LPGA Tour’s Kia Classic Airing in Primetime on Golf Channel;
Final Opportunity for Players to Earn Spot in International Crown Field
Golf Channel to air Live Coverage of the Inaugural Eurasia Cup,
Featuring Team Europe vs. Team Asia
ORLANDO, Fla., (March 25, 2014) – The PGA TOUR shifts to Texas this week with Phil Mickelson headlining the field, making his first start at the Valero Texas Open since 1992 as a rookie. Golf Channel and NBC Sports will provide 20 combined hours of live golf, including Golf Channel’s weekend Spotlight coverage, which will be featured for the first time in the history of the event and focus on holes 16-18 at TPC San Antonio. The LPGA Tour returns to Southern California for the Kia Classic where players will have one final opportunity to secure their spot to represent their country in the inaugural International Crown field, the global team competition taking place outside of Baltimore in July. The Eurasia Cup – a new event co-sanctioned by the European Tour and Asian Tour – introduces a Ryder Cup-style team competition captained by Miguel Angel Jimenez (Europe) and Thongchai Jaidee (Asia). The inaugural event gets underway on Wednesday night with 6.5 hours of live coverage on Golf Channel, featuring 10 professionals from each continent matched against one another over three days, culminating with 10 singles matches late Friday night.
PGA TOUR
Valero Texas Open
Dates: March 27-30
Venue: AT&T Oaks Course, TPC San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas
Tournament Airtimes On Golf Channel (Eastern):
Thursday 3-6 p.m. (Live) / 9 p.m.-Midnight (Replay)
Friday 3-6 p.m. (Live) / 9 p.m.-Midnight (Replay)
Saturday 1-3 p.m. (Live) / 3-5 p.m. (Live, Spotlight Coverage) / 9:30 p.m-2:30 a.m. (Replay)
Sunday 1-3 p.m. (Live) / 3-5 p.m. (Live, Spotlight Coverage) / 9 p.m.-2 a.m. (Replay)
Tournament Airtimes On NBC (Eastern):
Saturday 3-6 p.m. (Live)
Sunday 3-6 p.m. (Live)
Broadcast Notes:
Mickelson Returns to San Antonio: Phil Mickelson will make his first appearance in the Valero Texas Open since he finished T-47 in 1992, and is seeking his first top-10 finish of the 2013-2014 PGA TOUR season.
Golf Channel Weekend Spotlight Coverage: Golf Channel will offer its weekend Spotlight coverage for the first time at the Valero Texas Open this week. Coverage will focus on holes 16-18 at TPC San Antonio, and include both Protracer and Trackman technologies throughout the telecast.
Laird Defends: Martin Laird finished two shots ahead of Rory McIlroy, courtesy of a final-round 63 to earn his third-career PGA TOUR victory in last year’s event.
Headlining the Field: Phil Mickelson, Matt Kuchar, Zach Johnson, Jim Furyk, Jimmy Walker, Ernie Els, Jordan Spieth, Padraig Harrington, Ryan Moore and Charley Hoffman.
Golf Channel / NBC Sports Broadcast Team:
Play by Play: Steve Sands (Golf Channel) / Dan Hicks (NBC)
Analyst: Frank Nobilo (Golf Channel) / Johnny Miller (NBC)
Tower: Gary Koch / Peter Jacobsen
On Course: Roger Maltbie / Mark Rolfing / Notah Begay
Interviews: Scott Walker (Golf Channel) / Steve Sands (NBC)
Golf Channel Spotlight Broadcast Team:
Play by Play: Whit Watson
Analyst: Curt Byrum
Tower: Frank Nobilo
On Course: Craig Perks
Interviews: Scott Walker
LPGA TOUR
Kia Classic
Dates: March 27-30
Venue: Aviara Golf Club, Carlsbad, Calif.
Tournament Airtimes On Golf Channel (Eastern):
Thursday 6:30-9 p.m. (Live)
Friday 6:30-9 p.m. (Live) / 3-4:30 a.m. (Replay)
Saturday 7-9 p.m. (Live)
Sunday 7-9 p.m. (Live)
Broadcast Notes:
Final Opportunity to Quality for International Crown: This week marks the final opportunity for players to qualify to compete in the inaugural International Crown event, the global team competition being held outside of Baltimore in July.
Amy Anderson Featured in Rookie Spotlight: This week’s rookie spotlight profiles Amy Anderson as she adjusts to life on the LPGA Tour.
Recari Defends: Beatriz Recari defeated I.K. Kim on the second playoff hole to capture her second career LPGA Tour win in the 2013 Kia Classic.
Headlining the Field: Inbee Park, Suzann Pettersen, Stacy Lewis, Paula Creamer, Lexi Thompson, Michelle Wie, Lydia Ko, Karrie Webb, Na Yeon Choi and Beatriz Recari.
Golf Channel Broadcast Team:
Play by Play: Terry Gannon
Analyst: Judy Rankin
Tower: Tom Abbott
On Course: Karen Stupples / Jerry Foltz
EUROPEAN TOUR
Eurasia Cup presented by DRB-HICOM
Dates: March 26-28
Venue: Glenmarie Golf & Country Club, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Tournament Airtimes On Golf Channel (Eastern):
Wednesday 8:30 p.m.-3 a.m. (Live) / 9 a.m.-2:30 p.m. (Replay, Thursday)
Friday Midnight-3 a.m. (Live) / 9 a.m.-2:30 p.m. (Replay)
Saturday Midnight-3 a.m. (Live) / 4:30-11 a.m. (Replay)
Broadcast Notes:
Inaugural Showing: Co-sanctioned by the European Tour and Asian Tour, the Eurasia Cup is being staged for the first time, pitting 10 players each from Europe and Asia in a unique international competition. The event will become a biennial three-day Ryder Cup-style competition.
Tournament Format: The format will consist of five four-ball matches played on day one, five foursome matches on day two and 10 singles matches on the final day.
Team Europe: Miguel Angel Jimenez (playing captain), Thomas Bjorn, Jamie Donaldson, Victor Dubuisson, Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano, Stephen Gallacher, Pablo Larrazabal, Joost Luiten, Graeme McDowell and Thorbjorn Olesen.
Team Asia: Thongchai Jaidee (playing captain), Kiradech Aphibarnrat, Gaganjeet Bhullar, Nicholas Fung, Hyung-Sung Kim, Anirban Lahiri, Prayad Marksaeng, Koumei Oda, Siddikur Rahman and Hideto Tanihara.
Golf Channel Broadcast Team:
Studio Host: Steve Burkowski
Play by Play: Dougie Donnelly
Analyst: Warren Humphreys / Dom Boulet
On Course: Julian Tutt
-NBC Sports Group-
