sports Group-