FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, February 23rd, 2016
NBC Sports Group Tournament Airtimes & Notes (Feb. 25-28): The Honda Classic; Honda LPGA Thailand; ISPS Handa Perth International
PGA TOUR Kicks off Florida Swing at The Honda Classic, with NBC Sports Group Televising More Than 20 Hours of Live Tournament Coverage
Eight of Top-10 in the World to Compete in Honda LPGA Thailand
European Tour in Australia for ISPS Handa Perth International
ORLANDO, Fla. (Feb. 23, 2016) – The PGA TOUR moves from West Coast to East Coast this week to kick off the “Florida Swing” at The Honda Classic in Palm Beach Gardens. This week also marks the first of six consecutive tournament weeks airing exclusively on Golf Channel and NBC. Rory McIlroy and Rickie Fowler headline the field (World No. 3 & 5 respectively) and will be featured (along with Phil Mickelson) during a Golf Central player news conference show on Wednesday at Noon ET. Eight of the top-10 players in the world will tee it up in the Honda LPGA Thailand this week, which include Stacy Lewis and Lexi Thompson. And the European Tour is in Australia for the ISPS Handa Perth International, as Thorbjorn Olesen defends his 2014 title, when the event was last contested.
PGA TOUR
The Honda Classic
Dates: Feb. 25-28
Venue: PGA National Resort & Spa (Champion Course), Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.
Tournament Airtimes on Golf Channel (Eastern):
Thursday 2-6 p.m. (Live) / 7-11 p.m. (Replay)
Friday 2-6 p.m. (Live) / 7-11 p.m. (Replay)
Saturday 1-3 p.m. (Live) / 7 p.m.-Midnight (Replay)
Sunday 1-3 p.m. (Live) / 7 p.m.-Midnight (Replay)
Tournament Airtimes on NBC (Eastern):
Saturday 3-6 p.m. (Live)
Sunday 3-6 p.m. (Live)
Broadcast Notes:
Golf Channel, NBC to kick off six-week stretch of exclusive live PGA TOUR coverage this week: Golf Channel and NBC Sports will dedicate nearly 20 live hours of tournament coverage from The Honda Classic, which will commence six consecutive weeks of PGA TOUR action on Golf Channel and NBC, including: The Honda Classic (Feb. 25-28); WGC-Cadillac Championship (March 3-6); Valspar Championship (March 10-13); Arnold Palmer Invitational (March 17-20); WGC-Dell Match Play (March 23-27); Puerto Rico Open (March 24-27) and the Shell Houston Open (March 31-April 3).
Golf Central player news conference, Wednesday at Noon ET: On Wednesday at Noon ET, Golf Central will present a special player news conference from PGA National, featuring Rory McIlroy, Rickie Fowler and Phil Mickelson.
The Honda Classic Pro-Am airing at 5 p.m. ET on Wednesday: Wednesday evening at 5 p.m. ET, Golf Channel will televise The Honda Classic Pro-Am, as players make their final preparations for Thursday’s opening round.
David Feherty making Florida Swing debut: David Feherty joined the NBC broadcast team exclusively in 2016 and will be a course reporter for Golf Channel and NBC’s weekend coverage of The Honda Classic. This week begins a stretch of five consecutive weeks on Golf Channel and NBC for Feherty, rotating as a tower analyst and course reporter for each of the Florida Swing events in addition to the WGC-Dell Match Play (March 23-27) in Austin, Texas.
Morning Drive on-site from PGA National: Golf Channel’s daily news program, Morning Drive (beginning at 9 a.m. ET Thursday-Sunday), will feature on-site reports from PGA National. Cara Robinson and John Cook will provide live updates on location and conduct interviews with players and other guests throughout the week.
Harrington defends: Padraig Harrington defeated Daniel Berger with a par on the second playoff hole during a rain-delayed Monday finish for his sixth career PGA TOUR win, and first since the 2008 PGA Championship.
Headlining the field: Rory McIlroy, Rickie Fowler, Patrick Reed, Branden Grace, Zach Johnson, Phil Mickelson, Kevin Kisner, Brooks Koepka, Adam Scott and Justin Thomas.
Golf Channel / NBC Broadcast Team:
Play by Play: Rich Lerner (Golf Channel) / Dan Hicks (NBC)
Analyst: Gary Koch (Golf Channel) / Johnny Miller (NBC)
Tower: Peter Jacobsen / Gary Koch (NBC) / Steve Sands (Golf Channel)
On-Course: Roger Maltbie / David Feherty / Notah Begay
Interviews: Steve Burkowski (Golf Channel) / Steve Sands (NBC)
LPGA TOUR
Honda LPGA Thailand
Dates: Feb. 25-28
Venue: Siam Country Club Pattaya (Old Course), Chonburi, Thailand
Tournament Airtimes on Golf Channel (Eastern):
Thursday 1-5 a.m. (Live) / 11 a.m.-1 p.m. (Replay)
Friday 1-5 a.m. (Live) / 11 a.m.-1 p.m. (Replay)
Saturday 1-5 a.m. (Live) / 3-6 p.m. (Replay)
Sunday 1-5 a.m. (Live) / 3-6 p.m. (Replay)
Broadcast Notes:
Strong field features eight of top-10 in the world: The field at the Honda LPGA Thailand is made up of eight of the top-10 players in the world, including Stacy Lewis (No. 3) and Lexi Thompson (No. 4).
Yang defends: Amy Yang won by two shots over Stacy Lewis, Yani Tseng and Mirim Lee for her second LPGA Tour victory.
Headlining the field: Stacy Lewis, Lexi Thompson, Charley Hull, Sei Young Kim, So Yeon Ryu, Shanshan Feng, Hyo Joo Kim, Ha Na Jang, In Gee Chun, Michelle Wie and Amy Yang.
Golf Channel Broadcast Team:
Studio Host: Tom Abbott
Play by Play: Peter Donegan
Analyst: Sandy Mackenzie
On-Course: Kate Burton
EUROPEAN TOUR
ISPS Handa Perth International
Dates: Feb. 25-28
Venue: Lake Karrinyup Country Club, Perth, Australia
Tournament Airtimes on Golf Channel (Eastern):
Thursday 5-9 a.m. (Tape delay)
Friday 5-9 a.m. (Tape delay)
Saturday 5-9 a.m. (Tape delay)
Sunday 5-9 a.m. (Tape delay)
Broadcast Notes:
Olesen defends: Thorbjorn Olesen defeated Victor Dubuisson by three shots to earn his second career European Tour win.
Headlining the field: Louis Oosthuizen, Victor Dubuisson, Peter Uihlein, Thorbjorn Olesen, Matteo Manassero, Peter Senior, Stephen Gallacher, David Lipsky and Mikko Ilonen.
Golf Channel Broadcast Team:
Play by Play: Brendon Julian
Analyst: Warren Humphreys / Ossie Moore
On-Course: Paul Gow
