FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, February 14th, 2017
GOLF CHANNEL TOURNAMENT AIRTIMES & NOTES (FEB. 16-19): GENESIS OPEN; ISPS HANDA WOMEN’S AUSTRALIAN OPEN; CHUBB CLASSIC; ISPS HANDA WORLD SUPER 6 PERTH
Eight of the Top-10 in the World to Compete at the Genesis Open, Including Spieth, Matsuyama and Garcia, All Entering the Event Coming Off a Victory
World No. 1 Ko to Make 2017 Debut at ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open, Airing Live and in Primetime on Golf Channel, Wednesday-Saturday
Three-time Champ Langer Defends at Chubb Classic in South Florida
European Tour Embracing Unique Event Format Utilizing Both Stroke & Match Play at Inaugural ISPS Handa World Super 6 Perth in Australia
ORLANDO, Fla. (Feb. 14, 2017) – The PGA TOUR will stage the final event of its West Coast swing with the Genesis Open near Los Angeles before heading east for next week’s Honda Classic in South Florida. Eight of the top-10 players in the world are in the field, including Jordan Spieth, Hideki Matsuyama and Sergio Garcia; each of whom enter the event coming off a victory in the previous start. World No. 1 Lydia Ko is set to make her 2017 debut at the ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open, airing Wednesday-Saturday in primetime on Golf Channel. Three-time winner of the event – Bernhard Langer – headlines a strong field at the Chubb Classic, the second of two Florida events in as many weeks on the PGA TOUR Champions. And the European Tour will stage the inaugural ISPS Handa World Super 6 Perth in Australia, combining both stroke and match play into one event which will culminate with a bracket style series of six-hole matches on the final day of competition to determine a champion.
PGA TOUR
Genesis Open
Dates: Feb. 16-19
Venue: Riviera Country Club, Pacific Palisades, Calif.
Tournament Airtimes on Golf Channel (Eastern):
Thursday 2-6 p.m. (Live) / 7-11 p.m. (Replay)
Friday 2-6 p.m. (Live) / 7-11 p.m. (Replay)
Saturday 1-2:30 p.m. (Live) / 7-9 p.m. (Replay)
Sunday 1-2:30 p.m. (Live) / 7:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m. (Replay)
Golf Central Pre and Post Round Coverage on Golf Channel (Eastern):
Thursday 1:30-2 p.m. (Live) / 6-7 p.m. (Live)
Friday 1:30-2 p.m. (Live) / 6-7 p.m. (Live)
Saturday Noon-1 p.m. (Live) / 6-7 p.m. (Live)
Sunday Noon-1 p.m. (Live) / 6:30-7:30 p.m. (Live)
Broadcast Notes:
Elite field to showcase eight of top-10 in the world: The Genesis Open will feature eight of the top-10 players in the world, led by No. 1 Jason Day and No. 3 Dustin Johnson. Hideki Matsuyama (No. 5), Jordan Spieth (No. 6) and Sergio Garcia (No. 9) are in the field as well, each coming off a victory in their previous start. Both Johnson and Matsuyama have a mathematical chance of ascending to No. 1 in the world with a win this week, depending on where Day finishes.
Watson defends: Bubba Watson finished one stroke ahead of Adam Scott and Jason Kokrak to claim his ninth career PGA TOUR win.
Headlining the field: Jason Day, Dustin Johnson, Hideki Matsuyama, Jordan Spieth, Adam Scott, Justin Thomas, Sergio Garcia, Patrick Reed, Justin Rose and Bubba Watson.
