FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, December 8th, 2015
NBC SPORTS GROUP TOURNAMENT AIRTIMES & NOTES (DEC. 10-13): THAILAND GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP; PNC FATHER/SON CHALLENGE; FRANKLIN TEMPLETON SHOOTOUT; OMEGA DUBAI LADIES MASTERS
Watson, Garcia Headline the Field at the Thailand Golf Championship, 2nd Open Qualifying Series Event, Airing in Primetime on Golf Channel
Nicklaus Leads Field of 20 Two-Man Teams – as Langers Defend – at PNC Father/Son Challenge Airing on Golf Channel, NBC
12 of Top-60 Featured in 24-Player Field Competing in Two-man Teams at Franklin Templeton Shootout in Naples
Ladies European Tour Caps Season with Omega Dubai Ladies Masters as World No. 6 Feng Defends and Spiranac Set to Compete on Sponsor’s Invite
ORLANDO, Fla. (Dec. 8, 2015) – Coming off last week’s victory at the Hero World Challenge, world No. 4 Bubba Watson will tee it up this week, along with Sergio Garcia and Martin Kaymer at the Asian Tour’s Thailand Golf Championship. The event also will serve as the second Open Qualifying Series event, with four players finishing in the top-12 (and ties) not already exempt receiving invitations to the 2016 Open Championship at Royal Troon. Jack Nicklaus leads a group of 12 World Golf Hall-of-Famers competing in the PNC Father/Son Challenge, with 20 father/son duos competing in a two-day event in Orlando. Twelve of the top-60 players in the world will be on display at the Franklin Templeton Shootout in Naples, also competing in two-man teams, across three days. The field includes Matt Kuchar, Patrick Reed and Zach Johnson, as Cameron Tringale defends (after winning in 2014 with partner Jason Day, who withdrew from this week’s event to spend time with his family after the birth of his daughter Lucy last month). And the Ladies European Tour stages its final event of 2015 with the Omega Dubai Ladies Masters. World No. 6 Shanshan Feng defends, and 22-year-old American Paige Spiranac is in the field on a sponsor’s invitation.
ASIAN TOUR
Thailand Golf Championship
Dates: Dec. 10-13
Venue: Amata Spring Country Club, Chonburi, Thailand
Tournament Airtimes on Golf Channel (Eastern):
Wednesday 9 p.m.-Midnight / 2-5 a.m. (Live)
Thursday 9 p.m.-Midnight / 2-5 a.m. (Live)
Friday 11 p.m.-4 a.m. (Live) / 4-6 p.m. (Saturday replay)
Saturday 11 p.m.-4 a.m. (Live) / 9 a.m.-2 p.m. (Sunday replay)
Broadcast Notes:
Second Open Qualifying Series event: The Thailand Golf Championship is the second event of The Open Qualifying Series, with the top-four finishers among the top-12 (and ties) on the final leaderboard not already exempt receiving invitations to the 2016 Open Championship at Royal Troon.
Westwood defends: Lee Westwood finished one stroke ahead of Martin Kaymer and Marcus Frasier for his 42nd career worldwide victory.
Headlining the field: Bubba Watson, Sergio Garcia, Martin Kaymer, Lee Westwood, Matthew Fitzpatrick, Darren Clarke, Thomas Bjorn, Jamie Donaldson, Nicolas Colsaerts and Kiradech Aphibarnrat.
PNC Father/Son Challenge
Dates: Dec. 12-13
Venue: The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club Grande Lakes, Orlando, Fla.
Tournament Airtimes on Golf Channel (Eastern):
Saturday 11 a.m.-1 p.m. (Live)
Sunday 2-3 p.m. (Tape delay)
Tournament Airtimes on NBC (Eastern):
Saturday 4-6 p.m. (Tape delay)
Sunday 3-6 p.m. (Tape delay)
Broadcast Notes:
Friday Pro-Am: On Friday Golf Channel will air the PNC Father/Son Pro-Am from 4-5 p.m., giving viewers an inside-the-ropes perspective as the field of fathers and sons make their final preparations ahead of Saturday’s round one of competition.
