NBC SPORTS GROUP KICKS OFF FIRST OF 33 LPGA TOUR EVENTS IN 2020 WITH DIAMOND RESORTS TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS

Four of Five Majors, Summer Olympics in Tokyo and UL International Crown Contribute to Most Number of Events and Hours of Women’s Golf in a Single Year Ever

Hall-of-Famer Judy Rankin Returns for 10^th Season as GOLF Channel’s LPGA Tour Lead Analyst, 36^th Overall

ORLANDO, Fla.,  – 2020 will feature the most number of hours and events ever dedicated to women’s golf across NBC Sports, headlined by a global schedule of 33 LPGA Tour events that includes live coverage of four of five major championships and the biennial UL International Crown team competition.

With the addition of the Summer Olympics in Tokyo, the NCAA Women’s Golf Championships and the Augusta National Women’s Amateur, NBC Sports will produce more than 500 tournament hours of women’s golf coverage in 2020, the most hours and events ever dedicated to the women’s game in a single year.

As we celebrate the 70^th anniversary of the LPGA Tour, I can’t help but wonder what our 13 Founders would think to hear that women’s golf will see more than 500 hours of television coverage, distributed to over 160 countries,” said LPGA Commissioner Mike Whan. “Without GOLF Channel and NBC, our long-time and trusted partners, we would not have the opportunity to share the inspiring stories of our athletes. 2020 is going to be a record-setting year from the LPGA Tour in terms of purse, TV and Members connected to our brand. I can’t wait for our fans around the world to see it all unfold.”

“With the LPGA Tour, four of five majors, Tokyo Olympics and the UL International Crown airing across NBC Sports, we are the television home for women’s golf,” said Molly Solomon, executive producer, GOLF Channel and NBC Olympics. “In 2020, we’ll deliver our most hours ever dedicated to the women’s game and elevate the LPGA Tour’s stars as they travel the globe on this international tour.”

DIAMOND RESORTS TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS KICKS OFF 2020 SEASON

The 2020 LPGA Tour season kicks off Thursday in Orlando, Fla., with the Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions presented by Insurance Office of America. The winner’s-only event features 26 LPGA Tour winners from the past two seasons, joined by 49 celebrities from the world of sports and entertainment. GOLF Channel will air live coverage Thursday and Friday (Noon-3 p.m. ET). Weekend coverage will air on GOLF Channel from 2-3 p.m. ET, continuing on NBC from 3-5 p.m. ET.

For the second consecutive year, NBC will bookend the LPGA Tour season, beginning this week with coverage from the Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions and concluding in November with live coverage of the CME Group Tour Championship.

Paige Mackenzie will serve as lead analyst for live tournament coverage of the Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions, joined by Grant Boone as play-by-play host. Tom Abbott will serve as a hole announcer with Jerry Foltz and Karen Stupples reporting from the course. Damon Hack will conduct interviews with celebrities and players during the tournament telecasts.

FOUR OF FIVE MAJOR CHAMPIONSHIPS, 2020 SUMMER OLYMPICS AND UL INTERNATIONAL CROWN HEADLINE SUMMER STRETCH

NBC Sports Group will air coverage from 33 LPGA Tour events in 2020, headlined by live coverage of four of the five major championships: the ANA Inspiration (March 30-April 5); the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship (June 25-28); The Evian Championship (July 22-26); and the AIG Women’s British Open (Aug. 20-23).

In August, women’s golf will take center stage across NBC Sports during a four-week stretch featuring the Summer Olympics, AIG Women’s British Open and UL International Crown. Kicking off August will be the return of the Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan. The world’s top players will convene upon Kasumigaseki Country Club, with GOLF Channel and NBC airing comprehensive coverage of the women’s golf competition, Wednesday-Saturday, Aug. 5-8. The LPGA Tour will then head to Scotland for two weeks, with the Aberdeen Standard Investments Ladies Scottish Open and the AIG Women’s British Open – the latter taking place at historic Royal Troon Golf Club – culminating with the biennial UL International Crown team competition taking place in England.

HALL-OF-FAMER JUDY RANKIN RETURNS FOR 10^TH SEASON AS GOLF CHANNEL ANALYST; 36^TH YEAR IN TELEVISION

Hall-of-Famer and 26-time LPGA Tour winner Judy Rankin returns for her 10^th season as GOLF Channel’s lead LPGA Tour analyst, and 36^th season overall in television. Rankin will join play-by-play host Grant Boone at the newly minted Gainbridge LPGA at Boca Rio (Jan. 23-26), taking place in Boca Raton, Fla., her first of 13 events in the broadcast booth.

