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GOLF Channel Tournament Airtimes & Notes (July 22-26): British Masters and 3M Open

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European Tour Stages First Televised Event Since March with British Masters Airing Today through Saturday, Live on GOLF Channel

Wolff Defends at 3M Open in Minnesota; Live Coverage Airing Thursday-Sunday on GOLF Channel

ORLANDO, Fla., (July 22, 2020) – The European Tour is set to stage its first televised event since March this week, as the British Masters begins today and continues through Saturday with live coverage airing on GOLF Channel. This marks the first of six consecutive European Tour events in as many weeks being contested in the United Kingdom. The PGA TOUR is in Minnesota this week for the 3M Open. Live tournament coverage airs Thursday-Sunday on GOLF Channel, utilizing a unified CBS Sports and GOLF Channel linear broadcast production. Today at 2 p.m. ET, GOLF Channel will air a special live presentation of PGA TOUR LIVE’s “3M Open Compass Challenge”. The competition will consist of a nine-hole team scramble – featuring Paul Casey, Tommy Fleetwood, Will Gordon and Matthew Wolff – that will benefit local organizations committed to fighting social injustices around Minneapolis.

EUROPEAN TOUR
British Masters
Dates: July 22-25
Venue: Close House Golf Club, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England

Tournament Airtimes on GOLF Channel (Eastern):
Wednesday 7-9 a.m. / 10 a.m.-1 p.m. (Live) / 2-5 a.m. (Thursday replay)
Thursday 7-9 a.m. / 10 a.m.-1 p.m. (Live) / 3:30-6:30 a.m. (Friday replay)
Friday 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m. (Live) / 3:30-6 a.m. (Saturday replay)
Saturday 8 a.m.-12:30 p.m. (Live) / 4-6 a.m. (Sunday replay)

Broadcast Notes:
European Tour staging first televised event since March: This week marks the first televised European Tour event since the Qatar Masters in March. The British Masters is being staged as the first of six consecutive tournaments being contested in as many weeks in the United Kingdom.
Headlining the field: Lee Westwood, Miguel Angel Jimenez, Thomas Bjorn, Eddie Pepperell, Paul Lawrie, Michael Campbell, Marcus Kinhult and Min Woo Lee.

GOLF Channel Broadcast Team:
Play by Play: Dominik Holyer
Analysts: Richard Boxall / Jamie Spence / Anthony Johnstone
On-Course: Anthony Wall / Wayne Riley
Reporter: Tim Barter

PGA TOUR
3M Open
Dates: July 23-26
Venue: TPC Twin Cities, Blaine, Minn.

Tournament Airtimes on GOLF Channel (Eastern):
Thursday 2:30-6:30 p.m. (Live) / 7:30-11:30 p.m. (Replay)
Friday 2:30-6:30 p.m. (Live) / 7:30-11:30 p.m. (Replay)
Saturday 1-3 p.m. (Live) / 7-11:30 p.m. (Replay)
Sunday 1-3 p.m. (Live) / 7-11:30 p.m. (Replay)

Golf Central Airtimes on GOLF Channel (Eastern):
Thursday 1-2:30 p.m. / 6:30-7:30 p.m. (Live)
Friday 1-2:30 p.m. / 6:30-7:30 p.m. (Live)
Saturday 12:30-1 p.m. / 6-7 p.m. (Live)
Sunday 10-11 a.m. / 6-7 p.m. (Live)

PGA TOUR LIVE on NBC Sports Gold (Eastern):
Thursday 7:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. (Featured Groups)
• Charles Howell III/Brooks Koepka/Keith Mitchell (8:20 a.m. ET)
• Tony Finau/Tommy Fleetwood/Dustin Johnson (8:30 a.m. ET)
• Branden Grace/Max Homa/Matthew Wolff (1:30 p.m. ET)
• Paul Casey/Pat Perez/Bubba Watson (1:40 p.m. ET)
Friday 7:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. (Featured Groups)
• Branden Grace/Max Homa/Matthew Wolff (8:20 a.m. ET)
• Paul Casey/Pat Perez/Bubba Watson (8:30 a.m. ET)
• Charles Howell III/Brooks Koepka/Keith Mitchell (1:30 p.m. ET)
• Tony Finau/Tommy Fleetwood/Dustin Johnson (1:40 p.m. ET)

