Woods to Make First Official PGA TOUR Start in
a Year as Rahm Defends at Farmers Insurance Open
Garcia Defends at Omega Dubai Desert Classic Alongside McIlroy, Fleetwood
with More Than 20 Hours of Live Coverage Airing on Golf Channel
2018 LPGA Tour Season Gets Underway at Pure Silk Bahamas LPGA
Classic with World No. 1 Feng and No. 4 Thompson Leading the Field
ORLANDO, Fla. (Jan. 23, 2018) – 14-time major champion Tiger Woods will make his first official PGA TOUR start in a year this week at the Farmers Insurance Open outside San Diego, as World No. 2 Jon Rahm defends his 2017 title. On the European Tour, Sergio Garcia will defend at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic, alongside Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood. Golf Channel will showcase more than 20 hours of live tournament coverage from Dubai. The LPGA Tour will kick off its 2018 schedule this week at the Pure Silk Bahamas LPGA Classic. World No. 1 Shanshan Feng leads the field, alongside Lexi Thompson and defending champion Brittany Lincicome.
PGA TOUR
Farmers Insurance Open
Dates: Jan. 25-28
Venue: Torrey Pines Golf Course (North & South Courses), La Jolla, Calif.
Tournament Airtimes on Golf Channel (Eastern)
Thursday 3-7 p.m. (Live) / 8 p.m.-Midnight (Replay)
Friday 3-7 p.m. (Live) / 8 p.m.-Midnight (Replay)
Saturday 2-3:30 p.m. (Live) / 8 p.m.-12:30 a.m. (Replay)
Sunday 1-2:45 p.m. (Live) / 7:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m. (Replay)
Golf Central Pre and Post Round Coverage on Golf Channel (Eastern):
Thursday 2:30-3 p.m. / 7-8 p.m. (Live)
Friday 2:30-3 p.m. / 7-8 p.m. (Live)
Saturday 1-2 p.m. / 7-8 p.m. (Live)
Sunday Noon-1 p.m. / 2:45-3 p.m. / 6:30-7:30 p.m. (Live)
Broadcast Notes:
Woods returns to PGA TOUR for first time in a year: This week marks Tiger Woods’ first competitive start on the PGA TOUR since last year’s Farmers Insurance Open. He returns to a venue where he has won on eight previous occasions, including the 2008 U.S. Open.
Event format: The field will be split over both courses during the first two rounds, while the South Course will be utilized in the third and final rounds once a cut has been made.
Rahm defends: Jon Rahm finished three shots ahead of Charles Howell III and C.T. Pan to earn his first career PGA TOUR win.
Headlining the field: Tiger Woods, Jon Rahm, Justin Rose, Rickie Fowler, Hideki Matsuyama, Jason Day, Phil Mickelson, Brian Harman, Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay.
Golf Channel Broadcast Team
Play by Play: Terry Gannon
Analyst: Nick Faldo
Tower: Matt Gogel
On-Course: Arron Oberholser
Interviews: George Savaricas
EUROPEAN TOUR
Omega Dubai Desert Classic
Dates: Jan. 25-28
Venue: Emirates Golf Club (Majlis Course), Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Tournament Airtimes on Golf Channel (Eastern)
Wednesday 11 p.m.-4 a.m. (Live)
Thursday 6-8 a.m. (Live)
Friday 3:30-8:30 a.m. (Live)
Saturday 3:30-8 a.m. (Live) / 10 a.m.-1 p.m. (Replay)
Sunday 3:30-8 a.m. (Live) / 10 a.m.-Noon (Replay)
Broadcast Notes:
Garcia defends: Sergio Garcia finished three strokes ahead of Henrik Stenson for his 12th career European Tour victory.
Headlining the field: Sergio Garcia, Rory McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood, Henrik Stenson, Thomas Pieters, Pat Perez, Martin Kaymer, Colin Montgomerie, Miguel Angel Jimenez and Ernie Els.
Golf Channel Broadcast Team
Host: Scott Walker
Play by Play: Dougie Donnelly
Analyst: Tony Johnstone / Sam Torrance
On-Course: Jay Townsend / Ken Brown
LPGA TOUR
Pure Silk Bahamas LPGA Classic
Dates: Jan. 25-28
Venue: Ocean Club Golf Course, Paradise Island, Bahamas
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 3:30-5:30 p.m. (Live)
Sunday 3-5 p.m. (Live)
Broadcast Notes:
LPGA Tour season kickoff: This week marks the first of 33 official events on the 2018 LPGA Tour, with events scheduled in 15 states and 14 countries around the world.
Lincicome defends: Brittany Lincicome defeated Lexi Thompson with a birdie on the first playoff hole to claim her seventh LPGA Tour win.
Headlining the field: Shanshan Feng, Lexi Thompson, So Yeon Ryu, I.K. Kim, Ariya Jutanugarn, Brooke Henderson, Danielle Kang, Michelle Wie and Brittany Lincicome.
Golf Channel Broadcast Team
Play by Play: Grant Boone
Analyst: Judy Rankin
Tower: Tom Abbott
On-Course: Jerry Foltz / Karen Stupples
-NBC Sports Group-
