Greg Norman Hosts Strong Field At Franklin Templeton Shootout in Naples on Golf Channel and NBC
Stenson Headlines Asian Tour’s Thailand Golf Championship
Players to Honor, Pay Homage At The Nelson Mandela Championship presented by ISPS Handa
PNC Father/Son Challenge Dates: December 14-15
Venue: Ritz-Carlton Golf Club, Orlando, Fla.
Golf Channel Airtimes (Eastern):
Saturday 2-4 p.m. (Tape Delay) / 9:30-11:30 p.m. (Replay)
Sunday 2-4 p.m. (Tape Delay) / 9:30 p.m.-1:30 a.m. (Replay)
NBC Airtimes (Eastern):
Saturday 4-6 p.m. (Tape Delay)
Sunday 4-6 p.m. (Tape Delay)
Broadcast Notes:
Event history: This is the 16th edition of the PNC Father/Son Challenge, and the second consecutive year being held at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club. There are 20 teams that make up the tournament field.
Select Eligibility: To be eligible for the event, the father must have won either a major championship or a PLAYERS Championship. The teams-of-two will compete in a scramble format for both rounds.
Pro-Am Airing on Golf Channel, Friday, 4 p.m.: Golf Channel will air the 2013 PNC Father/Son Pro-Am at 4 p.m. on Friday from Ritz-Carlton Golf Club.
Professionals in the Field: Stewart Cink, David Duval, Steve Elkington, Nick Faldo, Raymond Floyd, Hale Irwin, Lee Janzen, Bernhard Langer, Davis Love III, Sandy Lyle, Larry Nelson, Jack Nicklaus, Mark O’Meara, Nick Price, Dave Stockton, Curtis Strange, Vijay Singh, Lee Trevino, Lanny Wadkins and Fuzzy Zoeller.
Tournament Broadcast Team:
Dan Hicks (Play by Play)
Gary Koch (Analyst)
Steve Sands (Tower)
Notah Begay (On Course)
Roger Maltbie (On Course)
Jimmy Roberts (Essays / Interviews)
Franklin Templeton Shootout Dates: December 13-15
Venue: Tiburon GC, Naples, Fla.
Golf Channel Airtimes (Eastern):
Friday 1-4 p.m. (Live) / 6:30-9:30 p.m. (Replay)
Saturday 1-2 p.m. (Live) / 6:30-9:30 p.m. (Replay)
Sunday 1-2 p.m. (Live) / 6:30-9:30 p.m. (Replay)
NBC Airtimes (Eastern):
Saturday 2-4 p.m. (Live)
Sunday 2-4 p.m. (Live)
Broadcast Notes:
Team Format: 12 two-man teams make up the field that will compete in three formats: a modified alternate shot, a better-ball and a scramble in the event’s 25th showing. The team of Sean O’Hair and Kenny Perry will look to defend their 2012 title.
Shark in the Water: Greg Norman is the tournament host, and has held the event at Tiburon Golf Club since 2001. It is the second tournament in the last four weeks to be contested on Tiburon’s Gold Course, as the LPGA hosted its CME Group Titleholders there last month.
Headlining the Field: Jonas Blixt, Mark Calcavecchia, Chad Campbell, Graham DeLaet, Chris DiMarco, Jason Dufner, Harris English, Retief Goosen, Billy Horschel, Charles Howell III, Freddie Jacobson, Dustin Johnson, Jerry Kelly, Matt Kuchar, Justin Leonard, Greg Norman, Sean O’Hair, Kenny Perry, Ian Poulter, Rory Sabbatini, Steve Stricker, Scott Verplank, Mike Weir and Lee Westwood.
Tournament Broadcast Team:
Rich Lerner (Play by Play)
Frank Nobilo (Analyst)
Peter Jacobsen (Tower)
Jerry Foltz (On Course)
Scott McCarron (On Course)
Tom Abbott (Interviews)
Thailand Golf Championship Dates: December 12-15
Venue: Amata Spring Country Club, Chonburi, Thailand
Golf Channel Airtimes (Eastern):
Thursday 11:30 p.m.-4:30 a.m. (Live) / 10:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. (Replay)
Friday 11:30 p.m.-4:30 a.m. (Live) / 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. (Replay)
Saturday 11:30 p.m.-4:30 a.m. (Live) / 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. (Replay)
Sunday 11:30 p.m.-4:30 a.m. (Live) / 7:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. (Replay)
Broadcast Notes:
Schwartzel Defends: South African Charl Schwartzel had a commanding 11-shot victory at this event last year, after finishing runner-up in the 2011 event.
Gearing Up For The Finish: This week marks the final event of the 2013 calendar year on the Asian Tour. The official Asian Tour season will come to a close with two additional events in January 2014.
Headlining the Field: Henrik Stenson, Charl Schwartzel, Justin Rose, Bubba Watson, Hunter Mahan, Rickie Fowler, Sergio Garcia, Thongchai Jaidee, Ryo Ishikawa and Kiradech Aphibarnrat.
The Nelson Mandela Championship presented by ISPS Handa Dates: December 11-14
Venue: Mount Edgecombe CC, KwaZulu-Natal Province, Durban, South Africa
Golf Channel Airtimes (Eastern):
Wednesday 7:30-10:30 a.m. (Live)
Thursday 6:30-10:30 a.m. (Live)
Friday 5-9:30 a.m. (Live)
Saturday 5-9:30 a.m. (Live)
Broadcast Notes:
Paying Respects: This is the second edition of the Nelson Mandela Championship, and comes less than a week after the death of the former South African President and Nobel Peace Prize winner. Originally scheduled to begin on Thursday and end on Sunday, the tournament will now start one day earlier than scheduled (Wednesday) so as not to conflict with the state funeral for Mandela this Sunday. As with the inaugural event in 2012, all tournament proceeds will be donated to the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund that will assist in building the Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital in Johannesburg.
2013 Sendoff: Following this week’s event the European Tour will go on hiatus before resuming in 2014 with the Volvo Golf Champions in South Africa in January.
Headlining the Field: Branden Grace, Robert Rock, Scott Jamieson, Thomas Aiken, George Coetzee, Edoardo Molinari and Soren Hansen
Tournament Broadcast Team:
Dougie Donnelly (Play by Play)
Denis Hutchinson (Analyst)
Julian Tutt (Analyst)
Jay Townsend (On Course)
-NBC Sports Group-