Broadcast Notes:
Defending champion Wolff to be “mic’d up” during opening round on Thursday: 3M Open defending champion Matthew Wolff is scheduled to be mic’d up during his opening round on GOLF Channel. Wolff’s tee time is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. ET, and GOLF Channel’s live tournament coverage (beginning at 2:30 p.m. ET) will provide a unique inside-the-ropes perspective of Wolff’s round as he navigates his way around TPC Twin Cities.
“3M Open Compass Challenge” airing today at 2 p.m. ET: Four PGA TOUR players in the field this week will convene today at 2 p.m. ET to take part in the “3M Open Compass Challenge,” a nine-hole team scramble at TPC Twin Cities (back nine) that will benefit local organizations committed to fighting social injustices in the Twin Cities. The team scramble will feature Paul Casey, Tommy Fleetwood, Will Gordon and Matthew Wolff. The exhibition match will air live at 2 p.m. ET on GOLF Channel as a special presentation of PGA TOUR LIVE, with birdies ($50,000 donation) and eagles ($100,000) going toward organizations such as Lake Street Council, Urban Ventures and YWCAs of Minneapolis and St. Paul. Other skills challenges (along with a hole-in-one challenge) could lead to a maximum potential contribution of $825,000. Joining the players will be actor Josh Duhamel and Minnesota Vikings tight end Kyle Rudolph, who will walk with the players and partake in conversation and commentary.
Wolff defends: Matthew Wolff finished one stroke ahead of Bryson DeChambeau and Collin Morikawa to capture his first PGA TOUR victory.
Headlining the field: Brooks Koepka, Dustin Johnson, Tommy Fleetwood, Tony Finau, Matthew Wolff, Paul Casey, Bubba Watson, Henrik Norlander and Tom Lehman.

GOLF Channel Broadcast Team:
Play by Play: Terry Gannon
Analysts: Nick Faldo / Mark Immelman / Davis Love III
On-Course: Trevor Immelman / Dottie Pepper
Reporter: Steve Burkowski

VIEWERSHIP: SUNDAY’S FINAL ROUND LEAD-IN TELECAST BECOMES MOST-WATCHED EVER AT THE MEMORIAL ON GOLF CHANNEL

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ORLANDO, Fla. (July 21, 2020) – GOLF Channel’s final round lead-in coverage of the Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide (12:58-3:34P ET) on Sunday earned 1.47 million average viewers (+40% year-over-year), becoming the most-watched GOLF Channel lead-in telecast ever at the Memorial (2007-’20). It also became GOLF Channel’s most-watched lead-in telecast to-date in 2020, and the most-watched since the 2019 Genesis Open final round in February (1.54M average viewers). Jon Rahm won the Memorial Tournament, his fourth PGA TOUR title, and became the new No. 1 ranked player in the world.

Other viewership highlights from the Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide:

Saturday:
• Third round coverage (12:28-2:55P ET) saw 1.24 million average viewers, +39% year-over-year.
• GOLF Channel’s coverage was the No. 2 sports telecast of the day with total viewers and in the persons 18-49 and 25-54 demos.
• Second most-watched third round lead-in telecast at the event on GOLF Channel (2007-’20), only trailing 2018 (1.26M).

Friday:
• Second round coverage (2:28-6:39P ET) saw 937,000 average viewers, +16% year-over-year.
• GOLF Channel’s coverage was the No. 1 sports telecast of the day with total viewers and in the persons 18-49 and 25-54 demos.
• GOLF Channel was No. 1 cable sports network (2:30-6:45P) by 381%, and No. 4 of 114 Nielsen-rated cable networks.
• Second most-watched day on GOLF Channel in 2020 behind Thursday of the Memorial (day prior). Most-watched Friday on GOLF Channel since 2019 Presidents Cup.

Thursday:
• First round coverage (2:30-6:30P ET) saw 1.08 million average viewers, +152% year-over-year.
• Most-watched opening round of the Memorial since 1997 (1.18M, ESPN), and most-watched weekday PGA TOUR telecast on GOLF Channel since opening round of the 2018 TOUR Championship (1.25M).
• GOLF Channel was No. 1 cable sports network (2:30-6:30P) by 355%, and No. 4 of 114 Nielsen-rated cable networks.
• Most-watched day on GOLF Channel in 2020, and most-watched Thursday since The 2019 Open.
• Thursday evening’s encore telecast (7:30-11:30 p.m. ET) earned 337k average viewers, becoming most-watched PGA TOUR replay telecast on GOLF Channel in more than five years (2015 PLAYERS Championship second round, 364k average viewers).

Source: Linear Television: Nielsen Live+Same Day U.S. HH Rtg; P2+ Avg 000’s; P25-54 000’s. Details available.

-NBC Sports Group-

MOST-WATCHED FIRST ROUND AT THE MEMORIAL TOURNAMENT SINCE 1997

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DUBLIN, Ohio (July 17, 2020) – GOLF Channel’s first round coverage of the Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide (2:30-6:30 p.m. ET) saw 1.08 million average viewers, +152% year-over-year. Thursday’s telecast became the most-watched opening round at the Memorial since 1997 (1.18M average viewers, ESPN), and the most-watched weekday PGA TOUR telecast on GOLF Channel since the opening round of the 2018 TOUR Championship (1.25M average viewers).

