FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, December 9th, 2019

NBC SPORTS GROUP TO DEDICATE MORE THAN 60 HOURS OF PROGRAMMING SURROUNDING THE PRESIDENTS CUP TONIGHT-SUNDAY, DEC. 9-15

GOLF Channel to Air Live Match Coverage in Primetime Wednesday-Saturday, Complemented by Wraparound “Golf Central Live From the Presidents Cup” News Programming Throughout the Week

NBC to Air Encore Presentations Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 14-15

NBC Sports’ Men in Blazers Preview the Presidents Cup With Daily Features From ‘The Panic Room’

 

ORLANDO, Fla. (Dec. 9, 2019) – This week, NBC Sports Group will dedicate more than 60 hours of comprehensive news, digital and tournament coverage surrounding the Presidents Cup, taking place at Royal Melbourne Golf Club in Australia. The network’s comprehensive approach surrounding the biennial international competition will be led by more than 25 hours of its Emmy-nominated live event coverage, airing live in primetime Wednesday-Saturday on GOLF Channel, with weekend encore presentations airing on NBC.

“With the biggest names in golf taking center stage this week at the Presidents Cup in Australia, NBC Sports is elevating the event’s exposure to super-serve golf fans with weeklong comprehensive coverage in primetime,” said Molly Solomon, GOLF Channel executive producer. “With four days of match play competition, Tiger Woods serving as a playing captain for the U.S. team and Australia’s Royal Melbourne Golf Club as the picturesque backdrop, our aim is to showcase the intensity of Presidents Cup as the International team seeks its first win in more than 20 years.”

Complementing live action of the matches will be Golf Central Live from the Presidents Cup wraparound news coverage, kicking off tonight at 7 p.m. ET on GOLF Channel with player and captain news conferences, interviews and analysis. News and tournament coverage throughout the week will be streamed via GOLF Channel Digital, NBCSports.com and the GOLF Channel and NBC Sports Apps. In addition, PGA TOUR Live on NBC Sports Gold will stream featured group coverage during all four days of the Presidents Cup.

The Presidents Cup pits 12 top male professional golfers representing the United States against 12 top male professional golfers representing the International team (outside of Europe) in a team match-play format. Tiger Woods is the U.S. captain and will be the first playing captain since Hale Irwin assumed the same role in the inaugural Presidents Cup in 1994. Ernie Els will captain the International team.

TOURNAMENT BROADCAST TEAM: Live primetime tournament coverage of the Presidents Cup will be anchored by Dan Hicks and Terry Gannon, with Paul Azinger and Justin Leonard handling lead analyst duties. Tower analysts will include Tom Abbott, Curt Byrum, David Feherty and Gary Koch, while Notah Begay, Jerry Foltz, Jim “Bones” Mackay, Roger Maltbie and Mark Rolfing will walk with the players as on-course reporters. Steve Sands will conduct interviews with players and captains.

GOLF CHANNEL’S COMPREHENSIVE NEWS COVERAGE: Beginning tonight at 7 p.m. ET and continuing throughout the week, Golf Central Live From the Presidents Cup will air player/captain news conferences and exclusive “look-ins” showing players preparing for their matches.

Steve Burkowski and Todd Lewis will report on-site at Royal Melbourne Golf Club and will be joined by GOLF Channel analyst and two-time Presidents Cup International team assistant captain Frank Nobilo, who also was a member of the winning International team at the 1998 Presidents Cup at Royal Melbourne. Analysts Begay and Rolfing also will contribute early in the week prior to the start of the competition.

Cara Banks, Ryan Burr and Rich Lerner will host the network’s news coverage and will be joined by analysts Brandel Chamblee, former World No. 1 and 3-time U.S. Presidents Cup team member David Duval and 1994 Presidents Cup U.S. team member Jim Gallagher, Jr., along with GOLF Channel insider Jaime Diaz.

Coverage also will incorporate a number of dedicated features throughout the week, including the International team’s upset victory at the 1998 Presidents Cup at Royal Melbourne; Woods and Els captain features; a recap of the 2017 Presidents Cup; travel features on Australia and Royal Melbourne and multiple features on players representing the U.S. and International teams.

Morning Drive will complement the network’s on-site news and tournament coverage throughout the week with analysis, highlights and interviews as well recapping the tournament action each morning Thursday-Sunday.

MEN IN BLAZERS PREVIEW THE PRESIDENTS CUP: Roger “Rog” Bennett and Michael “Davo” Davies – hosts for NBC Sports’ critically acclaimed The Men in Blazers, will preview the Presidents Cup from their “Panic Room” studio with dedicated features that will air Monday-Thursday during Golf Central Live From the Presidents Cup, including:

  • All-Time Presidents Cup Moments: The two relive their favorite moments of past Presidents Cups, including Phil Mickelson’s 2017 Presidential selfie and Woody Austin taking a tumble into the drink at Royal Montreal in 2007.
  • Australia’s Proud Golf Tradition: The duo examines Australia’s growth and trace the lineage of the country’s storied golfing roots.
  • Presidents Cup Premier League Mashup: Bennett and Davies create a sports highlight remix combining two of their favorite sporting competitions: the Premier League and the Presidents Cup.

