FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, May 28th, 2013

GOLF’S LONGEST DAY Follows Pursuit of U.S. Open Dreams

 Golf Channel Covers U.S. Open Sectional Qualifying With 17 Consecutive Live Hours From 13 Sites Across the U.S. 

News, Scores and Insight Offered Across Multiple Platforms; New Golf Channel Digital Studio Makes Debut

ORLANDO, Fla. (May 28, 2013) – On Monday, June 3, a team of more than 50 reporters and production professionals corresponding live from 13 locations around the United States for 17 consecutive hours – what Golf Channel has coined GOLF’S LONGEST DAY – will chronicle U.S. Open Sectional Qualifying, when nearly 1,000 amateur and professional golfers of all ages attempt to qualify for less than 70 spots available to compete in the U.S. Open Championship.

Starting at 7 a.m. ET and continuing until all the final results are tallied at around Midnight ET, Golf Channel will feature interviews, analysis, highlights and scoring updates from 11 U.S. Open Sectional Qualifying locations in the U.S., as well as insight from experts located at Merion Golf Club – site of next month’s U.S. Open – and Golf Channel studios in Orlando.

GOLF’S LONGEST DAY will be a colossal television and digital undertaking, originating across multiple platforms.  Television coverage will be hosted by Rich Lerner and Steve Sands from Golf Channel studios, while content produced from Golf Channel’s new digital studio will be hosted by Whit Watson and Ryan Burr.  For fans on the go, streaming content will be available via GolfChannel.com and the Golf Live Extra app, from 7 a.m. to Midnight ET.  The 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. coverage originating exclusively from the digital studio will be available to everyone online and on mobile devices.  Each platform will showcase stories of grit and determination by golfers trying to realize lifelong dreams, as well as those golfers trying to resurrect a career in order to make it back to golf’s brightest stage.

GolfChannel.com also will serve as a source for U.S. Open qualifying news and information, with feature stories written by correspondents in the field, scoring updates and posting social media content from Golf Channel reporters covering the Sectional events.  Fans also can join the social media conversation in Golf Channel’s social lounge (www.GolfChannel.com/SocialLounge), and follow @GolfChannel on Twitter and Instagram using the hashtag, #RoadToMerion.

GOLF’S LONGEST DAY U.S. Open Sectional Qualifying Locations and Correspondents:

Rockville, Md. Woodmont Country Club Kay Cockerill
Cle Elum, Wash. Tumble Creek Golf Club Win McMurry
Springfield, Ohio Springfield Country Club Scott Rude
Bradenton, Fla. Ritz-Carlton Members Golf Club Matt Ginella
St. Louis, Mo. Old Warson Country Club David Marr III
Dallas, Texas Lakewood Country Club George Savaricas
Ball Ground, Ga. Hawks Ridge Golf Club Steve Burkowski
Memphis, Tenn. Colonial Country Club Scott Walker
Purchase, N.Y. Century Country Club Jerry Foltz
Old Oaks Country Club
Columbus, Ohio Brookside Golf & Country Club Todd Lewis
The Lakes Golf & Country Club
Newport Beach, Calif. Big Canyon Country Club
Newport Beach Country Club Rex Hoggard
Ardmore, Penn. Merion Golf Club Kelly Tilghman & Tim Rosaforte
Orlando, Fla. Golf Channel Studios Rich Lerner & Steve Sands

Making his Golf Channel debut is new anchor/reporter George Savaricas, who comes to the network from KVOA-TV in Tucson, Ariz.

GOLF’S LONGEST DAY Programming Schedule (all times ET):

7 – 11 a.m.                          Morning Drive

10 a.m. – 1 p.m.                GOLF’S LONGEST DAY streaming from Digital Studio on GolfChannel.com and Golf Live Extra

11 a.m. – 1 p.m.                Golf Central Updates on Golf Channel

1 p.m. – Midnight            GOLF’S LONGEST DAY coverage on Golf Channel

7 a.m. – Midnight             GOLF’S LONGEST DAY streaming on GolfChannel.com and Golf Live Extra

U.S. Open Week on Golf Channel:

The NBC Sports Group will provide unprecedented coverage dedicated to the 2013 U.S. Open Championship, June 9-16, with NBC and Golf Channel scheduled to present more than 70 live hours of tournament and news coverage from Merion Golf Club in Ardmore, Pa.

-NBC Sports Group-