Additional highlights:
• Coverage peaked from 5:15-5:30 p.m. (1.25M average viewers).
• GOLF Channel was the No. 1 cable sports network (2:30-6:30 p.m.) by 355%, and No. 4 of 114 Nielsen-rated cable networks.
• Thursday evening’s encore telecast (7:30-11:30 p.m.) earned 337k average viewers, becoming the most-watched PGA TOUR replay telecast on GOLF Channel in more than five years (2015 PLAYERS Championship RD2, 364k average viewers).
• Thursday became GOLF Channel’s most-watched day in 2020, and most-watched Thursday since The 2019 Open.

Live third and final round coverage of the Memorial presented by Nationwide will air Saturday (12:30-3 p.m. ET) and Sunday (1-3:30 p.m.) on GOLF Channel, with coverage culminating each day on CBS. GOLF Channel also will provide live pre and post round news coverage and analysis on Golf Central through Sunday evening.

Source: Linear Television: Nielsen Live+Same Day U.S. HH Rtg; P2+ Avg 000’s; P25-54 000’s. Details available. Digital: Adobe Analytics.

-NBC Sports Group-

WOODS & NINE OF TOP-10 IN THE WORLD HEADLINE FIELD AT THE MEMORIAL TOURNAMENT PRESENTED BY NATIONWIDE TODAY-SUNDAY ON GOLF CHANNEL

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ORLANDO, Fla., (July 15, 2020) – The PGA TOUR is at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Ohio for the second consecutive week, as Tiger Woods, along with nine of the top-10 in the world headlining the field at the Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide. Woods will be making his first competitive start on TOUR since February. Live tournament coverage airs today-Sunday on GOLF Channel, utilizing a unified CBS Sports and GOLF Channel linear broadcast production.

PGA TOUR
the Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide
Dates: July 16-19
Venue: Muirfield Village Golf Club, Dublin, Ohio

Tournament Airtimes on GOLF Channel (Eastern):
Thursday 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. (PGA TOUR LIVE “Look-in” – Live Featured Groups)
Thursday 2:30-6:30 p.m. (Live) / 7:30-11:30 p.m. (Replay)
Friday 2:30-6:30 p.m. (Live) / 7:30-11:30 p.m. (Replay)
Saturday 12:30-3 p.m. (Live) / 7 p.m.-Midnight (Replay)
Sunday 1-3:30 p.m. (Live) / 8 p.m.-1 a.m. (Replay)

Golf Central Airtimes on GOLF Channel (Eastern):
Thursday 6:30-7:30 p.m. (Live)
Friday 2-2:30 p.m. / 6:30-7:30 p.m. (Live)
Saturday 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. / 6-7 p.m. (Live)
Sunday 11 a.m.-1 p.m. / 7-8 p.m. (Live)

PGA TOUR LIVE on NBC Sports Gold (Eastern):
Thursday 7 a.m.-6:30 p.m. (Featured Groups)
• Patrick Cantlay/Bryson DeChambeau/Collin Morikawa (8:06 a.m. ET)
• Dustin Johnson/Justin Thomas/Xander Schauffele (8:17 a.m. ET)
• Shane Lowry/Phil Mickelson/Justin Rose (1:06 p.m. ET)
• Brooks Koepka/Rory McIlroy/Tiger Woods (1:17 p.m. ET)

Friday 7 a.m.-6:30 p.m. (Featured Groups)
• Shane Lowry/Phil Mickelson/Justin Rose (8:06 a.m. ET)
• Brooks Koepka/Rory McIlroy/Tiger Woods (8:17 a.m. ET)
• Patrick Cantlay/Bryson DeChambeau/Collin Morikawa (1:06 p.m. ET)
• Dustin Johnson/Justin Thomas/Xander Schauffele (1:17 p.m. ET)

Broadcast Notes:
Woods making first competitive start since February: Tiger Woods returns to competition this week at the Memorial Tournament, where he’s won on five previous occasions. This week will mark his first competitive start since the Genesis Invitational in February.
PGA TOUR LIVE “Extended Look-In” airing Today from 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. ET: GOLF Channel will expand its opening round live tournament coverage of the Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide on Thursday, offering viewers an extended live “look-in” at feature group streaming coverage via PGA TOUR LIVE on NBC Sports Gold. An extended live look-in of PGA TOUR LIVE featured groups will air today on GOLF Channel from 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. ET, immediately prior to traditional live tournament coverage from 2:30-6:30 p.m. ET.
Cantlay defends: Patrick Cantlay finished two shots ahead of Adam Scott to capture his second PGA TOUR victory.
Headlining the field: Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm, Justin Thomas, Dustin Johnson, Webb Simpson, Brooks Koepka, Bryson DeChambeau, Patrick Reed, Patrick Cantlay, Collin Morikawa and Tiger Woods.

