2014 LPGA Tour Season Gets Underway with the Pure Silk-Bahamas LPGA Classic
Woods, Mickelson Headline the Field as PGA TOUR Travels to La Jolla for Farmers Insurance Open
European Tour in Qatar for Commercialbank Qatar Masters
ORLANDO, Fla., (Jan. 21, 2014) – The 2014 LPGA Tour season kicks off this week in the Bahamas with the Pure Silk-Bahamas LPGA Classic, the first event for the new Race for the CME Globe season-long points race. The PGA TOUR heads to Torrey Pines in La Jolla, Calif. for the Farmers Insurance Open as Tiger Woods makes his first tournament appearance of the year. The European Tour continues its Middle East swing with the Commercialbank Qatar Masters headlined by Henrik Stenson and Jason Dufner.
LPGA TOUR
Pure Silk-Bahamas LPGA Classic
Dates: January 23-26
Venue: Ocean Club Golf Course, Paradise Island, Bahamas
Broadcast Notes:
Season Kickoff: The initial LPGA Tour event of the season will coincide with the beginning of the newly formed Race for the CME Globe – the season-long points race offering $1 million to the eventual winner at season’s end.
Rookie Spotlight: Jaye Marie Green: Golf Channel’s broadcast will feature LPGA rookie Jaye Marie Green during tournament coverage. Green, 19, earned status on the LPGA Tour with a runaway victory at the final stage of LPGA Q-School with a five-day total of 29-under-par.
Michelle Wie Featured on Premiere Episode of Golf Channel’s new online program “For The Record”: GolfChannel.com debuts its new online program For the Record with senior writer Rex Hoggard sitting down with Michelle Wie to discuss her unique putting style and the upcoming LPGA Tour season. Click HERE to view the full interview.
Headlining The Field: Stacy Lewis, Suzann Pettersen, Michelle Wie, Lexi Thompson, Paula Creamer, Ai Miyazato, Lydia Ko, Morgan Pressel, Beatriz Recari and Natalie Gulbis.
Tournament Airtimes On Golf Channel (Eastern):
Thursday 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. (Live)
Friday 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. (Live)
Saturday 3-5 p.m. (Live)
Sunday 3-5 p.m. (Live)
Golf Channel Broadcast Team:
Play by Play: Whit Watson
Analyst: Kay Cockerill
Tower: Tom Abbott
On Course: Jerry Foltz / Phil Parkin
PGA TOUR
Farmers Insurance Open
Dates: January 23-26
Venue: Torrey Pines Golf Course (North & South courses), La Jolla, Calif.
Broadcast Notes:
Woods’ first event of 2014: World number one Tiger Woods makes his first PGA TOUR start of 2014. He has had remarkable success at Torrey Pines, a seven-time winner of the Farmers Insurance Open including a victory last year, along with his 2008 U.S. Open victory in a playoff over Rocco Mediate.
Pre-tournament news conferences airing live on Golf Channel, Wednesday, Noon-2 p.m. ET: Golf Channel will broadcast live pre-tournament news conferences from Phil Mickelson, Tiger Woods and PGA TOUR commissioner Tim Finchem from Torrey Pines on Wednesday from Noon-2 p.m. ET.
Headlining The Field: Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, Keegan Bradley, Brandt Snedeker, Jason Day, Rickie Fowler, Hunter Mahan, Bubba Watson and Jimmy Walker.
Tournament Airtimes On Golf Channel (Eastern):
Thursday 3-7 p.m. (Live) / 7:30-11:30 p.m. (Replay)
Friday 3-7 p.m. (Live) / 7:30-11:30 p.m. (Replay)
Saturday 1-2:30 p.m. (Live) / 6:30-11 p.m. (Golf Channel and CBS Replay)
Sunday 1-2:30 p.m. (Live) / 7 p.m.-Midnight (Golf Channel and CBS Replay)
Golf Channel Broadcast Team:
Play by Play: Terry Gannon
Analyst: Nick Faldo
Tower: Peter Oosterhuis
On Course: Curt Byrum
Interviews: Todd Lewis
EUROPEAN TOUR
Commercialbank Qatar Masters
Dates: January 22-25
Venue: Doha Golf Club, Doha, Qatar
Broadcast Notes:
Saturday Finish: The tournament will begin on Wednesday, and therefore provide a Saturday finish barring any weather delays. Live coverage will be broadcast on Golf Channel in the early morning hours Wednesday-Saturday.
Wood Defends: Chris Wood won the event last year by one shot over Segio Garcia and George Coetzee, earning his first European Tour victory in the process.
Headlining The Field: Henrik Stenson, Sergio Garcia, Jason Dufner, Luke Donald, Ernie Els, Martin Kaymer, Thomas Bjorn, Migueal Angel Jimenez, Branden Grace and Alvaro Quiros.
Tournament Airtimes On Golf Channel (Eastern):
Wednesday 5-8 a.m. (Live) / Noon-2 p.m. (Replay)
Thursday 5-8 a.m. (Live)
Friday 4:30-8:30 a.m. (Live)
Saturday 4:30-8:30 a.m. (Live) / 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. (Replay)
Tournament Broadcast Team:
Studio Host: Mike Ritz
Play by Play: Dougie Donnelly
Analyst: Sam Torrance / Ken Brown
On Course: Paul Eales
Special Golf Channel Programming This Week:
Morning Drive Broadcasting Live From the PGA Merchandise Show: Golf Channel will deliver unprecedented coverage of the 2014 PGA Merchandise Show – the world’s largest golf industry show – this week with nearly 15 hours of live coverage from the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla. Morning Drive, the network’s morning news and lifestyle show, will broadcast live from a dedicated set on the showroom floor Wednesday-Friday. Golf Central, the network’s signature news show, also will report live throughout the week from the PGA Merchandise Show featuring interviews and segments from across the showroom floor. Streaming of Golf Channel’s PGA Merchandise Show programming will be available for the first time ever via Golf Live Extra.
Comprehensive online editorial coverage also will be available via GolfChannel.com, the network’s social media channels (#PGASHOW), live streamed via Golf Live Extra, as well as satellite radio simulcasts through SiriusXM PGA TOUR Radio.
Feherty Live: David Feherty will host two of his signature, live shows on Golf Channel this week, capitalizing on the buzz created by the golf industry descending on Orlando, Fla., for the annual PGA Merchandise Show. The two performances of Feherty Live will be shot on consecutive nights in front of studio audiences at Universal Studios Orlando, tonight, Jan. 21 and Wednesday, Jan. 22 at 9 p.m. ET.
Feherty Live: Tuesday, Jan. 21:
Lee Trevino, one of golf’s greatest shot-makers and beloved personalities
Graeme McDowell, PGA TOUR star and Ryder Cup hero
Lou Holtz, college football coaching legend and ESPN analyst
Feherty Live: Wednesday, Jan 22
Greg Norman, “the Great White Shark,” famed golfer and course designer
James Patterson, best-selling author, whose books have sold more than 270 million copies
Mike Eruzione, captain of the “Miracle on Ice” 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team
GOLF CHANNEL PGA MERCHANDISE SHOW PROGRAMMING SCHEDULE (All times ET)
Tuesday Feherty Live 9-10 p.m.
Wednesday Morning Drive 8 a.m.-Noon
Golf Central 6-6:30 p.m.
Feherty Live 9-10 p.m.
Thursday Morning Drive 8-11:30 a.m.
Golf Central Pre Game 2:30-3 p.m.
Golf Central 7-7:30 p.m.
Friday Morning Drive 8:30-11:30 a.m.
Golf Central Pre Game 2:30-3 p.m.
Golf Central 7-7:30 p.m.
