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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, August 9th, 2017

UNITED STATES LOOKS TO DEFEND VS. EUROPE AT THE BIENNIAL SOLHEIM CUP, AUG. 18-20 IN DES MOINES, IOWA ON GOLF CHANNEL AND NBC

Solheim Cup Returns to Network Television – Saturday and Sunday on NBC

NBC Sports Group’s Popular “Playing Through” Enhanced Commercial Breaks Returns for Solheim Cup Coverage

2015 European Solheim Cup Captain Carin Koch Joins Golf Channel as Analyst

Nearly 30 Hours of Live Coverage from the First Tee Shot on Friday to Final Putt on Sunday

ORLANDO, Fla. (Aug. 9, 2017) – NBC Sports Group is gearing up to showcase one of the biggest weeks in women’s golf when the biennial Solheim Cup – pitting the top players representing the United States and Europe in three days of match play competition – returns to American soil. The matches will take place Friday-Sunday, Aug. 18-20 at Des Moines Country Club in West Des Moines, Iowa, where the United States looks to defend the Solheim Cup trophy.

SOLHEIM CUP RETURNS TO NETWORK TELEVISION: Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 19 and 20, NBC will air the conclusion of the day’s matches from 4-6 p.m. ET. This marks the Solheim Cup’s return to network television for the first time in 15 years. In total, Golf Channel and NBC will combine for nearly 30 hours of live tournament action, from the first tee shot to the final putt. Golf Channel also will air coverage of both the Solheim Cup opening and closing ceremonies.

NBC SPORTS GROUP TO IMPLEMENT POPULAR “PLAYING THROUGH” ENCHANCED COMMERCIAL BREAKS: Making its debut on NBC at the Ryder Cup in 2016 and most recently utilized during coverage of the 146^TH Open at Royal Birkdale, Golf Channel and NBC will implement the popular “Playing Through” enhancement in an effort to elevate the viewing experience for fans tuning in to the Solheim Cup. NBC Sports Group is partnering with several national advertisers to present select commercial breaks in utilizing “Playing Through,” which will employ a split-screen model for a select number of national commercial breaks. This enhanced break will display both the commercial with audio as well as a continuous feed of the Solheim Cup action.

BROADCAST TEAM: Golf Channel and NBC’s coverage of the Solheim Cup will be led by play-by-play host Terry Gannon and two-time U.S. Solheim Cup team captain Judy Rankin. Grant Boone and two-time European Solheim Cup team member Karen Stupples will rotate with Gannon and Rankin in the booth during the three days of coverage. Tom Abbott will serve as a hole announcer, with Kay Cockerill, Jerry Foltz, Jim Gallagher, Jr. and Stupples following the U.S. and European teams on the ground as course reporters.

2015 EUROPEAN SOLHEIM CUP CAPTAIN CARIN KOCH JOINS AS ANALYST: Joining the team will be 2015 European Solheim Cup captain Carin Koch, making her Golf Channel debut as an analyst for the network’s news coverage on Golf Central and Morning Drive, as well contributing to the network’s live tournament coverage on-site from Des Moines. Koch will join host Lisa Cornwell and reporter Chantel McCabe in delivering wraparound on-site news coverage throughout the week.

SOCIAL MEDIA AND DIGITAL COVERAGE: Golf Channel Digital will provide expanded editorial coverage during Solheim Cup week, with editorial director Jay Coffin and senior writer Randall Mell reporting on-site throughout the week. Golf Channel social media host Alexandra O’Laughlin also will contribute to the network’s social media platforms – Twitter, Facebook and Instagram – giving fans a behind-the-scenes look at all of the action during Solheim Cup week, including a special look at the first tee amphitheater area Friday-Sunday leading into the day’s matches.

News and tournament coverage surrounding the Solheim Cup can be accessed at any time on any mobile device and online via Golf Channel Digital. Fans can also stream NBC Sports’ coverage of live golf via NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app.

Golf Channel Solheim Cup Week Programming (all times Eastern)

The United States defeated Europe 14.5 – 13.5 at the 2015 Solheim Cup in Germany, featuring a dramatic come-from-behind final day by the United States en route to the closest Solheim Cup in history.

-NBC Sports Group-