GOLF Channel Broadcast Team:
Play by Play: Terry Gannon
Analysts: Nick Faldo / Curt Byrum / Davis Love III
On-Course: Mark Immelman
Reporter: Todd Lewis

-NBC Sports Group-

PGA TOUR LIVE Coming Exclusively to ESPN+

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ESPN+ will be the exclusive, direct-to-consumer home of PGA TOUR LIVE as part of the PGA TOUR’s new, nine-year domestic rights agreement announced Monday. PGA TOUR LIVE on ESPN+ will launch in 2022, delivering to golf fans more than 4,000 hours of live coverage from 36 tournaments a year, including a full four days of coverage at 28 events with four simultaneous live feeds each day. PGA TOUR LIVE on ESPN+ will also feature on-demand replays of PGA TOUR events, original golf programs, edited speed round recaps and more.

The post PGA TOUR LIVE Coming Exclusively to ESPN+ appeared first on ESPN Press Room U.S..

PGA TOUR and NBC Sports Group announce live streaming of every shot during THE PLAYERS Championship in 2020

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Marks the first time ever fans can follow every shot by every player live

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, FLORIDA – For the first time ever in golf, every shot by every player will be live-streamed from a full-field tournament when THE PLAYERS Championship returns to TPC Sawgrass, March 12-15, allowing fans to follow any player in the elite field, all four rounds. All of this revolutionary coverage will be available to PGA TOUR LIVE subscribers on either NBC Sports Gold or Amazon Prime Video Channels.

“The PGA TOUR is the most content-rich sport on the planet and we have been focused on expanding the amount of content we bring to our fans from our competitions,” said Rick Anderson, Chief Media Officer for the TOUR. “Our vision is to bring every shot in every PGA TOUR golf tournament live and on-demand to our fans, and this is the first step to making that happen.”

PGA TOUR Entertainment and NBC Sports Group will accomplish the monumental task of showcasing more than 32,000 shots over 72 holes from a starting field of 144 – live – by utilizing nearly 120 cameras positioned throughout THE PLAYERS Stadium Course, with each group having its own dedicated stream.

“Every shot of THE PLAYERS on PGA TOUR LIVE is a natural next step in the innovative partnership between NBC Sports and the PGA TOUR that spans nearly 60 years,” said Mike McCarley, president, GOLF, NBC Sports Group. “Super-serving golf fans with more comprehensive coverage of THE PLAYERS is emblematic of our commitment to elevating this championship and builds upon our success in adding enhancements to PGA TOUR LIVE on NBC Sports Gold.”

PGA TOUR LIVE already has expanded its coverage for the 2019-20 PGA TOUR Season by adding early round featured groups coverage from seven events between September and December. This includes, for the first time ever, live streaming of “featured matches” all four days of competition from the upcoming Presidents Cup at The Royal Melbourne Golf Club in Australia (December 12-15, 2019).

All told, approximately 140 hours of additional live content is available, bringing more than 1,100 total hours to subscribers and extending live content across each month of the calendar year. With NBC Sports Gold and Prime Video Channels being available on dozens of connected devices such as Amazon Fire TV, Roku, Apple TV, and Chromecast, connected device consumption has spiked to about one-third of total minutes in 2019.

Further, the PGA TOUR will be launching an all-new TOURCast product that will allow fans to follow every shot from each group with a beautiful 3D rendering of the golf course and shot trails. The new TOURCast platform will also include deep access to the PGA TOUR’s ShotLink powered by CDW data, as well as video clips of every single shot available for fans to see, on demand. The launch of TOURCast at THE PLAYERS will mark the start of every event in the PGA TOUR Season through the FedExCup Playoffs being offered on the platform. TOURCast will be available on the PGA TOUR’s mobile apps and website.

“Since the launch of PGA TOUR LIVE four years ago, fans have consistently asked when they would be able to watch every shot of every player’s round live as it happens. We are thrilled to be able to do this for the first time at THE PLAYERS Championship in 2020,” said Luis Goicouria, the TOUR’s Senior Vice President of Media. “THE PLAYERS Championship has long been the tournament where the TOUR debuts the newest technology, including LIVE@ 17, our first Virtual Reality experience, and the PGA TOUR Augmented Reality iPhone app, just to name a few.”

TOURCast, which originally launched in 2003 as a state-of-the-art graphical scoring platform that provided unprecedented tournament coverage, won an Emmy in 2005. “We’re very excited to bring back a greatly enhanced version of it to a new generation of fans, utilizing the latest technology and data,” Goicouria added.