Golf Channel Broadcast Team:
Play by Play: Terry Gannon
Analyst: David Duval
Tower: Matt Gogel
On-Course: Jim Gallagher Jr. / Arron Oberholser
Interviews: Todd Lewis
LPGA TOUR
ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open
Dates: Feb. 16-19
Venue: Royal Adelaide Golf Club, Adelaide, Australia
Tournament Airtimes on Golf Channel (Eastern):
Wednesday 9 p.m.-2 a.m. (Live) / 2-6 a.m. (Thursday replay)
Thursday 11 p.m.-2 a.m. (Live)
Friday 11 p.m.-2 a.m. (Live)
Saturday 9 p.m.-2 a.m. (Live) / 5-6:30 p.m. (Sunday replay)
Broadcast Notes:
Ko making 2017 debut: World No. 1 Lydia Ko will make her first competitive start of 2017, and her first start since changing her caddie (Gary Matthews), coach (Gary Gilchrist) and golf clubs (Parsons Xtreme Golf).
Headlining the field: Lydia Ko, Ariya Jutanugarn, Brooke Henderson, Charley Hull, Ha Na Jang, Minjee Lee, Karrie Webb, Aditi Ashok, Haru Nomura and Cheyenne Woods.
PGA TOUR CHAMPIONS
Chubb Classic
Dates: Feb. 17-19
Venue: The TwinEagles Club (Talon Course), Naples, Fla.
Tournament Airtimes on Golf Channel (Eastern):
Friday 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. (Live) / 2-4 a.m. (Saturday replay)
Saturday 3-5:30 p.m. (Live) / 2-4 a.m. (Sunday replay)
Sunday 3-5 p.m. (Live) / 1:30-3:30 a.m. (Monday replay)
Broadcast Notes:
Kelly to make PGA TOUR Champions debut: Three-time PGA TOUR winner Jerry Kelly is set to make his PGA TOUR Champions debut this week after turning 50 in November.
Langer defends: Bernhard Langer finished three strokes ahead of Fred Couples to win the event for the third time, and earn his 26th PGA TOUR Champions victory.
Headlining the field: Bernhard Langer, Fred Couples, Miguel Angel Jimenez, Scott McCarron, Jose Maria Olazabal, Colin Montgomerie, John Daly, Woody Austin and Kenny Perry.
Golf Channel Broadcast Team:
Play by Play: Bob Papa
Analyst: Lanny Wadkins
Tower: John Mahaffey / Dave Marr
On-Course: Billy Ray Brown
EUROPEAN TOUR
ISPS Handa World Super 6 Perth
Dates: Feb. 16-19
Venue: Lake Karrinyup Country Club, Perth, Australia
Tournament Airtimes on Golf Channel (Eastern):
Thursday 6-10 a.m. (Tape delay) / 11 p.m.-4 a.m. (Wednesday overnight, Live Stream)
Friday 6-10 a.m. (Tape delay) / 11 p.m.-4 a.m. (Thursday overnight, Live Stream)
Saturday 6-10 a.m. (Tape delay) / 11 p.m.-4 a.m. (Friday overnight, Live Stream)
Sunday 6-10 a.m. (Tape delay) / 11 p.m.-4 a.m. (Saturday overnight, Live Stream)
Broadcast Notes:
Inaugural event combines stroke and match play: The event will utilize a unique format combining both stroke and match play, as the first three days will consist of traditional stroke play, with a 36-hole cut and an additional 54-hole cut to the low-24 players, with any ties for 24th place being broken by a sudden death playoff. The final day will be contested as match play – but each match will consist of only six holes – where the top-8 players after 54 holes will earn an opening-round “bye”. The remaining 16 players will compete in the first round (six-hole) matches, with the eight winners advancing to face the top-8 players having earned a bye, until the field is reduced to 8, 4, 2 and eventually crowning a champion. Any match tied after six holes will be decided by playing a “shootout hole,” measuring approximately 100 yards.
Headlining the field: Alex Noren, Louis Oosthuizen, Thorbjorn Olesen, Marcus Fraser, Siddikur Rahman, Peter Uihlein, Robert Allenby and Curtis Luck (a).
Golf Channel Broadcast Team:
Play by Play: Brendon Julian
Analysts: Paul Gow / Ossie Moore / Warren Humphreys
On-Course: Dom Boulet
-NBC Sports Group-
