FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, May 24th, 2016
NBC SPORTS GROUP TOURNAMENT AIRTIMES & NOTES: SENIOR PGA CHAMPIONSHIP PRESENTED BY KITCHENAID; BMW PGA CHAMPIONSHIP; DEAN & DELUCA INVITATIONAL; LPGA VOLVIK CHAMPIONSHIP; NCAA MEN’S GOLF CHAMPIONSHIPS
Langer Vying for Second Major in as Many Weeks at Senior PGA Championship presented by KitchenAid, Airing on Golf Channel & NBC
More than 25 Live Tournament Hours Dedicated to BMW PGA Championship on Golf Channel from Wentworth Club in England
Spieth, Scott Headline Field at Dean & DeLuca Invitational in Texas
Ko, Thompson to Compete at Inaugural Volvik Championship in Michigan
NCAA Men’s Golf Championships May 30-June 1 in Primetime on Golf Channel
ORLANDO, Fla. (May 24, 2016) – The PGA TOUR Champions will stage its second major in as many weeks at the Senior PGA Championship presented by KitchenAid at Harbor Shores in Michigan. Colin Montgomerie will be looking to win the event for the third consecutive year, while Bernhard Langer – coming off a victory in last week’s Regions Tradition – will attempt to become the first player ever to win five different senior majors championships. Golf Channel will devote more than 25 hours of live tournament coverage to the BMW Championship – the European Tour’s flagship event – at Wentworth Club in England, where reigning Masters champion Danny Willet headlines the field. The PGA TOUR is in Fort Worth, Texas for the Dean & DeLuca Invitational, with Jordan Spieth and Adam Scott in the field. Lydia Ko and Lexi Thompson are set to compete in the inaugural LPGA Volvik Championship in Michigan. And next Monday-Wednesday, May 30-June 1, the 2016 NCAA Men’s Golf Championships will take place at Eugene Country Club in Oregon, where 30 teams and six individuals will compete for both individual and team national championship honors.
PGA TOUR CHAMPIONS
Senior PGA Championship presented by KitchenAid
Dates: May 26-29
Venue: Harbor Shores, Benton Harbor, Mich.
Tournament Airtimes on Golf Channel (Eastern):
Thursday 1-4 p.m. (Live) / 12:30-3:30 a.m. (Friday replay)
Friday 1-4 p.m. (Live) / 12:30-3:30 a.m. (Saturday replay)
Tournament Airtimes on NBC (Eastern):
Saturday 2:30-5 p.m. (Live)
Sunday 3-6 p.m. (Live)
Broadcast Notes:
Second of three PGA TOUR Champions majors over four week stretch: The Senior PGA Championship is the second consecutive major in as many weeks on the PGA TOUR Champions after last week’s Regions Tradition, and the second of three over a four week stretch with the Constellation SENIOR PLAYERS Championship (June 9-12) in two weeks.
Langer trying to become 1st player to win five different senior majors: This week, Bernhard Langer has an opportunity to become the first player to win five different senior major championships. Jack Nicklaus won all four that were staged at the time during his PGA TOUR Champions playing career, but never had an opportunity to win five.
Montgomerie defends: Colin Montgomerie defeated Esteban Toledo by four shots at French Lick Resort last year to successfully defend his 2014 title and earn his third-career PGA TOUR Champions major title.
Headlining the field: Bernhard Langer, Colin Montgomerie, John Daly, Kenny Perry, Jesper Parnevik, Mark O’Meara, Tom Lehman, Jeff Maggert, Duffy Waldorf and Kirk Triplett.
NBC Sports Broadcast Team:
Play by Play: Dave Marr (Golf Channel) / Dan Hicks (NBC)
Analyst: John Mahaffey (Golf Channel) / Gary Koch (NBC)
Tower: Steve Sands
On-Course: Mark Rolfing / Billy Kratzert
Interviews: Steve Sands
EUROPEAN TOUR
BMW PGA Championship
Dates: May 26-29
Venue: Wentworth Club (West Course), Surrey, England
Tournament Airtimes on Golf Channel (Eastern):
Thursday 5 a.m.-1 p.m. (Live)
Friday 5 a.m.-1 p.m. (Live)
Saturday 7:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. (Live)
Sunday 7:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. (Live)
Broadcast Notes:
Pelley, Clarke scheduled to visit 18th tower during live tournament coverage: Golf Channel’s live tournament coverage of the BMW PGA Championship is scheduled to include special visitors in the 18th tower during both the first and second round on Thursday-Friday. During Thursday’s opening round, European Tour commissioner Keith Pelley is expected to make a visit, while 2016 European Ryder Cup captain is scheduled to join the telecast on Friday. Clarke is expected to be joined in the tower by his vice-captain, whom he is expecting to name on Friday morning.
Wentworth Tee-to-Greens with Frank Nobilo: Viewers will receive a comprehensive overview of Wentworth Club during Golf Channel’s live tournament coverage, courtesy of a series of “Tee-to-Greens” segments with Frank Nobilo, who will serve as lead analyst for all four rounds of coverage. Nobilo will go into depth on which holes provide the best opportunities for the field to score, and will highlight certain nuances of the golf course that players will need to be familiar with to be able to have success throughout the week.
An defends: Ben An finished six strokes ahead of the field to earn his first European Tour win.
Headlining the field: Danny Willett, Martin Kaymer, Lee Westwood, Rafa Cabrera Bello, Russell Knox, David Lingmerth, Miguel Angel Jimenez, Shane Lowry and Graeme McDowell.