Format: A scramble format is used for both rounds, with 20 two-man teams competing. To be eligible, the father must have won either a professional major championship or a PLAYERS Championship, and the child must not currently hold a Tour card. Collectively, the fathers in the field have won 63 majors and 13 PLAYERS Championships as well as 350 PGA TOUR and 184 Champions Tour events. 12 of the 20 fathers are also members of the World Golf Hall of Fame.
Langers defend: Bernhard and Jason Langer (23-under) won by two strokes over Davis Love III and his son Dru.
Teams: Bernhard & Jason Langer, Steward and Connor Cink, Steve & Sam Elkington, Nick & Matthew Faldo, Raymond & Raymond (Jr.) Floyd, Fred & Taylor Funk, Hale & Steve Irwin, Lee & Connor Janzen, Tom & Thomas Lehman, Davis (III) & Dru Love, Larry & Drew Nelson, Jack & Gary Nicklaus, Mark & Shaun O’Meara, Nick & Greg Price, Dave & Dave (Jr.) Stockton, Curtis & Tom Strange, Vijay & Qass Singh, Lee & Daniel Trevino, Lanny & Tucker Wadkins, Fuzzy & Gretchen Zoeller (daughter).
Golf Channel Broadcast Team:
Play by Play: Steve Sands
Analyst: Gary Koch
Tower: Peter Jacobsen
On-Course: Roger Maltbie / Notah Begay
Interviews: Jimmy Roberts
Franklin Templeton Shootout
Dates: Dec. 10-12
Venue: Tiburon Golf Club (Gold Course), Naples, Fla.
Tournament Airtimes on Golf Channel (Eastern):
Thursday 12:30-4 p.m. (Live) / 4:30-7:30 p.m. (Replay)
Friday 12:30-4 p.m. (Live) / 5:30-9 p.m. (Replay)
Broadcast Notes:
Format: The event features 12 two-man teams competing in a scramble format on Thursday, a modified alternate shot on Friday, and a final round better-ball on Saturday. Saturday’s final round will air on Fox.
Tringale defends: Last year Jason Day and Cameron Tringale (32-under) finished one stroke ahead of defending champions Harris English and Matt Kuchar. Day withdrew from this week’s event to spend more time with his family after the birth of daughter Lucy last month, and was replaced by Chris Kirk.
Teams: Cameron Tringale & Chris Kirk, Harris English & Matt Kuchar, Zach Johnson & Patrick Rodgers, Graeme McDowell & Gary Woodland, Daniel Berger & Charley Hoffman, Billy Horschel & Hunter Mahan, Sean O’Hair & Mike Weir, J.B. Holmes & Patrick Reed, Retief Goosen & Danny Lee, Kenny Perry & Steve Stricker, Charles Howell III & Rory Sabbatini, Jason Dufner & Brandt Snedeker.
Golf Channel Broadcast Team:
Play by Play: Rich Lerner
Analyst: Frank Nobilo
Tower: Tom Abbott / Curt Byrum
On-Course: Jerry Foltz
LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR
Omega Dubai Ladies Masters
Dates: Dec. 9-12
Venue: Emirates Golf Club (Majlis Course), Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Tournament Airtimes on Golf Channel (Eastern):
Wednesday 3:30-7:30 a.m. (Live) / 2-6 p.m. (Replay)
Thursday 5-7:30 a.m. (Live) / 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. (Replay)
Friday 5-7:30 a.m. (Live) / 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. (Replay)
Saturday 4-7:30 a.m. (Live) / 1-4 p.m. (Replay)
Broadcast Notes:
Spiranac competing on sponsor’s invitation: 22-year-old American golfer Paige Spiranac is in the field this week competing on a sponsor’s invitation.
Feng defends: Shanshan Feng finishes five shots ahead of Carlota Ciganda for her third career Ladies European Tour win.
Headlining the field: Shanshan Feng, Laura Davies, Caroline Hedwall, Charley Hull, Carin Koch, Caroline Masson, Pornanong Phatlum, Melissa Reid, Maria McBride and Paige Spiranac.
-NBC Sports Group-
