FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, March 28th, 2016
GOLF CENTRAL LIVE FROM THE MASTERS HEADLINES MORE THAN 85 HOURS OF NEWS, FEATURES, & MASTERS-THEMED PROGRAMMING ON GOLF CHANNEL, APRIL 3-10
Former Masters Champions, Including Nicklaus, Watson and Crenshaw Expected to Join Golf Channel’s Live From The Masters Set Location at Augusta National
Compelling Features Include a Look at the Effect Down Under of Norman’s ’96 Collapse; the New Generation of “20-Somethings”; and Watson’s Masters Farewell
2016 Drive, Chip & Putt National Finals from Augusta National Golf Club on Sunday, April 3; Premiere of ’86 Documentary on Tuesday, April 5 at 9 p.m. ET
ORLANDO, Fla. (March 28, 2016) –Masters Week begins on Sunday, April 3, with live coverage of the 2015 Drive, Chip & Putt Championship National Finals, followed on Monday with the start of the network’s Golf Central Live From the Masters signature coverage. In total, Golf Channel will offer more than 85 hours of live news and themed Masters programming from Augusta National Golf Club and Golf Channel’s World Headquarters in Orlando. Nearly 60 live hours will center around Golf Central Live From the Masters news coverage, focusing on emerging storylines, analysis, features and guest interviews.
Golf Central’s Live From the Masters
Beginning on Monday, April 4, Golf Central Live From the Masters will help prepare viewers for the first men’s major championship of the year with nearly 60 live hours throughout the week focusing on emerging storylines, analysis, features and guest interviews. Guests scheduled to appear throughout the week are former Masters champions Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson, Ben Crenshaw and Raymond Floyd..
Anchoring Live From the Masters coverage from Augusta National Golf Club will be Rich Lerner and Steve Sands, alongside Brandel Chamblee, David Duval, Frank Nobilo, Notah Begay, Mark Rolfing, and John Feinstein. Todd Lewis will conduct interviews and reports on-site, while Tim Rosaforte and Rex Hoggard will offer insider perspective throughout the week. Kelly Tilghman and Ryan Burr will anchor the network’s live coverage from Golf Channel’s World Headquarters in Orlando, with Arron Oberholser, Jim Gallagher Jr., Michael Breed and Tripp Isenhour providing analysis.
Live From the Masters Scheduled Features (previews available upon request):
- New Generation of “20-Somethings” Making Their Mark – A new generation has quickly taken shape on the PGA TOUR, as Jordan Spieth, Jason Day, Rory McIlroy and Rickie Fowler have led the charge of “20-somethings” carrying the sport into its next era.
- The Collapse of ’96 Felt Down Under – Twenty years ago, Greg Norman’s historic collapse was felt around the world, but the pain felt in his native Australia was by far the greatest. Adam Scott reflects on the emotions he felt in watching his hero falter down the stretch, and how Scott’s win in 2013 helped heal the wound of a nation.
- Spieth’s Unmatched Prowess on the Greens – Nearly universally labeled as the best putter on TOUR by his peers, Jordan Spieth’s success on the greens is given a closer examination through the eyes of a marksman, a dart thrower, an archer and the best shooter in NBA history.
- Watson’s Masters Farewell – The 2016 Masters will be Tom Watsons’ 43rd and final as a player. John Feinstein sits down with the two-time Masters champion to discuss his finest moments at Augusta National, and what it will be like to drive down Magnolia Lane for the final time as a competitor.
- The Origin of Jordan Spieth – 2015 Masters champion developed a comfort level for the big moment well before he donned the green jacket last April. Playing several sports as a kid growing up in Dallas, he developed a flair for staying composed in pressure situations even at a young age. Friends, former coaches, teachers, and teammates look back on the signs that Spieth was preparing for golf greatness long before the first time he put himself in contention on a major Sunday.
Drive, Chip & Putt Championship National Finals: Sunday, April 3
On Sunday, April 3, 80 junior golfers from across the U.S. and Canada will gather at Augusta National Golf Club to kick off Masters week with the 2016 Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals, airing live on Golf Channel beginning at 8 a.m. ET. In partnership with the Masters Tournament, the USGA and the PGA of America, the youth golf initiative highlights the 40 boys and 40 girls who have emerged from this past year’s more than 300 qualifying events. At 8 a.m., a pre-game show will introduce viewers to the stories behind each of the finalists, which will be supplemented with a series of dedicated features offering a closer look at several competitors across the eight respective age groups (Boys/Girls 7-9; 10-11; 12-13 and 14-15). Beginning at 9 a.m. ET, coverage will shift to join the competition in progress with the individual Drive, Chip and Putt skills challenges across each age group. Rich Lerner will handle play-by-play duties with Peter Jacobsen joining him in the booth as lead analyst. Reporting from the Tournament Practice Area and alongside the 18th green will be Charlie Rymer, Kay Cockerill, Michael Breed and NBC Sports’ Sunday Night Football reporter, Michele Tafoya. Steve Sands also will conduct interviews on-site. Past Masters champions and Tournament Invitees are expected to arrive at Augusta National during the telecast, interacting with finalists and conducting interviews to discuss the value of the youth initiative in helping to grow the game.