From the historic competition to an iconic golf course with an unparalleled fan experience, THE PLAYERS is uncompromising in its pursuit to deliver the best. The 144-player field represents the strongest collection of players assembled each season, competing on Pete Dye’s masterpiece, THE PLAYERS Stadium Course, that favors no single style of play and demands excellence in every facet of the game.

THE PLAYERS also was the first tournament conceived with the fan as its focal point. From the original design incorporating viewing mounds, to embracing change to deliver the best experience in the modern game, THE PLAYERS provides the highest expression of hospitality and entertainment. Morgan Stanley, Grant Thornton LLP and Optum® are the exclusive Proud Partners of THE PLAYERS.

GOLF CHANNEL AIRING “SNEAK PEEK” OF PGA TOUR LIVE ON NBC SPORTS GOLD DURING THURSDAY’S OPENING ROUND OF FARMERS INSURANCE OPEN

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Thursday’s Featured Groups Coverage of PGA TOUR LIVE on

NBC Sports Gold to Air on GOLF Channel Beginning at

Noon ET Ahead of Live Tournament Coverage at 3 p.m. ET

 

Thursday’s Featured Groups:

Day/Rahm/Snedeker (12:30 p.m. ET); Horschel/Rose/Spieth (12:40 p.m. ET)

 

Tiger Woods Highlights Friday’s Featured Groups Coverage;

Second Group to be Chosen via Twitter’s “Fan Vote Friday” Program


ORLANDO, Fla. (Jan. 23, 2019) – On Thursday, NBC Sports Group will offer fans a “sneak peek” of PGA TOUR LIVE on NBC Sports Gold, with the opening round Featured Groups coverage of the Farmers Insurance Open airing simultaneously live on GOLF Channel, beginning at Noon ET.

 

Thursday’s Featured Groups coverage on GOLF Channel will precede the network’s traditional live tournament coverage at 3 p.m. ET, giving viewers a glimpse at the video subscription platform available for purchase in the United States. In total, nearly 900 hours of premium live tournament programming will be available to PGA TOUR LIVE subscribers on NBC Sports Gold in 2019. This sneak peek for fans on Thursday follows last week’s official launch of PGA TOUR LIVE on NBC Sports Gold.

 

The Featured Groups being shown during Thursday’s PGA TOUR LIVE coverage include:

  • Jason Day/Jon Rahm/Brandt Snedeker (12:30 p.m. ET, 10th tee)
  • Billy Horschel/Justin Rose/Jordan Spieth (12:40 p.m. ET, 10th tee)

 

Friday’s PGA TOUR LIVE coverage on NBC Sports Gold will include Tony Finau/Xander Schauffele/Tiger Woods (1:40 p.m. ET, 10th tee) as one of two Featured Groups. The other group will be selected via Twitter’s “Fan Vote Friday” program.

 

“This sneak peek is in collaboration with the PGA TOUR in an effort to give viewers – who may have never seen PGA TOUR LIVE – a chance to experience the early-round access the service provides,” said Tom Knapp, executive vice president of partnerships and programming, GOLF Channel. “For those already familiar with the platform, Thursday’s simultaneous coverage on GOLF Channel will offer a glimpse at the enhancements and new offerings to PGA TOUR LIVE in 2019.”

 

Available on double the number of supported platforms versus 2018, PGA TOUR LIVE on NBC Sports Gold is available for purchase for $64.99/season at https://www.nbcsports.com/gold/pga-tour-live, featuring the most robust offering ever for the service, including:

  • Live four-day coverage from 27 PGA TOUR events
  • 10-minute “Speed Round” recaps for Featured Groups
  • Expansive VOD content
  • Integrated scoring and statistics

 

Through NBC Sports Gold, PGA TOUR LIVE is on more supported platforms than ever, including web, iOS, Android, Apple TV, Roku and Chromecast. In July, the PGA TOUR and NBC Sports Group announced a multi-year digital partnership to carry PGA TOUR LIVE on NBC Sports Gold.

-NBC Sports Group-

 

Media Contact:

Jeff Szklinski

Golf Channel Communications

407-248-3267

Jeff.Szklinski@golfchannel.com

ESPN Prime Time Film to Showcase Tiger Woods’ Historic Comeback Season and 80th career PGA TOUR victory

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The historic comeback season of Tiger Woods will be documented in a prime time film debuting on ESPN on Sunday, Dec. 30, at 9 p.m. ET.

The post ESPN Prime Time Film to Showcase Tiger Woods’ Historic Comeback Season and 80th career PGA TOUR victory appeared first on ESPN MediaZone U.S..

