More than 90 hours of live television devoted to the pride of the
PGA Tour schedule, featuring the year’s top field of players;
22 hours of live tournament coverage, highlighted by one of
Golf Channel’s and NBC’s most technologically advanced productions
ORLANDO, Fla. (April 28, 2015) – The dramatic setting of the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass and its famous 17th hole will provide the backdrop for THE PLAYERS Championship, headlining more than 90 hours of combined live programming on Golf Channel and Golf Channel on NBC, May 4-10.
Boasting the strongest field of the year competing on one of the world’s most iconic golf courses, THE PLAYERS Championship is the most-anticipated tournament on the PGA TOUR schedule. A combined 22 hours of live golf coverage will air on both Golf Channel and NBC, which will be blanketed by nearly 70 live hours of the most comprehensive golf news, analysis and feature programming on television, with Golf Central’s Live From THE PLAYERS and Morning Drive.
BROADCAST TEAM: Golf Channel on NBC’s live tournament coverage of THE PLAYERS Championship will be anchored by Dan Hicks and Hall-of-Famer Johnny Miller. Terry Gannon and Sir Nick Faldo will host the majority of early round coverage on Golf Channel, with Hicks and Miller contributing. The remainder of the broadcast team for all four rounds will include Gary Koch (17th hole) and Peter Jacobsen (15th hole) in tower positions; Notah Begay, Billy Ray Brown, Roger Maltbie and Mark Rolfing walking with the players; Steve Sands conducting interviews; and Jimmy Roberts providing features and essays. Kelly Tilghman will serve as tournament telecast host for Golf Channel’s early round coverage, while Josh Elliott will again host NBC’s weekend coverage.
Rich Lerner, Tilghman and Ryan Burr will anchor Golf Central’s Live From THE PLAYERS coverage from TPC Sawgrass and will be joined by analysts Brandel Chamblee, Frank Nobilo, 1999 PLAYERS Champion David Duval and a host of others, including award-winning journalists Tim Rosaforte and John Feinstein. Lisa Cornwell and George Savaricas will host from Golf Channel’s World Headquarters in Orlando, and will be joined by analysts Jim Gallagher Jr. and Tripp Isenhour.
SPECIAL PRODUCTION ELEMENTS: Every conceivable angle of the famous par-3, 17th hole and its island green will be covered by Golf Channel on NBC’s production team. A total of nine high-definition cameras, including a microscopic lens embedded in the lip of the small bunker fronting the green, will be in place. Returning is the popular “Actioncam,” a cable-suspended camera system that will fly over the lake between the 16th and 17th greens. A camera also will be situated behind the 14th tee that will provide a seldom seen, reverse ball-flight for one of the more difficult tee shots on the course.
Some of the manned camera positions also are noteworthy, including a position lifted by a crane 150 feet into the air above the tree line that will show unique shots of the 16th, 17th, and 18th holes. Another camera operator is ferried to a small island near the 17th green where he is marooned for approximately eight hours during a broadcast, capturing player reactions from this unique angle.
FEATURES: Throughout the week within Live From THE PLAYERS, Golf Channel will offer in-depth features built around the best stories in golf, both compelling and entertaining:
• The 18th – arguably the most challenging finishing hole in golf, the 18th hole at TPC Sawgrass has seen remarkable moments of victory and defeat. Interviewed are course architects Pete and Alice Dye, and some of the more famous moments at 18 are recalled, including Hal Sutton’s “Be the right club today” moment, Adam Scott’s splashdown and the amazing three-hole finish of Golf Channel analyst Craig Perks in 2002.
• Furyk – heading to THE PLAYERS Championship – always a home game for Jim Furyk – take a look at this enigmatic player’s career and the resiliency he has shown over the last five years enduring seven runner-up finishes without a win until his recent victory at the RBC Heritage.
• Players and Caddies – it’s a relationship comparable to marriage, so how do players and caddies handle the balance of professional and personal required to be successful on tour? Rich Lerner reports.
