NBC Sports Group to Air 33 Live Hours of the WGC-Cadillac Match Play, Including Primetime Coverage Following the Kentucky Derby on Saturday
Lewis Defends Volunteers of America North Texas Shootout
Nicklaus, Player, Trevino Headline the “Greats of Golf”
During Saturday’s Coverage of the Insperity Invitational
Web.com Tour in Indiana for United Leasing Championship
ORLANDO, Fla. (April 28, 2015) – NBC Sports Group will air more than 33 live hours of the new-look WGC-Cadillac Match Play from TPC Harding Park in San Francisco, with tournament coverage airing in primetime Wednesday-Saturday, including on NBC immediately following the Kentucky Derby on Saturday evening. Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth, Nos. 1 and 2 in the Official World Golf Ranking, headline a field that guarantees three rounds of round-robin matches for each of the 64 players Wednesday-Friday, with players competing in 16 four-man groupings that narrow to the 16 players having won their respective pool advancing to the weekend. On the LPGA Tour, Stacy Lewis will defend her title at the Volunteers of America North Texas Shootout, with Lydia Ko – No. 1 in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings – also in the field. The Champions Tour also is in Texas for the Insperity Invitational, where World Golf Hall-of-Famers Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player and Lee Trevino highlight the “Greats of Golf” portion of Saturday’s second round play. And, the Web.com Tour is in Indiana for the United Leasing Championship.
PGA TOUR
WGC-Cadillac Match Play Championship
Dates: April 29-May 3
Venue: TPC Harding Park, San Francisco, Calif.
Tournament Airtimes on Golf Channel (Eastern):
Wednesday 4-10 p.m. (Live) / 11 p.m.-5 a.m. (Replay)
Thursday 4-10 p.m. (Live) / 11 p.m.-4 a.m. (Replay)
Friday 5-10 p.m. (Live) / 11 p.m.-3 a.m. (Replay)
Saturday 3-7:30 p.m. (Live) / 12:30-4 a.m. (Sunday replay)
Sunday 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. (Live) / 10 p.m.-2 a.m. (Replay)
Tournament Airtimes on NBC (Eastern):
Saturday 7:30-11 p.m. (Live)
Sunday 2-6 p.m. (Live)
Broadcast Notes:
New Format: This is the first time that the event will feature the 64 players being divided into 16 four-player groups who will compete in a round-robin format over the first three days, guaranteeing each player a minimum of three matches,Wednesday-Friday. At the conclusion of Friday’s matches, the player in each group with the best win-loss record will advance to single elimination match play with the Round of 16 and quarterfinals scheduled for Saturday, and the semifinals and championship match on Sunday.
Primetime coverage Wednesday-Saturday, including immediately following the Kentucky Derby on Saturday night: Golf Channel and NBC will combine to air the WGC-Cadillac Match Play in primetime, Wednesday-Saturday. Saturday, Golf Channel will air the Round of 16 beginning at 3 p.m. ET, before transitioning to NBC for the quarterfinal matches, which will begin at 7:30 p.m. ET immediately following the Kentucky Derby.
Day defends: Jason Day beat Victor Dubuisson in 23 holes for his second PGA TOUR victory.
Headlining the field: Tournament Field / Groupings
Golf Channel / NBC Sports Broadcast Team:
Play by Play: Terry Gannon (Golf Channel) / Dan Hicks (NBC)
Analyst: Nick Faldo (Golf Channel) / Johnny Miller (NBC)
Tower: Gary Koch / Peter Jacobsen
On-Course: Roger Maltbie / Mark Rolfing / Phil Parkin
Interviews: Steve Sands
Essays: Jimmy Roberts
LPGA TOUR
Volunteers of America North Texas Shootout
Dates: April 30-May 3
Venue: Las Colinas Country Club, Irving , Texas
Tournament Airtimes On Golf Channel (Eastern):
Thursday 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. (Live) / 4-6 a.m. (Friday replay)
Friday 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. (Live) / 5-7 a.m. (Saturday replay)
Saturday 1-3 p.m. (Live) / 3-4 p.m. (Live, airing exclusively on Golf Live Extra)
Sunday 2-5 p.m. (Live)
Broadcast Notes:
Conclusion of Saturday’s third round to air on Golf Live Extra, 3-4 p.m. ET: Golf Channel’s coverage of Saturday’s third round will air from 1-3 p.m. ET, and will continue from 3-4 p.m. exclusively on Golf Live Extra.
