NBC Sports Presents 20+ Hours of Live Tournament Coverage from TPC Sawgrass, Featuring More Than 10 On-Site Commentators
Live From THE PLAYERS Provides Daily Coverage From TPC Sawgrass, Continuing Tonight at 7 p.m. ET on GOLF Channel; More Than 40 Hours of Total Live From Coverage this Week
Various Features Surrounding THE PLAYERS Coverage, Including a Look Back at Last Year’s Events, the Brentwood Four, and Gary Koch’s Famous ‘Better Than Most’ Call
WATCH: Rory McIlroy Featured on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon; Jordan Spieth Joins Mike Tirico Live on The TODAY Show from 17th Hole at Sawgrass
PGA TOUR Viewership on NBC Up 30% in 2021
STAMFORD, Conn. – March 10, 2021 – THE PLAYERS Championship from TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., headlines NBC Sports’ PGA TOUR coverage this week on NBC and GOLF Channel. This year’s field at THE PLAYERS features last week’s Arnold Palmer Invitational winner Bryson DeChambeau, world No. 1 Dustin Johnson, Rory McIlroy, Justin Thomas, Jordan Spieth, and more.
In total, NBC Sports will have nearly 30 commentators and analysts covering this year’s tournament. Live From THE PLAYERS continues with on-site coverage on GOLF Channel tonight at 7 p.m. ET. For a complete schedule of coverage throughout the remainder of the week, click here.
Earlier this week, NBC Sports announced its comprehensive live coverage of THE PLAYERS Championship across NBC and GOLF Channel, including numerous in-depth features that will be spotlighted during Live From THE PLAYERS throughout the week. Click here for more info.
Ahead of THE PLAYERS, Rory McIlroy was a guest on Tuesday night’s edition of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, and Jordan Spieth appeared live with Mike Tirico on Wednesday morning’s edition of The TODAY Show from the iconic 17th hole at TPC Sawgrass.
Earlier this week in honor of THE PLAYERS, NASCAR on NBC commentators and avid golfers Rick Allen, Steve Letarte and Dale Jarrett discussed their thoughts surrounding the best golfers in NASCAR and their personal dream foursomes on the latest episode of NASCAR America Splash ‘N Go. Click here to view the episode.
Earlier today, NBC Sports announced significant viewership gains for the PGA TOUR to open the 2021 calendar year, delivering a 30% year-over-year viewership increase on NBC and a 24% increase for GOLF Channel/NBC tournament coverage through last week’s Arnold Palmer Invitational.
THE PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP FROM TPC SAWGRASS
NBC/GOLF Channel Broadcast Team
- Host: Mike Tirico
- Play by Play: Dan Hicks / Terry Gannon
- Analyst: Paul Azinger / Nick Faldo
- Tower: Gary Koch / David Feherty / Justin Leonard
- On-Course: Roger Maltbie / Jim “Bones” Mackay / John Wood
- Interviews: Steve Sands
- Essays: Jimmy Roberts
How To Watch – Thursday, March 11 – Sunday, March 14 (all times ET)
- TV – NBC, GOLF Channel
- Streaming – NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app
| Date | NBC | GOLF Channel |
| Thursday | Noon-6 p.m. | |
| Friday | Noon-6 p.m. | |
| Saturday | 1-6 p.m. | |
| Sunday | 1-6 p.m. |
Notable Players This Week
- Dustin Johnson
- Bryson DeChambeau
- Rory McIlroy
- Justin Thomas
- Jordan Spieth
- Patrick Reed
- Jon Rahm
- Xander Schauffele
- Collin Morikawa
EUROPEAN TOUR: COMMERCIAL BANK QATAR MASTERS
How To Watch – Thursday, March 11 – Sunday, March 14 (all times ET)
- TV – GOLF Channel
- Streaming – NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app
| Date | GOLF Channel |
| Thursday | 6:30-8:30 a.m. |
| Friday | 6:30-8:30 a.m. |
| Saturday | 2-6 p.m. |
| Sunday | 2-6 p.m. |
Notable Players This Week
- Thomas Pieters
- Brandon Stone
- Rasmus Hojgaard
- Justin Harding
- Jorge Campillo
BROADCAST NOTES
- 40+ Hours of Live From THE PLAYERS this Week on GOLF Channel: Live From THE PLAYERS coverage on GOLF Channel continues today, leading into pre-and post-tournament coverage Thursday-Sunday. This week’s Live From includes commentary and analysis from Anna Whiteley, Shane Bacon, Damon Hack, George Savaricas, Cara Banks, Rich Lerner, Brandel Chamblee, Justin Leonard, Jaime Diaz, Todd Lewis, Billy Kratzert, David Duval, Arron Oberholser, Notah Begay, Mark Rolfing, Steve Burkowski, Ryan Lavner, and Rex Hoggard.
| Date | Live From THE PLAYERS |
| Wednesday | 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; 7-9 p.m. |
| Thursday | 9 a.m.-Noon; 6-8 p.m. |
| Friday | 9 a.m.-Noon; 6-8 p.m. |
| Saturday | 9 a.m.-1 p.m.; 6-8 p.m. |
| Sunday | 9 a.m.-1 p.m.; 6-8 p.m. |
- THE PLAYERS Championship Features: Throughout the week on Live From, GOLF Channel is presenting features and profiles surrounding THE PLAYERS Championship:
- PGA TOUR Shutdown: A look back on the events that unfolded during last year’s THE PLAYERS Championship leading to the PGA TOUR’s decision to cancel the tournament and suspend the season at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, including interviews with PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan, Executive Director of THE PLAYERS Championship Jared Rice, and more.
- Brentwood Four: Depicts how four Black men fought to desegregate Brentwood Golf Course in Jacksonville and all public facilities throughout the city in the early 1960s.
- ‘Better Than Most’: A scientific breakdown of Tiger Woods’ iconic putt on the 17th hole at the 2001 THE PLAYERS Championship and the impact of NBC Sports’ Gary Koch’s famous call, featuring interviews with Koch, Dan Hicks and Jim ‘Bones’ Mackay.
- What Golf Did for Me: How the game of golf helped individuals cope with the COVID-19 pandemic in various ways.
- Golfchannel.com writer Ryan Lavner pens a piece on the events of last year’s tournament leading up to its cancelation.
--NBC SPORTS--