GOLF CHANNEL POSTS MOST-WATCHED, MOST-STREAMED & MOST-ENGAGED THIRD QUARTER EVER

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Golf Digital’s Video Starts Already Sets Best Year Ever Mark

NBC Sports Group’s 2018 PGA TOUR Broadcast Season Posts Most-Watched Year Since 2006

 

Orlando, FL, (Oct 4, 2018) – Golf Channel wrapped its best third quarter ever, across viewership, streaming and digital engagement. This was fueled by Tiger Woods’ return to the top echelon of the game, especially across NBC Sports’ slate of marquee third quarter events, including The 147th Open, PGA TOUR’s FedExCup Playoffs, and the Ryder Cup.

 

MOST-WATCHED, MOST-STREAMED, MOST-ENGAGED THIRD QUARTER EVER

  • Golf Channel posted its most-watched third quarter ever (126,000, P2+) across a 24-hour period, up 9% vs. 2017 (116k).
  • September was Golf Channel’s most-watched September ever (132k), up 33% vs. 2017, and becomes the third month this year to set a most-watched milestone (January and March).
  • Golf Digital’s most-streamed quarter ever with 342 million minutes streamed, up 72% vs. 2017.
  • Golf Digital’s record-setting pace in 2018 includes video starts already setting its most-engaged year ever with 53.4 million starts with the full fourth quarter still remaining.

 

“Golf’s third quarter benefitted from NBCUniversal’s expertise in promoting, producing and partnering with some of golf’s biggest events and the return of the sport’s biggest star. Golf Channel is now on record pace for its best year ever,” said Mike McCarley, president, Golf, NBC Sports. “This momentum continues as we chronicle Tiger Woods’ comeback in a unique situation where he’s competing against a generation of athletes he inspired, across an improved 2019 schedule featuring marquee events from March through August.”

 

ADDITIONAL YEAR-TO-DATE HIGHLIGHTS IN 2018 INCLUDE:

  • With nearly 3,450 live hours programmed in 2018, Golf Channel has its most live hours ever programmed, up 107% vs. 2010, the year prior to Golf Channel becoming a part of the NBC Sports Group.
  • NBC Sports’ PGA TOUR live coverage has averaged 3.7 million viewers in 2018, up 60% vs. 2017, and making it NBC’s most-watched PGA TOUR season since 2006.
  • Golf Channel’s PGA TOUR live coverage has averaged 523k viewers for the 2017-2018 season, up 29% vs. the 2016-2017 season and Golf Channel’s most-watched PGA TOUR season since the wrap-around season began in fall, 2012.

 

THIRD QUARTER EVENTS DRIVING RECORD VIEWERSHIP AND ENGAGEMENT:

  • Ryder Cup: Up vs. 2014:
    • NBC Sports’ live television coverage of the Ryder Cup drew nearly 3 million unique viewers, up 8% vs. 2014, the last time Europe hosted the event.
    • Across Golf Channel and NBC, Total Audience Delivery (TAD) was up all three days 2014.
  • PGA TOUR FedExCup Playoffs: Best Ever In Playoff History:
    • NBC Sports’ live television coverage of all four FedExCup Playoff events was most-viewed since 2007, drawing 32.6 million unique viewers, up 44% vs. 2017.
    • The last three weekends’ TAD Delivery of 3.33 million average viewers on NBC, up 55% vs. 2017, and early round coverage at all four events TAD was 863k average viewers on Golf Channel, up 40% vs. 2017.
  • The 147TH Open: Largest Total Audience in Five Years:
    • NBC Sports’ live television coverage drew 26 million unique viewers, most for The Open since 2013, and up 19% vs. 2017.
    • Across all four days, digital streaming garnered 125 million minutes, up 24% vs. 2017, and making The 147th Open the most-streamed golf event ever for NBC Sports.
    • Viewership across The R&A’s three major championships, The Open, Senior Open and Women’s British Open, was the most-watched since 2009 (TNT/ABC), and up 24%, vs. 2017

 

GOLF CHANNEL’S FOURTH QUARTER SCHEDULE OF MARQUEE EVENTS:

  • Scotland to South Korea This Week:
    • European Tour’s Alfred Dunhill Links Championship each morning from the historic trio of the Old Course St. Andrews, Kingsbarns and Carnoustie, which earlier this year hosted The 147th Open and was where Champion Golfer of the Year and European Ryder Cup hero “Frankie” Molinari was first matched up against a resurgent Tiger Woods.
    • PGA TOUR’s 2018/2019 FedExCup Season kicks off at the Safeway Open in Napa, Calif. Golf Channel is the exclusive home to the next nine PGA TOUR events, leading up to NBC Sports’ coverage of Tiger Woods’ Hero World Challenge in December.
    • UL International Crown featuring 32 LPGA Tour stars in primetime from golf-crazed South Korea as they represent their countries in this eight-team, match play event. USA is defending their 2016 crown.
  • October’s East Lake Cup, College Golf’s Marquee Fall Event: Mon., Oct 29-Wed., Oct 31
    • The 2018 NCAA Championships’ semi-final men’s and women’s teams square off again at East Lake Golf Club. Women’s: Reigning NCAA National Champions Univ. of Arizona, Alabama, Stanford and USC, defending East Lake Cup champions. Men’s: Reigning NCAA Champions Oklahoma St., Alabama, Auburn and Duke.
  • PGA TOUR Champions, LPGA Tour and European Tour Wrap Season-Long Races:
    • PGA TOUR Champions: Charles Schwab Cup Championship, Phoenix, Nov. 8-11
    • LPGA Tour: CME Group Tour Championship, Naples, Fla., Nov 15-18
    • European Tour: DP World Tour Championship, Dubai, Nov 15-18