Tournament format: The format this week will feature two separate cuts: the first cut will feature the low 70 players (and ties) following 36 holes, and the second cut will include the low 50 players (and ties) following 54 holes.
Morgan Pressel featured in “Caddie Knows Best”: During Friday’s second round, Morgan Pressel will be featured in “Caddie Knows Best,” a segment testing players’ and caddies’ knowledge of one another.
Lewis defends: Stacy Lewis finished six strokes clear of the field for her ninth career LPGA Tour win.
Headlining the field: Lydia Ko, Inbee Park, Stacy Lewis, Hyo Joo Kim, So Yeon Ryu, Michelle Wie, Amy Yang, Lexi Thompson, Brooke Henderson, Cristie Kerr, Anna Nordqvist and Karrie Webb.
Golf Channel Broadcast Team:
Play by Play: Tom Abbott
Analyst: Judy Rankin
Tower: Curt Byrum
On-Course: Jerry Foltz / Karen Stupples
CHAMPIONS TOUR
Insperity Invitational
Dates: May 1-3
Venue: The Woodlands Country Club (Tournament Course), The Woodlands, Texas
Tournament Airtimes on Golf Channel (Eastern):
Friday 2:30-4:30 p.m. (Live) / 3-5 a.m. (Saturday replay)
Saturday 7:30-9:30 p.m. (Tape delay) / 5-7 p.m. (Live streaming on Golf Live Extra)
Sunday 5-7 p.m. (Live) / 4-6 a.m. (Monday replay)
Broadcast Notes:
Nicklaus, Player, Trevino to be featured in “Greats of Golf” on Saturday: World Golf Hall-of-Famers Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player and Lee Trevino will be the feature group participating in the 18-hole scramble “3M Oil & Gas Greats of Golf” on Saturday. Arnold Palmer will serve as the non-competing honorary chairman. Other greats competing in the scramble format include: Raymond Floyd, Don January, David Graham, Tony Jacklin, Dave Stockton and Tom Weiskopf.
Langer defends: Bernhard Langer won by one shot over Fred Couples for his 20th career Champions Tour victory.
Headlining the Field: Bernhard Langer, Fred Couples, Colin Montgomerie, Jesper Parnevik, Kenny Perry, Corey Pavin, Tom Lehman, Kirk Triplett, Nick Price and Mark O’Meara.
Golf Channel Broadcast Team:
Play by Play: John Swantek (Friday) / Bob Papa (Saturday, Sunday)
Analyst: Lanny Wadkins
Tower: John Mahaffey / David Marr
On-Course: Billy Ray Brown
WEB.COM TOUR
United Leasing Championship
Dates: April 30-May 3
Venue: Victoria National Golf Club, Newburgh, Ind.
Tournament Airtimes on Golf Channel (Eastern):
Thursday 1:30-3:30 p.m. (Live)
Friday 12:30-2:30 p.m. (Live)
Saturday 9:30-11:30 p.m. (Tape delay) / 4-6 p.m. (Live streaming on Golf Live Extra)
Sunday 7-9 p.m. (Tape delay) / 4-6 p.m. (Live streaming on Golf Live Extra)
Broadcast Notes:
Rodgers to be featured in “High Honors”: This week, Golf Channel’s coverage of the Web.com Tour will introduce a new player feature, “High Honors”, focusing on a recent graduate and looking back on his success in NCAA collegiate golf. Patrick Rodgers will be the first player featured, with Golf Channel’s Steve Burkowski looking back on Rodgers’ successful career at Stanford. Also included as part of the feature, Stanford Men’s Golf coach Conrad Ray will call-in to discuss Rodgers’ accomplishments for the Cardinal during his tenure at the university level.
Werenski, winner of Big Break The Palm Beaches, FL in the field: Richy Werenski, winner of Golf Channel’s Big Break the Palm Beaches, FL, which finished airing just over a week ago, is in the field this week, and will be featured during the tournament telecast.
Headlining the field: Jason Allred, Tommy Gainey, Matthew Goggin, Oliver Goss, Trevor Immelman, Patrick Rodgers, Michael Kim, Kelly Kraft, Andrew Landry and Li Haotong.
Golf Channel Broadcast Team:
Play by Play: Whit Watson
Analyst: Craig Perks
Tower: Steve Burkowski
On-Course: Phil Blackmar / Kay Cockerill
-NBC Sports Group-
