Fowler, Watson Headline at Waste Management Phoenix Open, with NBC Sports Group Dedicating More Than 25 Hours of Live Programming On-Site
Ko to Make 2016 Debut at Coates Golf Championship; Lee & Pettersen Paired Together for 1st Time Since Solheim Cup, Airing Wednesday-Saturday
McIlroy Returning to Familiar Setting to Defend Omega Dubai Desert Classic
PGA TOUR Champions Shifts to South Florida for Allianz Championship
ORLANDO, Fla. (Feb. 2, 2016) – NBC Sports Group will feature more than 25 hours of live programming from on-site TPC Scottsdale surrounding the Waste Management Phoenix Open, including tournament coverage on Golf Channel and NBC, and Golf Central originating from an embedded set location within the raucous par-3 16th hole “coliseum.” Veteran on-course reporter and one of golf’s most animated personalities – David Feherty – is set to make his NBC Sports Group live tournament debut as lead analyst during Thursday-Friday first and second round coverage on Golf Channel. World No. 1 Lydia Ko is set to make her first start of 2016 on the LGPA Tour at the Coates Golf Championship, airing Wednesday-Saturday on Golf Channel. Alison Lee and Suzann Pettersen are paired together for the first two rounds, which will be the first time the two will compete alongside one another since their controversial match at the 2015 Solheim Cup. World No. 3 Rory McIlroy will look to defend his title at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic, an event he has won twice in his career. And the PGA TOUR Champions returns with the Allianz Championship in Boca Raton, Fla.
PGA TOUR
Waste Management Phoenix Open
Dates: Feb. 4-7
Venue: TPC Scottsdale (Stadium Course), Scottsdale, Ariz.
Tournament Airtimes on Golf Channel (Eastern):
Thursday 3-7 p.m. (Live) / 8 p.m.-Midnight (Replay)
Friday 3-7 p.m. (Live) / 10 p.m.-2 a.m. (Replay)
Saturday 1-3 p.m. (Live) / 8 p.m.-1 a.m. (Replay)
Sunday 1-3 p.m. (Live) / 6:30-11:30 p.m. (Replay)
Tournament Airtimes on NBC (Eastern):
Saturday 3-6 p.m. (Live)
Sunday 3-6 p.m. (Live)
Broadcast Notes:
Feherty debut: David Feherty, joining NBC Sports Group exclusively in 2016 following a nearly 20-year career with CBS as an on-course reporter, will make his live tournament debut this week. Feherty will join Rich Lerner in the 18th tower as lead analyst for Golf Channel’s first and second round coverage Thursday-Friday, and he’ll transition to his familiar on-course reporter role during Saturday-Sunday afternoon coverage on NBC.
Golf Central on-site from raucous par-3 16th hole: Golf Central, the network’s signature evening news program, will originate from on-site, embedded within TPC Scottsdale’s 16th hole spectator “coliseum.” The show, which will feature live news and analysis leading in and out of live tournament coverage, will be hosted by Kelly Tilghman, and feature Brandel Chamblee and Arron Oberholser as analysts, with George Savaricas providing reports and player interviews.
Largest crowds on PGA TOUR: The event attracts the largest galleries on the PGA TOUR, with a record 564,000 in attendance throughout the week in 2015, including nearly 160,000 during Saturday’s third round alone.
Koepka defends: Brooks Koepka finished one shot ahead of Hideki Matsuyama, Ryan Palmer and Bubba Watson for his first career PGA TOUR win.
Headlining the field: Rickie Fowler, Bubba Watson, Zach Johnson, Kevin Kisner, Phil Mickelson, Brandt Snedeker, Hideki Matsuyama, Justin Thomas and Brooks Koepka.
LPGA TOUR
Coates Golf Championship
Dates: Feb. 3-6
Venue: Golden Ocala Golf & Equestrian Club, Ocala, Fla.
Tournament Airtimes on Golf Channel (Eastern):
Wednesday 2-5:30 p.m. (Live) / 6:30-10 p.m. (Replay)
Thursday 11 a.m.-2 p.m. (Live)
Friday 8-10 p.m. (Tape delay) / 3-5 pm. (Streaming on Golf Live Extra)
Saturday 3-5 p.m. (Live)
Broadcast Notes:
Pettersen & Lee paired together for first time since controversial Solheim Cup match: Alison Lee and Suzann Pettersen – the two players at the center of last fall’s controversial moment in the 2015 Solheim Cup – will be paired together for the first two rounds this week. Wednesday’s opening round 12:25 p.m. ET tee time will feature Lee and Pettersen playing alongside Stacy Lewis.
Choi defends: Na Yeon Choi defeated Lydia Ko, Ha Na Jang and Jessica Korda by one stroke for her eighth LPGA Tour win.
Headlining the field: Lydia Ko, Stacy Lewis, Lexi Thompson, So Yeon Ryu, Sei Young Kim, Cristie Kerr, Suzann Pettersen, Anna Nordqvist, Brooke Henderson, Charley Hull and Alison Lee.
EUROPEAN TOUR
Omega Dubai Desert Classic
Dates: Feb. 4-7
Venue: Emirates Golf Club (Majlis Course), Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Tournament Airtimes on Golf Channel (Eastern):
Thursday 11 p.m.-4 a.m. (Live, Wednesday Overnight) / 6:30-8:30 a.m. (Live)
Friday 2:30-8:30 a.m. (Live)
Saturday 4-8 a.m. (Live) / 10 a.m.-Noon (Replay)
Sunday 3:30-8 a.m. (Live) / 10 a.m.-Noon (Replay)
Broadcast Notes:
McIlroy defends: Rory McIlroy won by three shots over Alex Noren to earn his 10th career European Tour victory, and his second time winning the Omega Dubai Desert Classic.
Headlining the field: Rory McIlroy, Henrik Stenson, Ernie Els, Matthew Fitzpatrick, Miguel Angel Jimenez, Martin Kaymer, Bryson DeChambeau (a), Danny Willett and Lee Westwood.
PGA TOUR CHAMPIONS
Allianz Championship
Dates: Feb. 5-7
Venue: Broken Sound Club (Old Course), Boca Raton, Fla.
Tournament Airtimes on Golf Channel (Eastern):
Friday 11 a.m.-2 p.m. (Live)
Saturday 5-7 p.m. (Tape delay) / 3-5 p.m. (Streaming on Golf Live Extra)
Sunday 3-5 p.m. (Tape delay) / 2-4 p.m. (Streaming on Golf Live Extra)
Broadcast Notes:
Goydos defends: Paul Goydos finished one stroke ahead of Gene Sauers for his second career PGA TOUR Champions win.
Headlining the field: Bernhard Langer, Colin Montgomerie, Jeff Maggert, Jay Haas, Kenny Perry, Tom Lehman, Duffy Waldorf, Mark O’Meara, Jesper Parnevik and Nick Price.
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