Sources: TV: Nielsen, Live + Same Day US HH Rtgs. P2+ Avg 000’s and P2+ reach with 6-minute qualifier. Digital: Adobe Site Catalyst. Details available.

 

ABOUT GOLF CHANNEL

Golf Channel is a multimedia, golf entertainment and services company based in Orlando, Fla. Serving the most-affluent audience in all of television, Golf Channel – co-founded by Arnold Palmer in 1995 and now part of NBC Sports Group – is available to nearly 500 million viewers in more than 80 countries and nine languages around the world. Golf Channel features more live golf coverage than all other networks combined, including tournament action from the PGA TOUR, LPGA Tour, The Open, Olympics, and Ryder Cup, as well as high-quality news, instruction and original programming. Delivering unmatched coverage of the world of golf, fans are able to enjoy 24/7 live streaming of Golf Channel content through Golf Digital and the NBC Sports App, powered by Playmaker Media. In addition, Golf Channel connects the world to golf through a wide array of digital and lifestyle services including Golf Channel Mobile, a comprehensive app covering golf’s latest headlines, scores and analysis; GolfNow, the world’s largest online tee time booking platform and golf course technology partner, which includes the GolfNow Mobile App, featuring on-course GPS tracking, in-round scoring and game tracking; Revolution Golf, the largest direct-to-consumer digital platform in golf ; GolfAdvisor.com, the world’s largest golf course ratings and review resource for golfers, by golfers; a North American network of Golf Channel Academy instructional facilities; and Golf Channel Am Tour, the world’s largest amateur golf tour; and as the Official Media Partner of St. Andrews Links, the Home of Golf.

 

-NBC Sports Group-

Golf Channel Tournament Airtimes and Notes (Oct. 3-7): UL International Crown, Safeway Open, Alfred Dunhill Links Championship

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Women’s Golf Takes Center Stage in Primetime This Week with the UL International Crown Biennial Match-Play Competition

Mickelson Headlines Field as the 2018-19 PGA TOUR Season Kicks Off at the Safeway Open

European Tour Returns to the Home of Golf for Alfred Dunhill Links Championship

ORLANDO, Fla. (Oct. 3, 2018) – Women’s golf will take center stage starting tonight in primetime with the UL International Crown biennial match play competition, featuring 32 players representing eight countries battling to be crowned the best women’s golf nation. The 2018-19 PGA TOUR wraparound season begins this week in Napa, Calif., with the Safeway Open, where Phil Mickelson headlines the field. The European Tour returns to the Home of Golf this week with the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in Scotland, taking place at the Old Course at St. Andrews, Carnoustie and Kingsbarns.

 

LPGA TOUR

UL International Crown

Dates: Oct. 3-6

Venue: Jack Nicklaus Golf Club Korea, Incheon, South Korea

Tournament Airtimes on Golf Channel (Eastern):

Wednesday     8 p.m.-3 a.m. (Live) / Noon-4:30 p.m. (Thursday replay)

Thursday         9 p.m.-3 a.m. (Live) / Noon-5 p.m. (Friday replay)

Friday              9 p.m.-3 a.m. (Live) / Noon-5 p.m. (Saturday replay)

Saturday          9 p.m.-3 a.m. (Live) / 12:30- 5 p.m. (Sunday replay)

Golf Central Coverage on Golf Channel Airtimes (Eastern):

Wednesday     7:30-8 p.m. (Live)

Thursday         8:30-9 p.m. (Live)

Friday              8:30-9 p.m. (Live)

Saturday          8:30-9 p.m. (Live)

Broadcast Notes:

Eight Countries, 32 Players represented: The UL International Crown will feature eight countries competing in four days of head-to-head competition: Australia, Chinese Taipei, England, Japan, Republic of Korea, Sweden, Thailand and the United States. Four players will represent each country in the competition, who qualified based on the Rolex Women’s Rankings at the conclusion of the 2018 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship.

