Spieth, Matsuyama Lead First Full-Field PGA TOUR Event of 2017 at Sony Open in Hawaii, Airing in Primetime on Golf Channel
World No. 2 McIlroy to Make 2017 Debut at BMW South African Open
PGA TOUR Champions, LPGA Players Join Celebrities to Compete at Diamond Resorts Invitational, Friday-Sunday, Jan. 13-15 in Orlando
Bahamas Great Exuma Classic Continues on Web.com Tour; Third and Final Round Coverage Tuesday-Wednesday, Jan. 10-11 on Golf Channel
ORLANDO, Fla. (Jan. 10, 2017) – The PGA TOUR shifts to Honolulu this week for the Sony Open in Hawaii. Hideki Matsuyama, Jordan Spieth and Justin Rose headline the TOUR’s first full-field event of 2017. World No. 2 Rory McIlroy will make his 2017 debut – and first start since the DP World Tour Championship in November – at this week’s BMW South African Open. Ernie Els, Nick Faldo and Darren Clarke also are in the field. PGA TOUR Champions and LPGA players will team up with celebrities this weekend at the Diamond Resorts Invitational in Orlando. Each competitor will play their own ball in a modified stableford format. And the Bahamas Great Exuma Classic continues with third and final round coverage Tuesday-Wednesday on Golf Channel.
PGA TOUR
Sony Open in Hawaii
Dates: Jan. 12-15
Venue: Waialae Country Club, Honolulu, Hawaii
Tournament Airtimes on Golf Channel (Eastern):
Thursday 7-10:30 p.m. (Live) / 11 p.m.-2:30 a.m. (Replay)
Friday 7-10:30 p.m. (Live) / 11 p.m.-2:30 a.m. (Replay)
Saturday 7-10:30 p.m. (Live) / 11:30 p.m.-3 a.m. (Replay)
Sunday 6-10 p.m. (Live) / 11 p.m.-3 a.m. (Replay)
Golf Central Pre and Post Round Coverage on Golf Channel (Eastern):
Thursday 6-7 p.m. (Live) / 10:30-11 p.m. (Live)
Friday 6:30-7 p.m. (Live) / 10:30-11 p.m. (Live)
Saturday 6:30-7 p.m. (Live) / 10:30-11:30 p.m. (Live)
Sunday 5:30-6 p.m. (Live) / 10-11 p.m. (Live)
Broadcast Notes:
Golf Central on-site from Waialae: Golf Channel’s daily evening news program – Golf Central – will originate from an on-site location at Waialae Country Club, Thursday-Sunday for pre-and post-round wraparound coverage surrounding each day of competition. Ryan Burr will serve as host, while Notah Begay and Brandel Chamblee will offer analysis, and Todd Lewis will provide updates and conduct player interviews.
Gomez defends: Fabian Gomez outlasted Brandt Snedeker with a birdie on the second playoff hole to earn his second PGA TOUR victory.
Headlining the Field: Hideki Matsuyama, Jordan Spieth, Justin Rose, Justin Thomas, Paul Casey, Jimmy Walker, Zach Johnson, Branden Grace, William McGirt and Bill Haas.
Broadcast Team:
Play by Play: Steve Sands
Analyst: Frank Nobilo
Tower: Curt Byrum
On-Course: Mark Rolfing / Billy Ray Brown / Jerry Foltz
Interviews: Todd Lewis
Golf Central Broadcast Team:
Host: Ryan Burr
Analyst: Notah Begay / Brandel Chamblee
Reporter: Todd Lewis
EUROPEAN TOUR
BMW South African Open
Dates: Jan. 12-15
Venue: Glendower Golf Club, City of Ekurhuleni, South Africa
Tournament Airtimes on Golf Channel (Eastern)
Thursday 3-5 a.m. / 7-10 a.m. (Live) / 1:30-4:30 p.m. (Replay)
Friday 3-5 a.m. / 7-10 a.m. (Live)
Saturday 5-9:30 a.m. (Live)
Sunday 5-9:30 a.m. (Live)
Broadcast Notes:
McIlroy to make 2017 debut: World No. 2 Rory McIlroy is set to make his 2017 debut this week in South Africa, marking his return to competition for the first time since the DP World Tour Championship in November.
Stone defends: Brandon Stone finished two shots ahead of Christiaan Bezuidenhout to earn his first career European Tour win.
Headlining the Field: Rory McIlroy, Ernie Els, Nick Faldo, Retief Goosen, Andy Sullivan, Darren Clarke, Brandon Stone and Curtis Luck (a).
Broadcast Team:
Studio Host: Jay Townsend
Play by Play: Dougie Donnelly
Analyst: Denis Hutchinson / Warren Humphreys
On-Course: Julian Tutt
Diamond Resorts Invitational
Dates: Jan. 13-15
Venue: Tranquilo Golf Club at Four Seasons Resort Orlando, Lake Buena Vista, Fla.
Tournament Airtimes on Golf Channel (Eastern)
Friday 1:30-4:30 p.m. (Live)
Saturday 1:30-4:30 p.m. (Live)
Sunday 1-4 p.m. (Live)
Broadcast Notes:
Format: This is the fourth edition of the event, but the first time where PGA TOUR Champions and LPGA Tour players will compete alongside celebrities. All professionals and celebrities will play their own ball and compete over 54 holes in a modified stableford format. Each group will feature one professional and two celebrities
PGA TOUR Champions players in the field: John Daly, Colin Montgomerie, Kenny Perry, John Cook, Lee Janzen, Mark Calcavecchia, Paul Broadhurst, Woody Austin and Ian Woosnam.\
LPGA Tour players in the field: Brooke Henderson, Lexi Thompson, Brittany Lincicome, Brittany Lang.
Notable celebrities in the field: Roger Clemens, Josh Donaldson, Mardy Fish, Colt Ford, Tom Glavine, Reggie Jackson, Greg Maddux, Mark Mulder, Jake Owen, Alfonso Ribeiro and John Smoltz.
Broadcast Team:
Play by Play: Bob Papa
Analyst: Lanny Wadkins
Tower: Tom Abbott
On-Course: Karen Stupples / Phil Blackmar
Interviews: Damon Hack
WEB.COM TOUR
Bahamas Great Exuma Classic
Dates: Jan. 8-11
Venue: Sandals Emerald Bay (Emerald Reef Course), Great Exuma, Bahamas
Tournament Airtimes on Golf Channel (Eastern)
Wednesday 2:30-4:30 p.m. (Live) / 5:30-7:30 p.m. (Replay)
Golf Central Pre and Post Round Coverage on Golf Channel (Eastern):
Wednesday 2-2:30 p.m. (Live) / 4:30-5:30 p.m. (Live)
Broadcast Notes:
Inaugural event (Sunday-Wednesday) kicks off 2017 Web.com Tour season: The inaugural Bahamas Great Exuma Classic will mark the beginning of the 2017 Web.Com Tour season, and will be contested from Sunday-Wednesday, Jan. 8-11, as the first of 26 official events on the Tour’s 2017 schedule. Later this month, Golf Channel also will televise the Web.com Tour’s Great Abaco Classic, also being staged as a Sunday-Wednesday event, Jan. 22-25.
Broadcast Team:
Play by Play: Grant Boone
Analyst: Craig Perks
Tower: Steve Burkowski
On-Course: Tripp Isenhour / Gary Christian
-NBC Sports Group-
