FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, March 21st, 2016
NBC SPORTS GROUP TOURNAMENT AIRTIMES & NOTES (MARCH 23-27): WGC-DELL MATCH PLAY; KIA CLASSIC; PUERTO RICO OPEN
**TONIGHT on Golf Channel: World Golf Championships Dell Match Play Bracket Special Live at 7 p.m. ET from Paramount Theatre in Austin**
Field of 64 Set for WGC-Dell Match Play in Austin, Wednesday-Sunday on Golf Channel and NBC
LPGA Tour Stages Final Test before First Major of the Year with Kia Classic in California, as Ko, Park and Thompson Headline the Field
Donald, Finau, Daly Headline Puerto Rico Open
ORLANDO, Fla. (March 21, 2016) – The PGA TOUR shifts to Texas for the World Golf Championships Dell Match Play, with an elite field of 64 players competing in a round robin format (Wednesday-Friday) before narrowing to the single elimination round of 16 on Saturday with the conclusion scheduled for Sunday. Tonight, Golf Channel will televise a live, two-hour WGC-Dell Match Play Bracket Special in front of a live audience at the Paramount Theatre in downtown Austin, beginning at 7 p.m. ET. The special will sort the field into 16 four-man groups, revealing the bracket by way of a random draw with players assigned by virtue of their Official World Golf Ranking. The field includes 64 of the top 66 players in the world, including Jordan Spieth, Jason Day, Rory McIlroy, Bubba Watson, Rickie Fowler and Adam Scott. On the LPGA Tour, players will tee it up this week at the Kia Classic in southern California for a final tune-up before next week’s ANA Inspiration, the first major championship of 2016. Lydia Ko, Inbee Park, Lexi Thompson and Stacy Lewis all are in the field, with coverage airing in primetime on Golf Channel. And the PGA TOUR also stages the Puerto Rico Open this week, with Luke Donald, Tony Finau and John Daly headlining the field.
PGA TOUR
WGC-Dell Match Play
Dates: March 23-27
Venue: Austin Country Club, Austin, Texas
Tournament Airtimes on Golf Channel (Eastern):
Wednesday 2-8 p.m. (Live) / 9 p.m.-3 a.m. (Replay)
Thursday 2-8 p.m. (Live) / 10:30 p.m.-4:30 a.m. (Replay)
Friday 2-8 p.m. (Live) / 10:30 p.m.-4:30 a.m. (Replay)
Saturday 10 a.m.-2 p.m. (Live) / 1-5 a.m. (Sunday replay)
Sunday 10 a.m.-2 p.m. (Live) / 1-5 a.m. (Monday replay)
Tournament Airtimes on NBC (Eastern):
Saturday 2-6 p.m. (Live)
Sunday 3-7 p.m. (Live)
Broadcast Notes:
WGC-Dell Match Play Bracket Special airing live tonight at 7 p.m. ET: Tonight at 7 p.m. ET, Golf Channel will televise the WGC-Dell Match Play Bracket Special, live from the Paramount Theatre in Austin. The two-hour show will reveal the 64-man bracket, with each player in the field assigned to a four-man group, sorted by world ranking and a random ping pong ball selection process overseen by the PGA TOUR competitions committee officials. Rory McIlroy, Rickie Fowler and Branden Grace are all scheduled to participate in the show, in addition to University of Texas alums and World Golf Hall of Famers Ben Crenshaw and Tom Kite, along with former Texas standout Colt McCoy and current head football coach Charlie Strong. Ryan Burr will host the special, while Brandel Chamblee and Tim Rosaforte will offer insight and analysis. Todd Lewis will conduct interviews with players, and Cara Robinson also will serve as a reporter on-site.
Golf Central player news conference, Tuesday, Noon-2 p.m. ET: On Tuesday at Noon ET, Golf Central will present a special two hour player news conference from Austin Country Club, featuring Jason Day, Adam Scott and Jordan Spieth.