Countries and Players:

No. 1 Republic of Korea – Sung Hyun Park, So Yeon Ryu, In-Kyung Kim, In Gee Chun
No. 2 United States – Lexi Thompson, Jessica Korda, Cristie Kerr, Michelle Wie
No. 3 Japan – Nasa Hataoka, Misuzu Narita, Mamiko Higa, Ayako Uehara
No. 4 England – Charley Hull, Georgia Hall, Jodi Ewart Shadoff, Bronte Law
No. 5 Australia – Minjee Lee, Katherine Kirk, Sarah Jane Smith, Su Oh
No. 6 Thailand – Ariya Jutanugarn, Moriya Jutanugarn, Pornanong Phatlum, Sherman Santiwiwatthanaphong
No. 7 Sweden – Anna Nordqvist, Pernilla Lindberg, Madelene Sagstrom, Caroline Hedwall
No. 8 Chinese Taipei – Teresa Lu, Wei-Ling Hsu, Phoebe Yao, Candie Kung

United States defends: The United States (Lexi Thompson, Stacy Lewis, Gerina Piller and Cristie Kerr) captured the 2016 UL International Crown at the Merit Club outside of Chicago.

Expanded Social Media Coverage: Golf Channel’s social media host Alexandra O’Laughlin will be contributing on-site throughout the week in South Korea for Golf Channel’s social media platforms.

Golf Channel Broadcast Team:

Host: Mike Ritz

Play-by-Play: Tom Abbott / Peter Donegan

Analysts: Karen Stupples / Kate Burton

Tower: Alison Whitaker

On-Course: Kay Cockerill, Jerry Foltz, Dom Boulet

 

PGA TOUR

Safeway Open

Dates: Oct. 4-7

Venue: Silverado Resort & Spa (North Course), Napa, Calif.

Tournament Airtimes on Golf Channel (Eastern):

Thursday         5:30-8:30 p.m. (Live) / 3-5 a.m. (Replay)

Friday              5:30-8:30 p.m. (Live) / 3-5 a.m. (Replay)

Saturday          5:30-8:30 p.m. (Live) / 3-6 a.m. (Replay)

Sunday            5:30-8:30 p.m. (Live) / 9:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m. (Replay)

Golf Central Coverage on Golf Channel (Eastern):

Thursday         4:30-5:30 p.m. (Live)

Friday              5-5:30 p.m. (Live

Saturday          5-5:30 p.m. (Live)

Sunday            5-5:30 p.m. (Live)

Broadcast Notes:

2018-19 PGA TOUR season kicks off: This week marks the first of 46 official events during the 2018-19 PGA TOUR season, with eight of those events being played in 2018.

Steele defends: Brendan Steele defeated Tony Finau in 2017 by two strokes to win back-to-back titles at the Safeway Open.

Headlining the field: Phil Mickelson, Patrick Cantlay, Fred Couples, Russell Knox, Anirban Lahiri, Hunter Mahan, Maverick McNealy, Mark Mulder, Patrick Rodgers, Sam Saunders, Brandt Snedeker, Brendan Steele, Peter Uihein, Danny Willett.

Golf Channel Broadcast Team:

Play-by-Play: Terry Gannon

Analyst: Curt Byrum

Tower: Matt Gogel / Steve Sands

On-Course: Roger Maltbie / Craig Perks

Interviews: George Savaricas

 

EUROPEAN TOUR

Alfred Dunhill Links Championship

Dates: Oct. 4-7

Venue: Old Course at St. Andrews; Carnoustie Golf Links; Kingsbarns Golf Links, Scotland, United Kingdom

Tournament Airtimes on Golf Channel (Eastern):

Thursday         8 a.m.-Noon (Live)

Friday              8 a.m.-Noon (Live)

Saturday          8 a.m.-Noon (Live)

Sunday            7:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. (Live)

Broadcast Notes:

Event format: 168 professionals and 168 amateurs pair up as two-man teams, playing one round each at St. Andrews, Carnoustie and Kingsbarns. A 54-hole cut will take place with the low 60 professionals (and ties) and the low 20 teams advancing to compete in a final round at St. Andrews.

Hatton defends: Tyrrell Hatton defeated Ross Fisher by three strokes to successfully defend his title in 2017.

Headlining the field: Zac Blair, Ernie Els, Tony Finau, Tommy Fleetwood, Padraig Harrington, Tyrrell Hatton, Trevor Immelman, Miguel Angel Jimenez, Martin Kaymer, Brooks Koepka, Chase Koepka, Matt Kucher, Paul McGinley, Thorbjorn Olesen, Louis Oosthuizen, Thomas Pieters, Brandon Stone, Norman Xiong.

Notable amateurs in the field: Hugh Grant, Ronan Keating, Wladimir Klitschko, Huey Lewis, Tico Torres

Golf Channel Broadcast Team:

Play by Play: Dougie Donnelly

Analyst: Ken Brown / Mark James

Tower: Sam Torrance

On-Course: Jay Townsend

-NBC Sports Group-