Stupples and Mackenzie will rotate with Rankin as lead LPGA Tour analysts in 2020. Boone, Terry Gannon and Whit Watson will serve as play-by-play hosts, joined by Tom Abbott, Kay Cockerill, Foltz, and Jim Gallagher, Jr as hole announcers and course reporters throughout the season.

NCAA WOMEN’S GOLF CHAMPIONSHIPS AND AUGUSTA NATIONAL WOMEN’S AMATEUR SHOWCASE FUTURE STARS OF WOMEN’S GOLF

Also in 2020, GOLF Channel and NBC will shine a spotlight on women’s golf future stars with live coverage of the NCAA Division I Women’s Golf Championships (May 25-28) from Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Ariz.; and the second- annual Augusta National Women’s Amateur, taking place at historic Augusta National Golf Club (April 1-4).

NBC Sports Group 2020 LPGA Tour Schedule

ABOUT THE LPGA

The LPGA is the world’s leading professional golf organization for women. Founded in 1950 and headquartered in Daytona Beach, Fla., the association celebrates a diverse and storied membership with more than 2,300 members representing more than 30 countries. With a vision to inspire, empower, educate and entertain by showcasing the very best of women’s golf, LPGA Tour Professionals compete across the globe, while the Symetra Tour, the official development and qualifying tour of the LPGA, consistently produces a pipeline of talent ready for the world stage. Additionally, LPGA Teaching and Club Professionals directly impact the game through teaching, coaching and management.

The LPGA demonstrates its dedication to the development of the game through The LPGA Foundation. Since 1991, this charitable organization has been committed to empowering and supporting girls and women through developmental, humanitarian and golf community initiatives, including LPGA*USGA Girls Golf, the LPGA Women’s Network and the LPGA Amateur Golf Association.

Follow the LPGA on its television home, Golf Channel, and on the web via www.LPGA.com. Join the social conversation at www.facebook.com/lpga, www.twitter.com/lpga and www.youtube.com/lpgavideo, and on Instagram and Snapchat at @lpga_tour.

ABOUT NBC SPORTS GROUP’S GOLF DIVISION

NBC Sports Group’s GOLF division delivers multimedia golf content, technology and services. Anchored by GOLF Channel – co-founded by Arnold Palmer in 1995 – GOLF content is available to nearly 500 million viewers in nine languages across more than 70 countries around the world. GOLF features more live coverage of the sport than all other U.S. networks combined, including global tournament action from the PGA TOUR, LPGA Tour, European Tour, NCAA, THE PLAYERS, The Open, Olympics, Presidents Cup and Ryder Cup, as well as high-quality news, instruction and original programming. Delivering unmatched coverage from the world of golf via GOLF Digital, fans can access 24/7 live streaming through the NBC Sports App, as well as complementary coverage via PGA TOUR LIVE on NBC Sports Gold. In addition to these all-encompassing media platforms, NBC Sports connects the world to golf through a wide array of technology and lifestyle services, including: GOLFNOW, the world’s largest online tee time booking platform; GOLF Business Solutions, solving business needs through leading technology, marketing and services; GOLFPASS, an all-in-one digital membership delivering comprehensive benefits tailored to the modern golfer’s lifestyle; Revolution GOLF, the world’s largest direct-to-consumer digital platform in golf, offering best-in-class video instruction and game improvement products; GOLF Advisor, the ultimate digital destination for the traveling golfer, featuring the largest number of user-generated golf course ratings and reviews in the industry; GOLF Academy, a North American network of instructional facilities; and GOLF Am Tour, the world’s largest amateur golf tour. GOLF’s global reach originates from its world headquarters in Orlando, Fla., and extends to its international office in Belfast, Northern Ireland; regional offices across North America, Europe and Australia; and also includes collaborations with Sky Sports and serving as the Official Media Partner of St Andrews Links.

-NBC Sports Group-

Media Contacts:
Jeremy Friedman
Golf Channel Communications
407-355-4058
Jeremy.Friedman@golfchannel.com

Christina Lance
Senior Manager, Tour Media, LPGA
908-963-1691
Christina.Lance@lpga.com