FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, May 27th, 2014
McIlroy, Mickelson Headline Early Round Coverage of the Memorial Tournament on Golf Channel
Webb Defends at the ShopRite LPGA Classic
European Tour in Sweden for Nordea Masters
Champions Tour in Iowa for Principal Charity Classic
ORLANDO, Fla. (May 27, 2014) – Rory McIlroy and Phil Mickelson headline the field at Jack Nicklaus’ event – the Memorial – at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Ohio. McIlroy is coming off a victory last week at the BMW PGA Championship, the European Tour’s flagship event. Golf Channel will feature both prominently in its opening round tournament coverage on Thursday with Mickelson scheduled to begin his round at 1:05 (Mickelson, Jordan Spieth, Bill Haas) and McIlroy at 1:16 p.m. ET (McIlroy, Adam Scott, Jason Day). The LPGA Tour is in New Jersey for the ShopRite LPGA Classic, where Karrie Webb defends. The European Tour will showcase a new course venue, PGA Sweden National, host of this week’s Nordea Masters. The Champions Tour is in Iowa for the Principal Charity Classic, as Russ Cochran defends his 2013 title.
PGA TOUR
the Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide Insurance
Dates: May 29-June 1
Venue: Muirfield Village Golf Club, Dublin, Ohio
Tournament Airtimes On Golf Channel (Eastern):
Thursday 2:30-6:30 p.m. (Live) / 7-11 p.m. (Replay)
Friday 2:30-6:30 p.m. (Live) / 9:30 p.m.-1:30 a.m. (Replay)
Saturday 12:30-2:30 p.m. (Live) / 7:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m. (Replay)
Sunday Noon-2 p.m. (Live) / 7:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m. (Replay)
Broadcast Notes:
Jack’s Event: This is the 39th edition of the Memorial Tournament, hosted by Jack Nicklaus at his Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio. Nicklaus was a subject on the agenda in the U.S. House of Representatives last week when they voted to award him with the Congressional Gold Medal, which if approved by the U.S. Senate will make him the seventh athlete, and third golfer (Byron Nelson, Arnold Palmer) to receive the honor.
Kuchar Defends: Matt Kuchar finished two shots clear of Kevin Chappell in last year’s event to earn his sixth PGA TOUR victory at the time.
Headlining the Field: Rory McIlroy, Phil Mickelson, Adam Scott, Jordan Spieth, Jim Furyk, Dustin Johnson, Jason Day, Justin Rose, Bubba Watson, Ernie Els and Matt Kuchar.
Golf Channel Broadcast Team:
Host: Rich Lerner
Play by Play: Terry Gannon
Analyst: Nick Faldo
Tower: Peter Oosterhuis / Gary McCord
On Course: Rich Beem
Interviews: Todd Lewis
LPGA TOUR
ShopRite LPGA Classic presented by Acer
Dates: May 30-June 1
Venue: Stockton Seaview Hotel and Golf Club (Bay Course), Galloway, N.J.
Tournament Airtimes On Golf Channel (Eastern):
Friday Noon-2 p.m. (Live)
Saturday 2:30-5 p.m. (Live)
Sunday 2-5 p.m. (Live)
Broadcast Notes:
Webb Defends: Karrie Webb won last year’s event by two shots over Shanshan Feng for her 39th career LPGA Tour win at the time, closing with a 68 to make her one of only five players in the field to record a round in the 60s on the final day.
Headlining the Field: Inbee Park, Suzann Pettersen, Stacy Lewis, Jessica Korda, Lydia Ko, Anna Nordqvist, Michelle Wie, Lexi Thompson, Ai Miyazato, Paula Creamer, Cristie Kerr and Karrie Webb.
Talley Competing on Sponsor’s Exemption: Emily Talley is in the field this week competing on a sponsor’s exemption, courtesy of winning Golf Channel’s Big Break NFL competition series in December.
Golf Channel Broadcast Team:
Play by Play: Whit Watson
Analyst: Judy Rankin
Tower: Tom Abbott
On Course: Jerry Foltz / Karen Stupples
EUROPEAN TOUR
Nordea Masters
Dates: May 29-June 1
Venue: PGA Sweden National, Malmo, Sweden
Tournament Airtimes On Golf Channel (Eastern):
Thursday 5-7 a.m. / 9 a.m.-Noon (Live)
Friday 5-7 a.m. / 9 a.m.-Noon (Live)
Saturday 7:30-11:30 a.m. (Live)
Sunday 7-11:30 a.m. (Live)
Broadcast Notes:
New Venue: The event will be held at PGA Sweden National for the first time. Designed by California-based architect Kyle Phillips, the venue consists of two 18-hole courses.
Ilonen Defends: Mikko Ilonen won his second Nordea Masters title last year, six years after initially winning the event in 2007, to join Colin Montgomerie, Lee Westwood and Jesper Parnevik as the only players to earn multiple wins in the tournament’s history.
Headlining the Field: Henrik Stenson, Thomas Bjorn, Jonas Blixt, Victor Dubuisson, Miguel Angel Jimenez, Matteo Manassero, Shane Lowry, Thongchai Jaidee and Mikko Ilonen.
Broadcast Team:
Studio Host: Mike Ritz
Play by Play: Dougie Donnelly
Analyst: Jay Townsend
On Course: Julian Tutt
CHAMPIONS TOUR
Principal Charity Classic
Dates: May 30-June 1
Venue: Wakonda Club, Des Moines, Iowa.
Tournament Airtimes On Golf Channel (Eastern):
Friday 7-9:30 p.m. (Tape Delay) / 3-5:30 p.m. (Live Streaming on Golf Live Extra) / 2-4 a.m. (Replay)
Saturday 5-7 p.m. (Live) / 1-3 a.m. (Replay)
Sunday 5-7 p.m. (Live) / 1-3 a.m. (Replay)
Broadcast Notes:
Cochran Defends: Russ Cochran edged out Jay Don Blake by one stroke to capture his fourth career Champions Tour win last year; the first of two victories Cochran would collect during the 2013 Champions Tour season.
Headlining the Field: Mark Calcavecchia, Tom Lehman, Jay Haas, Mark O’Meara, Corey Pavin, Michael Allen, David Frost, Olin Browne, Gary Koch and Russ Cochran.
Golf Channel Broadcast Team:
Play by Play: Bob Papa
Analyst: Lanny Wadkins
Tower: Dave Marr / John Mahaffey
On Course: Phil Blackmar
-NBC Sports Group-
