NBC Sports Group to Feature Six Events from All Corners of the Globe
Over Five-Day Stretch in December for First-Time Ever
Scott Defends at Australian PGA Championship
Nicklaus Headlines List of Golf Legends at PNC Father/Son Challenge
Schwartzel Vyes for Third-Straight Alfred Dunhill Championship
English, Kuchar Defend at Franklin Templeton Shootout
Garcia Defends at Thailand Golf Championship
Phatlum Defends at Omega Dubai Ladies Masters
ORLANDO, Fla. (Dec. 9, 2014) – This week NBC Sports Group will feature six different professional tournaments from around the world over a five-day span Wednesday-Sunday, Dec. 10-14, the most-ever for the network over a one week span during the month of December. Adam Scott defends his title at the Australian PGA Championship, while Jack Nicklaus headlines a field of golf’s legends at the PNC/Father Son Challenge in Orlando, Fla. Charl Schwartzel will go for a third-consecutive win at the European Tour and Sunshine Tour’s co-sanctioned Alfred Dunhill Championship in his native South Africa. Harris English and Matt Kuchar will defend their 2013 title at the Franklin Templeton Shootout in Naples, Fla. Sergio Garcia defends at the Thailand Golf Championship on the Asian Tour, while Pornanong Phatlum defends her 2013 title at the Omega Dubai Ladies Masters.
PGA TOUR Australasia
Australian PGA Championship
Dates: Dec. 10-13
Venue: RACV Royal Pines Resort, Gold Coast, Australia
Tournament Airtimes On Golf Channel (Eastern):
Wednesday 8 p.m.-1 a.m. (Live)
Thursday 8 p.m.-1 a.m. (Live)
Friday 8 p.m.-1 a.m. (Live)
Saturday 8 p.m.-1 a.m. (Live)
Broadcast Notes:
Scott defends: Adam Scott won in 2013, part of an impressive stretch of golf in his native Australia which also included wins at the Australian Masters, a title for Australia in the World Cup with teammate Jason Day, and a runner-up finish to Rory McIlroy at the Australian Open to fall just short of winning Australian golf’s “triple crown”.
Headlining the field: Adam Scott, Scott Stallings, John Senden, Brendan De Jonge, Mark Leishman, Jarrod Lyle, Steven Bowditch, Boo Weekley, Greg Chalmers and Robert Allenby.
PNC Father/Son Challenge
Dates: Dec. 13-14
Venue: Ritz-Carlton Golf Club, Orlando, Fla.
Tournament Airtimes On Golf Channel (Eastern):
Saturday 2-3 p.m. (Tape delay) / 11 a.m.-3:30 p.m. (Live streaming on Golf Live Extra)
Sunday 2-3 p.m. (Tape delay) / 11 a.m.-3:30 p.m. (Live streaming on Golf Live Extra)
Tournament Airtimes On NBC (Eastern):
Saturday 3-6 p.m. (Tape delay)
Sunday 3-6 p.m. (Tape delay)
Broadcast Notes:
Scramble scoring: Each of the 20 teams will compete in a two-man scramble on both Saturday and Sunday.
Pro-Am airing on Friday, 4 p.m. ET: Golf Channel will air the PNC Father/Son Pro-Am on Friday at 4 p.m. ET.
Cink’s defend: Stewart and Connor Cink will defend their 2013 title, when they won by three strokes over Steve & Sam Elkington and Vijay & Qass Singh.
Teams: Stewart & Connor Cink, Steve & Sam Elkington, Nick & Matthew Faldo,
Raymond & Robert Floyd, Hale & Steve Irwin, Lee & Connor Janzen, Bernhard & Christina Langer, Tom & Thomas Lehman, Davis Love III & Dru Love, Sandy & James Lyle, Johnny & Andy Miller, Larry & Josh Nelson, Jack Nicklaus & Jack Nicklaus II, Mark & Shaun O’Meara, Nick & Greg Price, Dave & Ron Stockton, Curtis & Tom Strange, Vijay & Qass Singh, Lee & Daniel Trevino, Lanny & Tucker Wadkins.