Event format: The 64-man field will be assigned through the live bracket draw and divided into 16 four-player groups, competing in three round robin matches Wednesday-Friday. On Friday, the player in each group with the most points (1 point for a win, ½ point for a halved match) advances to single elimination match play with the Round of 16 and quarterfinals scheduled for Saturday and the semifinals and finals scheduled for Sunday. Each player in the field is guaranteed to play at least three matches. The top-16 seeded players are assigned to Group A, while their respective opponents in their assigned four-man group will be determined through a blind draw during the bracket special on Monday night. The remaining 48 players outside of Group A have been divided into three separate groups (via Official World Golf Ranking): seeds 17-32 in Group B, seeds 33-48 in Group C, and seeds 49-64 in Group D.
McIlroy defends: Rory McIlroy defeated Gary Woodland 3&2 in the finals at TPC Harding Park last year for his 10th career PGA TOUR win.
Headlining the field: Jordan Spieth, Jason Day, Rory McIlroy, Bubba Watson, Rickie Fowler, Adam Scott, Justin Rose, Dustin Johnson, Patrick Reed, Danny Willett and Branden Grace.
WGC-Dell Match Play Bracket Special Broadcast Team
Host: Ryan Burr
Analysts: Brandel Chamblee / Tim Rosaforte
Reporters: Todd Lewis / Cara Robinson
Golf Channel / NBC Broadcast Team:
Play by Play: Terry Gannon (Golf Channel) / Dan Hicks (NBC)
Analyst: Nick Faldo (Golf Channel) / Johnny Miller (NBC)
Tower: Gary Koch / Peter Jacobsen
On-Course: Roger Maltbie / Notah Begay / David Feherty
Interviews: Todd Lewis (Golf Channel) / Steve Sands (NBC)
Essays: Jimmy Roberts
LPGA TOUR
Kia Classic
Dates: March 24-27
Venue: Park Hyatt Aviara Golf Club, Carlsbad, Calif.
Tournament Airtimes on Golf Channel (Eastern):
Thursday 8-10 p.m. (Tape delay) / 7-9 p.m. (Streaming on Golf Live Extra)
Friday 8-10 p.m. (Tape delay) / 7-9 p.m. (Streaming on Golf Live Extra)
Saturday 6-9 p.m. (Live)
Sunday 6-9 p.m. (Live)
Broadcast Notes:
Final event before first major of 2016: This week is the final opportunity for players to conduct their final preparations ahead of next week’s first major of 2016, the ANA Inspiration.
Kerr defends: Cristie Kerr finished two strokes ahead or Mirim Lee for her 17th LPGA Tour victory.
Headlining the field: Lydia Ko, Inbee Park, Lexi Thompson, Stacy Lewis, Sei Young Kim, Ha Na Jang, Brooke Henderson, Shanshan Feng, Hyo Joo Kim, Suzann Pettersen and Cristie Kerr.
Golf Channel Broadcast Team:
Play by Play: Whit Watson
Analyst: Judy Rankin
Tower: Tom Abbott
On-Course: Jerry Foltz / Karen Stupples
PGA TOUR
Puerto Rico Open
Dates: March 24-27
Venue: Coco Beach Golf & Country Club (Championship Course), Rio Grande, Puerto Rico
Tournament Airtimes on Golf Channel (Eastern):
Thursday 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. (Live)
Friday 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. (Live)
Saturday 9 p.m.-Midnight (Tape delay) / 2-5 p.m. (Streaming on Golf Live Extra)
Sunday 9 p.m.-Midnight (Tape delay) / 2-5 p.m. (Streaming on Golf Live Extra)
Broadcast Notes:
Cejka defends: Alex Cejka held off Sam Saunders, Emiliano Grillo, Jon Curran and Tim Petrovic with a birdie on the first playoff hole for his first career PGA TOUR win.
Headlining the field: Luke Donald, Tony Finau, Retief Goosen, John Daly, Patrick Rodgers, Peter Malnati, George Coetzee, Trevor Immelman, David Toms and Sam Saunders.
Golf Channel Broadcast Team:
Play by Play: Bob Papa
Analyst: Curt Byrum
Tower: Phil Blackmar
On-Course: Matt Gogel / John Cook
-NBC Sports Group-
