FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, May 3rd, 2017

GOLF CHANNEL TOURNAMENT AIRTIMES & NOTES (MAY 4-7): GOLFSIXES; WELLS FARGO CHAMPIONSHIP; INSPERITY INVITATIONAL

European Tour Unveils Unique Two-Day Event Format with “GolfSixes” in England, Airing Live on Golf Channel, Saturday-Sunday, May 6-7

Wells Fargo Championship Being Staged at Unfamiliar Venue in Wilmington, as World No. 1 Johnson Returns for First Time Since Masters Withdrawal

Langer, Couples, Jimenez Lead Field at Insperity Invitational in Texas, while Nicklaus, Player and Trevino Lead “Greats of Golf” Format on Saturday

ORLANDO, Fla. (May 3, 2017) – Following last week’s new team format on the PGA TOUR, the European Tour this week will stage its own innovative team event, GolfSixes, showcasing a field of 16 two-man teams representing 16 countries. The competition will feature six-hole matches, utilizing a modified alternate shot format, with teams competing in a round-robin format on Day 1, and a knockout stage for the top-eight teams advancing to Day 2. With Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte set to host the PGA Championship in August, the PGA TOUR shifts venues to Eagle Point Golf Club in Wilmington this week for the Wells Fargo Championship. World No. 1 Dustin Johnson is expected to make his first start since withdrawing from the Masters last month due to a back injury. The PGA TOUR Champions are in Texas for the Insperity Invitational, with a strong field led by Bernhard Langer, Fred Couples and Miguel Angel Jimenez. For the sixth year, the tournament will include a “Greats of Golf” format, an 18-hole scramble led by Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player and Lee Trevino, teeing off on Saturday following the final group competing in the Insperity Invitational.

EUROPEAN TOUR

GolfSixes
Dates: May 6-7
Venue: Centurion Club, St. Albans, England 

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

Broadcast Notes:
Unique format: This is the inaugural edition of GolfSixes, featuring 16 two-man teams representing 16 countries who will be competing in six-hole matches. Matches will be contested using a modified alternate shot format in which both players on each team will hit a tee shot, choose one, and then alternate on each shot for the remainder of the hole. The 16 teams will be separated into four groups of four on Day 1, and will play in a round-robin format with teams receiving three points for a win, one point for a halve, and zero for a loss. The top-two teams in each group following Day 1 will advance to Day 2. On Day 2, teams once again will compete in six-hole matches, but if there is a tie after six holes, a playoff will take place on a shortened hole that will be played repeatedly until a winner is decided. This is the second time the European Tour has featured six-hole matches as part of an event format, as the final round of the World Super 6 Perth also had the low-24 players following 54 holes of stroke play compete in six-hole matches to determine a winner.
Headlining the field: Kiradech Aphibarnrat/Thongchai Jaidee (Thailand), Gregory Bourdy/Alexander Levy (France), Nicolas Colsaerts/Thomas Detry (Belgium), Bradley Dredge/Jamie Donaldson (Wales), Richie Ramsay/Marc Warren (Scotland), Andy Sullivan/Chris Wood (England), Lucas Bjerregaard/Thorbjorn Olesen (Denmark).

Golf Channel Broadcast Team:
Host: Scott Walker
Play by Play: David Howell
Analyst: Andrew Coltart / Richard Boxall / Nick Dougherty
On-Course: Wayne Riley / Henni Zuel

PGA TOUR

Wells Fargo Championship
Dates: May 4-7
Venue: Eagle Point Golf Club, Wilmington, N.C.

Tournament Airtimes on Golf Channel (Eastern):
Thursday         2-6 p.m. (Live) / 7-11 p.m. (Repay)
Friday              2-6 p.m. (Live) / 8:30 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)

Golf Central Pre and Post Round Coverage on Golf Channel (Eastern):
Thursday         Noon-2 p.m. (Live) / 6-7 p.m. (Live)
Friday              1-2 p.m. (Live) / 8-8:30 p.m. (Live)
Saturday          2:30-3 p.m. (Live) / 6-7 p.m. (Live)
Sunday            2:30-3 p.m. (Live) / 6-7 p.m. (Live)

Broadcast Notes:
World No. 1 Johnson expected to return for first time since Masters withdrawal: Dustin Johnson is scheduled to make his first start this week since withdrawing from the Masters last month due to a back injury. Johnson has won his last three PGA TOUR starts and would be the first to win four in-a-row since Tiger Woods in 2008.
Unfamiliar host venue: With the tournament’s normal host venue – Quail Hollow Club – in Charlotte hosting the PGA Championship in August, the tournament this week is being contested at Eagle Point Golf Club in Wilmington. This week marks the PGA TOUR’s return to Wilmington for the first time in nearly 50 years.
Hahn defends: James Hahn defeated Roberto Castro with a par on the first playoff hole at Quail Hollow to claim his second PGA TOUR victory.
Headlining the field: Dustin Johnson, Jon Rahm, Adam Scott, Phil Mickelson, Zach Johnson, Patrick Reed, Alex Noren, Louis Oosthuizen, Bill Haas, Wesley Bryan and James Hahn. 

Golf Channel Broadcast Team:
Play by Play: Terry Gannon
Analyst: Nick Faldo
Tower: Matt Gogel
On-Course: Phil Blackmar
Interviews: Todd Lewis

PGA TOUR CHAMPIONS

Insperity Invitational
Dates: May 5-7
Venue: The Woodlands Country Club (Tournament Course), The Woodlands, Texas

Tournament Airtimes on Golf Channel (Eastern):
Friday              6-8 p.m. (Tape delay) / 4-6 p.m. (Streaming on Golf Channel Digital)
Saturday          3-6 p.m. (Live) / 11:30 p.m. -1:30 a.m. (Replay)
Sunday            3-6 p.m. (Live) / 11:30 p.m.-1:30 a.m. (Replay)

Broadcast Notes:
Nicklaus, Player, Trevino Lead “Greats of Golf” Format on Saturday: For the sixth consecutive year, the event will feature a “Greats of Golf,” element, with Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player and Lee Trevino leading a field that will compete in a separate 18-hole scramble format following the final tee time of those in the Insperity Invitational field.
Parnevik defends: Jesper Parnevik finished four shots ahead of David Frost, Mike Goodes and Jeff Maggert to earn his first PGA TOUR Champions win.
Headlining the field: Bernhard Langer, Fred Couples, Miguel Angel Jimenez, Colin Montgomerie, Tom Lehman, David Toms, Scott McCarron, Mark O’Meara and John Daly.
Greats of Golf field: Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Lee Trevino, David Graham, Tony Jacklin, Tom Weiskopf, Ben Crenshaw, Hale Irwin, Dave Stockton, Charles Coody, Fuzzy Zoeller and Bill Rogers.

Golf Channel Broadcast Team:
Play by Play: Bob Papa
Analyst: Lanny Wadkins
Tower: John Mahaffey / Dave Marr
On-Course: Billy Ray Brown

-NBC Sports Group-