FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, July 19th, 2016

WOMEN’S GOLF TAKES CENTER STAGE NEXT TWO WEEKS ON GOLF CHANNEL AND NBC WITH THE UL INTERNATIONAL CROWN AND RICOH WOMEN’S BRITISH OPEN

Thirty-Two Players Representing Eight Countries – Including 16 Players Competing in the Olympics – Battle to Determine Best Women’s Golf Nation at UL International Crown Biennial Match Play Competition

RICOH Women’s British Open Live Coverage Returns to Broadcast Television for First Time Since 2013

Most Number of Live Hours in RICOH Women’s British Open History on Tap for Golf Channel and NBC 

GURNEE, Ill., July 19, 2016 – Women’s golf will take center stage on Golf Channel and NBC the next two weeks, kicking off with the UL International Crown – a global biennial match play competition featuring a field of 32 players representing eight countries battling to be crowned the best women’s golf nation – Thursday-Sunday, followed by NBC Sports Group’s inaugural coverage of the RICOH Women’s British Open, the women’s fourth major of 2016, Thursday-Sunday, July 28-31.

UL INTERNATIONAL CROWN: The UL International Crown, which made its debut in 2014 with Spain claiming the inaugural Crown, returns this week for the second staging of the competition, taking place at The Merit Club in Gurnee, Ill. The eight countries entered are United States, Republic of Korea, Australia, Japan, Chinese Taipei, Thailand, China and England. Four players per country are represented in the competition, who qualified based on the Rolex Women’s Rankings at the conclusion of the 2016 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship.  The eight countries are split into two pools and will compete in three days of four-ball matches with the top two countries from each pool and one wild card country advancing to a final day of singles matches. The field includes eight major champions and 16 players who have qualified to represent their country at the Olympics in August.

NBC SPORTS GROUP LIVE MATCH PLAY COVERAGE: 18 HOURS: Golf Channel and NBC will dedicate nearly 20 hours of live coverage of the matches Thursday-Sunday. Live action begins Thursday and Friday at Noon ET on Golf Channel. Saturday, live coverage begins at 3 p.m. ET, and on Sunday’s final day, coverage begins on NBC at Noon ET and will continue on Golf Channel at 2 p.m. through the event’s conclusion. Coverage also will be streamed online via Golf Channel’s Golf Live Extra powered by PlayMaker Media.

NEWS CONFERENCES AND PRO-AM SHOW: Golf Channel’s UL International Crown news coverage begins Tuesday with a Golf Central news conferences special at 3 p.m. ET. On Wednesday at 5 p.m. ET, Golf Channel will air a special Pro-Am show from The Merit Club, taking viewers inside the ropes into the teams’ preparations leading up to the opening matches on Thursday.

TOURNAMENT TEAM: Terry Gannon and Hall-of-Famer Judy Rankin will anchor coverage of the UL International Crown from the 18th hole broadcast booth.  They will be joined by Tom Abbott reporting from an on-course tower, with Major Champion Karen Stupples, Nicole Castrale and Jerry Foltz reporting from the course.

UL International Crown / NBC Sports Group Live Competition Airtimes (all times ET)
Thursday, July 21        Noon.-4 p.m. (Live)
Friday, July 22            Noon-4 p.m. (Live)
Saturday, July 23        3-7 p.m. (Live)
Sunday, July 24          Noon-2 p.m. (Live, NBC) / 2-6 p.m. (Live, Golf Channel)

RICOH WOMEN’S BRITISH OPEN: The following week, live coverage of the women’s fourth major of the year, the RICOH Women’s British Open, returns to broadcast television for the first time since 2013 when NBC airs weekend coverage from Woburn Golf and Country Club near London, continuing NBC Sports Group’s inaugural year as the U.S. broadcast partner for The R&A championships. Golf Channel will air 12 hours of live coverage Thursday and Friday and four hours of “lead-in” coverage Saturday and Sunday.

TOURNAMENT COVERAGE: 22 LIVE HOURS: Golf Channel and NBC will combine for more than 20 hours of live tournament coverage of the RICOH Women’s British Open, the most number of live hours in the history of the tournament on record. Thursday and Friday, Golf Channel will air live coverage in two telecast windows (4:30 a.m.-7:30 a.m. ET / 9 a.m.-Noon ET). Morning Drive, Golf Channel’s daily news and lifestyle show, will air in between to recap the action and preview the afternoon wave. Saturday and Sunday, live coverage will begin at 9 am ET on Golf Channel and will continue on NBC at 11 a.m. ET.

WRAPAROUND NEWS COVERAGE: Golf Central and Morning Drive will provide comprehensive wraparound coverage of the RICOH Women’s British Open on-site from Woburn Golf and Country Club. Cara Robinson will report for Morning Drive and Golf Central.

TOURNAMENT TEAM: Rich Lerner and Hall-of-Famer Judy Rankin will call the action from the broadcast booth. 2004 Women’s British Open champion Karen Stupples and Tom Abbott will report from tower positions, with Jerry Foltz on the course. Mike Ritz also joins the broadcast team as studio host, and Robinson will conduct interviews.

RICOH Women’s British Open / NBC Sports Group Airtimes (all times ET)
Thursday, July 28        4:30-7:30 a.m. (Live) / 9 a.m.-Noon (Live)
Friday, July 29            4:30-7:30 a.m. (Live) / 9 a.m. -Noon (Live)
Saturday, July 30        9-11 a.m. (Live, Golf Channel) / 11 a.m.-2 p.m. (Live, NBC)
Sunday, July 31          9-11 a.m. (Live, Golf Channel) / 11 a.m.-2 p.m. (Live, NBC)

-NBC Sports Group-