Golf Channel Broadcast Team:
Play by Play: Rich Lerner
Analyst: Frank Nobilo / Tom Abbott / Matt Adams (Thursday-Friday) / Warren Humphreys
On-Course: Phil Blackmar
Interviews: George Savaricas
PGA TOUR
Dean & DeLuca Invitational
Dates: May 26-29
Venue: Colonial Country Club, Fort Worth, Texas
Tournament Airtimes on Golf Channel (Eastern):
Thursday 4-7 p.m. (Live) / 9:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m. (Replay)
Friday 4-7 p.m. (Live) / 9:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m. (Replay)
Saturday 1-2:30 p.m. (Live) / 7-11:30 p.m. (Replay)
Sunday 1-2:30 p.m. (Live) / 7-11:30 p.m. (Replay)
Broadcast Notes:
Kirk defends: Chris Kirk won by one shot over Jason Bohn, Brandt Snedeker and Jordan Spieth for his fourth PGA TOUR victory.
Headlining the field: Jordan Spieth, Adam Scott, Zach Johnson, Louis Oosthuizen, Jim Furyk, Matt Kuchar, Bryson DeChambeau, Charl Schwartzel, Steve Stricker and Chris Kirk.
Golf Channel Broadcast Team:
Play by Play: Whit Watson
Analyst: Brandel Chamblee
Tower: Craig Perks
On-Course: Arron Oberholser
Interviews: Scott Walker
LPGA TOUR
LPGA Volvik Championship
Dates: May 26-29
Venue: Travis Pointe Country Club, Ann Arbor, Mich.
Tournament Airtimes on Golf Channel (Eastern):
Thursday 7-9 p.m. (Tape delay) / 4:30-6:30 p.m. (Streaming on Golf Live Extra)
Friday 7-9 p.m. (Tape delay) / 4:30-6:30 p.m. (Streaming on Golf Live Extra)
Saturday 3-6 p.m. (Live) / 3:30-6 a.m. (Sunday replay)
Sunday 3-6 p.m. (Live) / 3:30-6 a.m. (Monday replay)
Broadcast Notes:
Inaugural event: This is the inaugural edition of the LPGA Volvik Championship and is the first of two LPGA events held in the state of Michigan in 2016, with the Meijer LPGA Classic in Grand Rapids next month. The field also features eight of the top-10 players in the world, including World Nos. 1-3: Lydia Ko, Inbee Park and Lexi Thompson.
“Caddie Knows Best” with Megan Khang: LPGA rookie Megan Khang and father (who also is her caddie) will be featured in “Caddie Knows Best,” this week, where Meghan will try match answers to questions posed to her caddie/dad about her interests and habits on Tour.
Rookie feature with Su Oh: This week’s rookie feature will focus on Su Oh, who earned a second-place finish at last week’s Kingsmill Championship in Virginia.
Headlining the field: Lydia Ko, Lexi Thompson, Inbee Park, Ariya Jutanugarn, Brooke Henderson, Sei Young Kim, So Yeon Ryu, Suzann Pettersen and Brittany Lincicome.
Golf Channel Broadcast Team:
Play by Play: Grant Boone
Analyst: Judy Rankin
Tower: Jim Gallagher Jr.
On-Course: Jerry Foltz / Nicole Castrale
COMING UP…
NCAA Men’s Golf Championships
Dates: May 30-June 1
Venue: Eugene Country Club, Eugene, Ore.
Tournament Airtimes on Golf Channel (Eastern):
Monday, May 30 7-10 p.m. (Live) Individual National Championship
Tuesday, May 31 1:30-3:30 p.m. (Live) Quarterfinals, Team Match Play
Tuesday, May 31 6:30-10 p.m. (Live) Semifinals, Team Match Play
Wednesday, June 1 6-10 p.m. (Live) Team Match Play National Championship
Broadcast Notes:
Coverage: Hosted by the University of Oregon at Eugene Country Club, the 2016 NCAA Men’s Golf Championships will feature teams and student-athletes who advanced from NCAA Regional Qualifying. Golf Channel’s live tournament coverage of the men’s championships will begin on Monday, May 30, to crown the individual national champion, as well as to track the teams attempting to qualify for the eight-team match-play tournament. Golf Channel’s coverage also will include all three rounds of the team match-play tournament on Tuesday, May 31 and Wednesday, June 1.
Teams competing: Alabama, Arizona State, Arkansas, Auburn, Baylor, California, Clemson, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Houston, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisville, LSU, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Oregon, Purdue, San Diego State, South Carolina, South Florida, Stanford, TCU, Texas, UAB, USC, Vanderbilt, Virginia and Wake Forest.
Individuals competing: Cameron Champ (Texas A&M); Ryan Cole (James Madison University); Tee-k Kelly (Ohio State); Matt Lutz (UC-Riverside); William Rainey (College of Charleston); Antoine Rozner (Missouri-Kansas City).
Golf Channel Live Event Broadcast Team:
Play by Play: Bob Papa
Analyst: Lanny Wadkins / Steve Burkowski
Tower: Curt Byrum
On-Course: Notah Begay / Billy Ray Brown / John Cook
Golf Central On-Site Team:
Host: Ryan Burr
Analyst: Arron Oberholser / Buddy Alexander / Steve Burkowski
Reporter: Ryan Lavner
-NBC Sports Group-
