FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, July 3rd, 2018

GOLF CHANNEL TOURNAMENT AIRTIMES & NOTES (JULY 5-8): DUBAI DUTY FREE IRISH OPEN; A MILITARY TRIBUTE AT THE GREENBRIER; THORNBERRY CREEK LPGA CLASSIC; LECOM HEALTH CHALLENGE

Rahm Defends at Dubai Duty Free Irish Open; Golf Channel

Showcasing More Than 25 Live Hours of Coverage 

Schauffele Defends in West Virginia at A Military Tribute at The Greenbrier 

New World No. 2 Park Leads Field at Thornberry Creek LPGA Classic 

Web.com Tour in New York for LECOM Health Challenge

ORLANDO, Fla. (July 3, 2018) – World No. 5 Jon Rahm will defend his title at the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open this week, with Golf Channel dedicating more than 25 hours of live coverage to the event. The PGA TOUR is in West Virginia for A Military Tribute at The Greenbrier, where Xander Schauffele will defend his title. Following her victory at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship on Sunday, new world No. 2 Sung Hyun Park will lead the field at the Thornberry LPGA Classic in Wisconsin. And the Web.com Tour will shift to New York for the LECOM Health Challenge.

EUROPEAN TOUR

Dubai Duty Free Irish Open hosted by the Rory Foundation
Dates: July 5-8
Venue: Ballyliffin Golf Club (Glashedy Links), Ballyliffin, Ireland

Tournament Airtimes on Golf Channel (Eastern)
Thursday         5:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. (Live)
Friday             5:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. (Live)
Saturday          7:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. (Live)
Sunday            7 a.m.-Noon (Live)

Broadcast Notes:
Three spots available into the field at The Open: The event is being staged as part of The Open Qualifying series, with spots into the field at Carnoustie available to the top three finishers (not previously qualified) finishing within the top-10 (and ties) at Ballyliffin.
Rahm defends: Jon Rahm finished six strokes clear of the field to claim his first European Tour victory.
Headlining the field: Jon Rahm, Rory McIlroy, Rafa Cabrera Bello, Russell Knox, Paul Dunne, Julian Suri, Haotong Li, Padraig Harrington, Peter Uihlein, Graeme McDowell and Danny Willett.

Golf Channel Broadcast Team
Host: Mike Ritz
Play by Play: Dominik Holyer
Analyst: Denis Hutchinson / Tony Johnstone
On-Course: Jay Townsend / Gary Murphy

PGA TOUR
A Military Tribute at The Greenbrier
Dates: July 5-8
Venue: The Greenbrier Resort (The Old White TPC), White Sulpher Springs, W.Va.

Tournament Airtimes on Golf Channel (Eastern)
Thursday         3:30-6:30 p.m. (Live)
Friday             3:30-6:30 p.m. (Live)
Saturday          1-2:45 p.m. (Live) / 9:30 p.m.-2 a.m. (Replay)
Sunday            1-2:45 p.m. (Live) / 9:30 p.m.-2 a.m. (Replay)

Golf Central Pre and Post Round Coverage on Golf Channel (Eastern)
Thursday         8:30-9:30 p.m.
Friday             8:30-9:30 p.m.
Saturday          12:30-1 p.m. / 2:45-3 p.m. / 8:30-9:30 p.m.
Sunday            12:30-1 p.m. / 2:45-3 p.m. / 8:30-9:30 p.m. 

Broadcast Notes:
Spots up for grabs to The Open next month: The tournament is being staged as an Open Qualifying Series event, with the top-four finishers on Sunday within the top 12 (and ties) not previously exempt earning their place in the field at The 147TH Open at Carnoustie Golf Links.

Xiong making professional debut: Norman Xiong received an exemption into the field and will make his professional debut this week. Xiong won this year’s Haskins Award as the nation’s most outstanding men’s collegiate golfer following a six-win season at Oregon.

Schauffele defends: Xander Schauffele finished one shot ahead of Robert Streb to earn his first PGA TOUR victory.

Headlining the Field: Bubba Watson, Aaron Wise, Webb Simpson, Tony Finau, Phil Mickelson, Brandt Snedeker, Patton Kizzire, Jimmy Walker, Xander Schauffele and Norman Xiong.

Golf Channel Broadcast Team
Play by Play: Terry Gannon
Analyst: Nick Faldo
Tower: Curt Byrum / Jim Gallagher Jr.
On-Course: Billy Ray Brown
Interviews: Chantel McCabe

LPGA TOUR                                                 

Thornberry Creek LPGA Classic
Dates: July 5-8
Venue: Thornberry Creek at Oneida (Legends Championship Course), Oneida, Wis.

Tournament Airtimes on Golf Channel (Eastern)
Thursday         6:30-8:30 p.m. (Live) / 3:30-5:30 a.m. (Friday replay)
Friday             6:30-8:30 p.m. (Live) / 3:30-5:30 a.m. (Saturday replay)
Saturday          5:30-8:30 p.m. (Live) / 2-4 a.m. (Sunday replay)
Sunday            5:30-8:30 p.m. (Live) / 2-4 a.m. (Monday replay)

Broadcast Notes:

Pano competing on sponsor’s exemption: Two-time Drive, Chip and Putt national champion Alexa Pano is competing this week on a sponsor’s exemption.

Talley to be featured in “Caddie Knows Best”: During Thursday’s opening round coverage, Emmy Talley and her caddie will be featured in “Caddie Knows Best,” where Emma will try to match answers to questions posed to her caddie about her interests and habits on Tour.

Kirk defends: Katherine Kirk finished one shot ahead of Ashleigh Buhai to earn her first LPGA Tour win since 2010.

Headlining the Field: Sung Hyun Park, Ariya Jutanugarn, Moriya Jutanugarn, Minjee Lee, Nasa Hataoka, Lydia Ko, Anna Nordqvist, Brooke Henderson, Jin Young Ko and In Gee Chun.

Golf Channel Broadcast Team
Play by Play: Grant Boone
Analyst: Karen Stupples
Tower: Tom Abbott
On Course: Kay Cockerill / Jerry Foltz

WEB.COM TOUR                                   

LECOM Health Challenge
Dates: July 5-8
Venue: Peek’n Peak Resort (Upper Course), Findley Lake, N.Y.

Tournament Airtimes on Golf Channel (Eastern)
Thursday         1:30-3:30 p.m. (Live)
Friday             1:30-3:30 p.m. (Live)
Saturday          3-5:30 p.m. (Live) / 4-6 a.m. (Sunday replay)
Sunday            3-5:30 p.m. (Live) / 4-6 a.m. (Monday replay)

Broadcast Notes:

Headlining the Field: Sam Burns, Cameron Champ, Wyndham Clark, Maverick McNealy, Curtis Luck, Sungjae Im, Sebastian Munoz, Brady Schnell and Robby Shelton.

Golf Channel Broadcast Team
Play by Play: Steve Burkowski
Analyst: Craig Perks
Tower: Phil Blackmar
On Course: Gary Christian

-NBC Sports Group-