STREAMING COVERAGE: News and live tournament coverage of the Presidents Cup will be streamed via GOLF Channel Digital, NBCSports.com and the GOLF Channel and NBC Sports Apps. PGA TOUR Live on NBC Sports Gold will stream featured group coverage during all four days of the Presidents Cup.

DIGITAL AND SOCIAL MEDIA COVERAGE: GOLF Channel Digital will feature expanded coverage from its team of writers, including Jay Coffin and Rex Hoggard contributing on-site at Royal Melbourne. Coverage also will include up-to the-minute scoring updates, features, analysis and reaction to emerging storylines. GOLF Channel Digital also will offer dedicated event preview segments, in-progress highlights and analysis from GOLF Channel analyst Brian Batemen in-studio. Segments from throughout the week across the network’s Golf Central Live From the Presidents Cup shows will be posted to GOLF Channel’s YouTube channel.

GOLF Channel’s social media platforms – Twitter, Facebook and Instagram – will provide expanded social coverage throughout Presidents Cup week. Match tee times and player stat cards will be prominent throughout the competition to help fans follow how each match unfolds. Social media host Alexandra O’Laughlin will contribute on-site at Royal Melbourne with custom content. Fans will be able to join the conversation by using hashtag #PresidentsCup and can follow the latest news and storylines via the network’s news social media handles on Twitter, @GolfCentral and @GCMorningDrive.

Tournament Broadcast Team Tom Abbott, Paul Azinger, Notah Begay, Curt Byrum, David Feherty, Jerry Foltz, Terry Gannon, Dan Hicks, Gary Koch, Justin Leonard, Jim “Bones” Mackay, Roger Maltbie, Mark Rolfing, Steve Sands
Golf Central Live From the Presidents Cup Broadcast Team Cara Banks, Notah Begay, Steve Burkowski, Ryan Burr, Brandel Chamblee, Jaime Diaz, David Duval, Jim Gallagher Jr., Rich Lerner, Todd Lewis, Frank Nobilo, Mark Rolfing
GOLF Channel Digital Jay Coffin, Rex Hoggard
Social Media Contributor Alexandra O’Laughlin

“PLAYING THROUGH” COMMERCIAL BREAKS RETURN: Initially debuting at the 2016 Ryder Cup to enhance both the viewership and commercial experience, NBC Sports’ popular “Playing Through” split-screen commercial format returns during all four days of Presidents Cup live coverage on GOLF Channel Wednesday-Saturday in primetime to ensure viewers don’t miss key stretches of the action during commercial breaks.

NBC Sports Group 2019 Presidents Cup Programming (all times Eastern)

Monday, Dec. 9
7 p.m.-1 a.m. Golf Central Live From the Presidents Cup GOLF Channel
Tuesday, Dec. 10
7-9 a.m. Morning Drive GOLF Channel
7 p.m.-2 a.m. Golf Central Live From the Presidents Cup GOLF Channel
Wednesday, Dec. 11
7-10 a.m. Morning Drive GOLF Channel
3:30-5:30 p.m. Golf Central Live From the Presidents Cup GOLF Channel
5:30 p.m.-Midnight 2019 Presidents Cup – Day 1 GOLF Channel
Midnight-2 a.m. Golf Central Live From the Presidents Cup GOLF Channel
Thursday, Dec. 12
7-10 a.m. Morning Drive GOLF Channel
4:30-7 p.m. Golf Central Live From the Presidents Cup GOLF Channel
7 p.m.-Midnight 2019 Presidents Cup – Day 2 GOLF Channel
Midnight-2 a.m. Golf Central Live From the Presidents Cup GOLF Channel
Friday, Dec. 13
7-8 a.m. Morning Drive GOLF Channel
2-3 p.m. Golf Central Live From the Presidents Cup GOLF Channel
3 p.m.-2 a.m. 2019 Presidents Cup – Day 3 GOLF Channel
2-4 a.m. Golf Central Live From the Presidents Cup GOLF Channel
Saturday, Dec. 14
10 a.m.-Noon Morning Drive GOLF Channel
2:30-6 p.m. 2019 Presidents Cup – Day 3 Encore NBC
4-6 p.m. Golf Central Live From the Presidents Cup GOLF Channel
6 p.m.-Midnight 2019 Presidents Cup – Final Day GOLF Channel
Midnight-2 a.m. Golf Central Live From the Presidents Cup GOLF Channel
Sunday, Dec. 15
10 a.m.-Noon Morning Drive GOLF Channel
1-6 p.m. 2019 Presidents Cup – Final Day Encore NBC

-NBC Sports Group-