’86 Documentary: Tuesday, April 5
Premiering on Tuesday, April 5 at 9 p.m. ET, Golf Channel Films will present ’86, chronicling Jack Nicklaus’ come-from-behind victory to secure his record 18th and final major in the 1986 Masters, which celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. The documentary will feature interviews with Nicklaus, his wife Barbara, their son Steve, daughter Nan, and oldest son, Jack II – who caddied for his father that week in 1986, – members of the broadcast team, fellow professionals, caddies, media members, volunteers and patrons present on that memorable Sunday.
For the film, Golf Channel invited fans to share their own accounts and memories of that fateful day via a “Where Was I?” page on GolfChannel.com for story submissions from those recounting their whereabouts as the action unfolded on Nicklaus’ final nine holes.
Morning Drive
Morning Drive will kick off each day of Masters Week with the latest news and commentary. Gary Williams, Charlie Rymer and Chris DiMarco will report live from Augusta National throughout the week, while Damon Hack, Cara Robinson, Lauren Thompson, John Cook, Phil Blackmar and Matt Ginella will be cover the latest news from Studio AP at Golf Channel’s World Headquarters in Orlando. Morning Drive will welcome a number of guests throughout the week to help viewers prepare for the first men’s major of the year, including Dr. Gio Valiante, who will discuss how those in the field go about mentally preparing for a major championship.
International U.S. Open Programming
Golf Channel also will produce live international Masters news programming from its Orlando World Headquarters in both Japanese and Mandarin. The shows will feature live reports and custom content from Augusta throughout the week. These productions will complement the international distribution of Golf Central Live From the Masters, which is distributed to markets within Golf Channel’s worldwide footprint in more than 80 countries, 200 million households and 11 languages.
The Golf Fix, PGA TOUR Champions Learning Center: Monday, April 4
The Golf Fix will air on Monday, April 4 at 6 p.m. ET, and host Michael Breed will draw on his experience as an assistant pro at Augusta National to teach viewers how to attack the most difficult shots on the course. The show also will take a closer look at how Jordan Spieth conquered Augusta National in 2015, and what one can learn from his dominating performance. The episode also will focus on how to hit it higher in getting out of greenside bunkers, and how to putt on fast, undulating greens. And at 11:30 p.m. ET on Monday, April 4, a new episode of PGA TOUR Champions Learning Center will include formers Masters winners as guests with Mark O’Meara, Ian Woosnam, Bernhard Langer and Larry Mize joining host Dave Marr. The former champions of golf’s first major of the season will show viewers what they can learn from Jordan Spieth’s swing, and how it was effective in helping him earn a green jacket. And, they’ll share their own memories of Jack Nicklaus’ final Masters victory in 1986 in celebration of the 30 year anniversary of that memorable Sunday.
Digital Coverage
GolfChannel.com will feature expanded coverage of the season’s first major, with Jay Coffin, Rex Hoggard, Ryan Lavner and Joe Posnanski reporting from on-site at Augusta National beginning with pre-event coverage on Saturday, April 2 and continuing through Sunday, April 10. Starting Thursday, April 7, GolfChannel.com will feature a live blog (7 a.m.-8 p.m. ET) featuring up-to-the-minute analysis, opinion and reaction to the latest news. Daily podcasts also will be featured on the site beginning Thursday, offering a wider spectrum on the day’s top storylines.
Masters Week Programming Air Times (all times ET):
Sunday, April 3
6-8 a.m. Morning Drive
8-9 a.m. Live From the Drive, Chip & Putt Championship
9 a.m.-1 p.m. Drive, Chip & Putt Championship National Finals
Monday, April 4
7-9 a.m. Morning Drive
9 a.m.-1 p.m. Drive, Chip & Putt Championship National Finals (Replay)
1-5 p.m. Golf Central Live From the Masters
5-6 p.m. Masters Highlights: 2014 (Bubba Watson)
6-7 p.m. The Golf Fix
7-9 p.m. Golf Central Live From the Masters
11:30 p.m. PGA TOUR Champions Learning Center
Tuesday, April 5
7-9 a.m. Morning Drive
9 a.m.-5 p.m. Golf Central Live From the Masters
5-6 p.m. Masters Highlights: 1986 (Jack Nicklaus)
6-7 p.m. Masters Highlights: 1996 (Nick Faldo)
7-9 p.m. Golf Central Live From the Masters
9-10 p.m. ’86: Jack’s 6th Green Jacket
Wednesday, April 6
7-9 a.m. Morning Drive
9 a.m.-3 p.m. Golf Central Live From the Masters
5-6 p.m. Masters Highlights: 2015 (Jordan Spieth)
6-9 p.m. Golf Central Live From the Masters
Thursday, April 7
6-8 a.m. Morning Drive
8 a.m.-3 p.m. Golf Central Live From the Masters
7:30-9:30 p.m. Golf Central Live From the Masters
Friday, April 8
6-8 a.m. Morning Drive
8 a.m.-3 p.m. Golf Central Live From the Masters
7:30-9:30 p.m. Golf Central Live From the Masters
Saturday, April 9
7-9 a.m. Morning Drive
9 a.m.-3 p.m. Golf Central Live From the Masters
7-9 p.m. Golf Central Live From the Masters
Sunday, April 10
7-9 a.m. Morning Drive
9 a.m.-2 p.m. Golf Central Live From the Masters
7-9 p.m. Golf Central Live From the Masters
-NBC Sports Group-