Golf Channel Broadcast Team:
Play by Play: Steve Sands
Analyst: Gary Koch
Tower: Peter Jacobsen
On Course: Roger Maltbie / Notah Begay
Interviews/Essays: Jimmy Roberts
EUROPEAN TOUR
Alfred Dunhill Championship
Dates: Dec. 11-14
Venue: Leopard Creek CC, Malelane, South Africa
Tournament Airtimes On Golf Channel (Eastern):
Thursday 5:30-7:30 a.m. (Tape delay); 7:30-10:30 a.m. (Live)
Friday 5:30-7:30 a.m. (Tape delay); 7:30-10:30 a.m. (Live)
Saturday 5:30-9:30 a.m. (Live)
Sunday 5:30-9:30 a.m. (Live)
Broadcast Notes:
First event for Challenge Tour graduates, Q-School qualifiers: This week’s event represents the first opportunity for graduates of the 2014 Challenge Tour and Qualifying School to tee it up on the European Tour, including 21 Q-School qualifiers and 11 Challenge Tour graduates.
Schwartzel defends: Charl Schwartzel defended his 2012 title last year, winning by four strokes over Richard Finch.
Headlining the field: Louis Oosthuizen, Charl Schwartzel, Peter Uihlein, Danny Willett, Oliver Wilson, Richard Sterne, Branden Grace, Thomas Aiken, Robert Rock and George Coetzee.
Golf Channel Broadcast Team:
Studio Host: Whit Watson
Play by Play: Dougie Donnelly
Analyst: Ken Brown / Denis Hutchinson
On Course: Julian Tutt
Franklin Templeton Shootout
Dates: Dec. 11-12
Venue: Ritz-Carlton Resorts of Naples (Tiburon Golf Club), Naples, Fla.
Tournament Airtimes On Golf Channel (Eastern):
Thursday 1-4 p.m. (Live) / 5-8 p.m. (Replay)
Friday 1-4 p.m. (Live) / 5-8 p.m. (Replay)
**Saturday’s final round will air on Fox**
Broadcast Notes:
Scoring format: The event features 12 teams of two competing in a 54-hole event. Teams will compete in a scramble format on Thursday, a modified alternate shot on Friday and a better-ball on Saturday.
English, Kuchar defend: Harris English and Matt Kuchar defend their 2013 title, when they finished seven shots ahead of the second place team of Retief Goosen and Fredrik Jacobson.
Teams: Harris English/Matt Kuchar, Graeme McDowell/Gary Woodland, Keegan Bradley/Camilo Villegas, Billy Horschel/Ian Poulter, Jason Day/Cameron Tringale, Patrick Reed/Brandt Snedeker, Ryan Palmer/Jimmy Walker, Jerry Kelly/Steve Stricker, Sean O’Hair/Kenny Perry, Retief Goosen/Mike Weir, Charles Howell III/Scott Verplank, Justin Leonard/Rory Sabbatini.
Golf Channel Broadcast Team:
Play by Play: Rich Lerner
Analyst: Frank Nobilo
Tower: Curt Byrum / Tom Abbott
On Course: Phil Parkin
ASIAN TOUR
Thailand Golf Championship
Dates: Dec. 10-13
Venue: Amata Spring Country Club, Chon Buri, Thailand
Tournament Airtimes On Golf Channel (Eastern):
Thursday 1-4:30 a.m. (Live)
Friday 1-4:30 a.m. (Live)
Saturday 1-4 a.m. (Live)
Sunday 1-4 a.m. (Live)
Broadcast Notes:
Garcia defends: Sergio Garcia finished four strokes ahead of Henrik Stenson, earning his first and only victory of the 2013 calendar year.
Headlining the field: Sergio Garcia, Bubba Watson, Martin Kaymer, Victor Dubuisson, Lee Westwood, Darren Clarke, Chesson Hadley, Thongchai Jaidee and Guan Tianlang.
LET TOUR
Omega Dubai Ladies Masters
Dates: Dec. 10-13
Venue: Emirates Golf Club (Majlis Course), Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Tournament Airtimes On Golf Channel (Eastern):
Wednesday 2-6 p.m. (Tape delay)
Thursday 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. (Tape delay)
Friday 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. (Tape delay)
Saturday 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. (Tape delay)
Broadcast Notes:
Phatlum defends: Pornanong Phatlum edged Stacy Lewis by one shot to win her second-career LET victory.
Headlining the field: Anna Nordqvist, Shanshan Feng, Charley Hull, Minjee Lee, Pornanong Phatlum, Cheyenne Woods, Carlota Ciganda, Caroline Hedwall and Laura Davies.
-NBC Sports Group-