• Jason Day – he’s a regular on major championship leaderboards and is frequently mentioned as part of the youth movement on the PGA TOUR. Discover the Jason Day story and how his caddie has played a major role in his life and success.
MORNING DRIVE: With a new set location at TPC Sawgrass, Morning Drive will have a live presence on site all week with analysis, guests and features exclusive to the show. Beginning each day with the latest news from THE PLAYERS Championship will be Gary Williams, Cara Robinson, Charlie Rymer, Chris DiMarco, Paige MacKenzie and Matt Ginella.
THE GOLF FIX: Host Michael Breed will take over TPC Sawgrass’ practice putting green for the first-ever live putting episode of The Golf Fix on Monday, May 4 at 6 p.m. ET. Breed will look back at the most famous putts in the history of THE PLAYERS, and will teach viewers the tricks to reading greens, things to consider when lag putting and how to determine if you are a “spot” or “line” putter. Junior golfers from The First Tee of North Florida also will participate in the show to help demonstrate Breed’s instruction tips on putting.
DIGITAL CONTENT: GolfChannel.com will feature expanded editorial content during THE PLAYERS Championship week, with up-to-the-minute blogs and fan interaction, including:
News & Features – GolfChannel.com writers Rex Hoggard, Randall Mell, Joe Posnanski and Will Gray will be reporting from TPC Sawgrass and posting features throughout the week.
Exclusive Video Content – GolfChannel.com will provide video updates daily throughout the week from the network’s digital studio in Orlando, as well as segments from Golf Central’s Live From THE PLAYERS and Morning Drive news coverage.
STREAMING ON GOLF LIVE EXTRA/NBC SPORTS LIVE EXTRA: All the news and tournament action surrounding THE PLAYERS Championship can be accessed at any time on any mobile device and online through the help of Golf Channel’s Golf Live Extra. Fans also can stream Golf Channel on NBC coverage of live golf with NBC Sports Live Extra.
Golf Channel/NBC live programming from THE PLAYERS Championship, May 4-10 (all times Eastern):
Monday, May 4
Morning Drive 7-11 a.m.
The Golf Fix 6-7 p.m.
Golf Central’s Live From THE PLAYERS 7-8:30 p.m.
Tuesday, May 5
Morning Drive 7-9 a.m.
Golf Central’s Live From THE PLAYERS 9 a.m.-5 pm.
6-9 p.m.
Wednesday, May 6
Morning Drive 7-9 a.m.
Golf Central’s Live From THE PLAYERS 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
7-9 p.m.
Thursday, May 7
Morning Drive 6-9 a.m.
Golf Central’s Live From THE PLAYERS 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
THE PLAYERS Championship 1-7 p.m.
Golf Central’s Live From THE PLAYERS 7-9 p.m.
Friday, May 8
Morning Drive 6-9 a.m.
Golf Central’s Live From THE PLAYERS 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
THE PLAYERS Championship 1-7 p.m.
Golf Central’s Live From THE PLAYERS 7-9 p.m.
Saturday, May 10
Morning Drive 6-9 a.m.
Golf Central’s Live From THE PLAYERS 9 a.m.-2 p.m.
THE PLAYERS Championship 2-7 p.m. (NBC)
Golf Central’s Live From THE PLAYERS 7-9 p.m.
Sunday, May 11
Morning Drive 6-9 a.m.
Golf Central’s Live From THE PLAYERS 9 a.m.-2 p.m.
THE PLAYERS Championship 2-7 p.m. (NBC)
Golf Central’s Live From THE PLAYERS 7-9 p.m.
Contact:
David Schaefer
Golf Channel Communications
David.Schaefer@golfchannel.com
407-429-8402
Dan Higgins
Golf Channel Communications
Dan.Higgins@golfchannel.com
407-355-4018
Jeremy Friedman
Golf Channel Communications
Jeremy.Friedman@golfchannel.com
407-355-4058
Jeff Szklinski
Golf Channel Communications
Jeff.Szklinski@golfchannel.com
407-248-3267
