NBC and Golf Channel will be all over The Open Championship

NBC Sports has been looking forward to the day when it got back into the Major golf business and after losing the U.S. Open in 2014 to Fox, it was hoping to find an event to bring its Big Event strategy back to golf. Last year, it was able to do that by obtaining the rights to the Open Championship from ESPN and this week is the time when when the Peacock will be able apply some very interesting elements to the Open.

With Golf Channel in tow and airing its first men’s major championship, NBC Sports Group will begin its coverage with its popular “Live From” series from Royal Troon in Scotland where the 145th Open Championship is being held.

Live coverage of the Open begins early Thursday morning at 1:30 ET/late Wednesday night out west at 10:30 PT. And Mike Tirico who signed off ESPN’s coverage last year will be the first man to sign on NBC Sports Group’s coverage this year and he’ll hand off to Dan Hicks and Johnny Miller.

Altogether, NBC will provide almost 200 hours of live streaming coverage. DirecTV will be utilized for four channels including the network simulcast, first tee, marquee group and featured holes.

The 18th hole will have a rotation of Hicks/Miller, Terry Gannon/Sir Nick Faldo and Steve Sands/Frank Nobilo. As previously mentioned, Mike Tirico will be the tournament host. Others joining the coverage for all four rounds will be David Feherty, Peter Jacobsen, Notah Begay, Mark Rolfing and Bill Kratzert.

A special primetime edition of Golf Channel’s signature morning show, Morning Drive will transition into the Open on Wednesday night.

Here’s what NBC Sports Group is saying about its coverage of the 145th Open Championship:

NBC SPORTS GROUP KICKS OFF TODAY ITS ALL-ENCOMPASSING COVERAGE OF THE 145^TH OPEN

From First Tee Shot to Final Putt, NBC Sports’ Live Coverage Includes Return of The Open to Broadcast Television on NBC and Golf Channel’s First-Ever Telecast of a Men’s Major Championship
Johnny Miller, Dan Hicks and Mike Tirico to Introduce Golf Channel’s Opening Round Coverage on at 1:30 a.m. ET Thursday Morning, 10:30 p.m. PT in Wednesday’s Primetime on the West Coast
More than 200 Hours of Streaming and Digital Enhancements Provide Access to The Open from Any Screen, Anywhere, Anytime
Golf Channel Features include Justin Rose All-Access; Feherty’s Unique Take on Scotland; and Retrospective of 1973 Champion Golfer Tom Weiskopf

TROON, Scotland (July 11, 2016) – The dramatic setting of Royal Troon Golf Club will provide the backdrop for NBC Sports Group’s inaugural coverage of The 145^TH Open this week, headlining more than 140 hours of combined programming beginning today on Golf Channel and NBC.

From golf’s original championship, NBC and Golf Channel will deliver nearly 50 hours of live tournament action, the most planned hours for a men’s major championship ever. In addition, all live coverage inside the ropes will be complemented by nearly 60 hours of wraparound news coverage on Golf Channel via Golf Central Live From The Open and Morning Drive.

Golf’s longest tenured 18th tower duo, lead analyst Johnny Miller and play-by-play-man Dan Hicks will be joined by host Mike Tirico to welcome viewers to NBC Sports Group’s coverage of The 145^TH Open. Coming on the air to showcase the first tee shots of the opening round, coverage will begin early Thursday morning at 1:30 a.m. ET, which is in primetime on the West Coast on Wednesday night at 10:30 p.m. PT.

ALL-ENCOMPASSING DIGITAL COVERAGE:

NEARLY 200 HOURS OF LIVE DIGITAL STREAMING COVERAGE: NBC Sports Group will stream nearly 200 hours of live coverage from The Open via Golf Live Extra and the NBC Sports App, powered by Playmaker Media. Golf Channel’s live streaming coverage is the network’s most ever in a one-week span, which will encompass all four rounds of live tournament coverage, Golf Central Live From The Open, Morning Drive, NBC’s weekend recap presentations, DirecTV Mosaic channels, and Golf Channel Digital’s Fairways of Life simulcast.

DIRECTV MOSAIC OF THE OPEN: From Thursday through Sunday, NBC Sports has partnered with DirecTV to provide its signature mosaic offering for The Open, including four separate productions providing fans with unique and compelling exclusive content. Viewers will be able to watch each channel individually or tune into all four simultaneously.

Live TV – Simulcast of Golf Channel’s and NBC’s live tournament coverage Thursday-Sunday.

First Tee – Live coverage of the first tee for every group Thursday-Sunday. Once all golfers are on the course, coverage will transition to an original studio show featuring contributions from Golf Channel anchors, reporters and analysts providing highlights and discussion about the latest storylines.

Marquee Group – Live coverage of featured groups from both the early and late waves of competitors on Thursday and Friday, and key groups over the weekend.

Featured Holes – Live coverage of holes 6, 7 and one of the most famous holes in golf, the 123-yard par-3 8^th hole, better known as “The Postage Stamp.”

NBC SPORTS’ SIGNATURE STORYTELLING:

Throughout the week, special high-quality features on golf’s original major will air within Golf Central Live From The Open news programming, as well as Golf Channel and NBC’s live tournament coverage, including:

Justin Rose: Full Circle: Justin Rose burst onto the golf scene at the 1998 Open at Royal Birkdale as a 17-year old amateur with a hole-out from the rough that punctuated his debut. Golf Channel visits with Rose at his home in the Bahamas, where he opens up about his slow start after turning pro and his breakthrough win at the 2013 U.S. Open after his father passed away.

NBC Sports’ David Feherty’s Unique Takes on The Open and Scotland: Feherty recently visited Scotland for a slate of features to be used across news and tournament productions. Feherty’s trademark take will extend to Scottish hallmarks like gorse and haggis, one of Troon’s local pubs and Arran, the largest island within the Firth of Clyde.

Royal Troon’s Tee-to-Greens with Frank Nobilo – Golf Channel analyst Frank Nobilo scouts the holes of Royal Troon Golf Club in advance of The Open to give viewers an inside look at the signature holes and the shots players will need in order to win The Open.

The Birthplace of The Open: Prestwick Golf Club – Rich Lerner gives viewers an overview of the rich history of Prestwick Golf Club, located a mere few miles south of Troon, and home to the first Open in 1860.

Tom Weiskopf Reflects on Career and ’73 Open Win: Rich Lerner visits the home of 1973 Open Champion Tom Weiskopf in Bozemon, Mont., where he discusses the lofty expectations in his golf career that he feels he did not live up to, his major championship win at Royal Troon in 1973 immediately following the death of his father; and his biggest triumph: celebrating 16 years of sobriety.

COVERAGE TEAMS FOR THE 145^TH OPEN:

TOURNAMENT BROADCAST TEAM: Dan Hicks and Johnny Miller (1976 Open Champion), Terry Gannon and Sir Nick Faldo (1987, 1990, 1992 Open Champion) and Steve Sands and Frank Nobilo (T-10 at the 1997 Open at Royal Troon) will rotate in the 18^th Tower for Golf Channel and NBC’s live tournament coverage of The Open. Making his NBC Sports debut, Mike Tirico will serve as host of The Open and assist with some play-by-play of tournament coverage. The broadcast team for all four rounds also will include David Feherty, Peter Jacobsen, Gary Koch, Roger Maltbie, Mark Rolfing, Tom Abbott, Notah Begay, Billy Ray Brown, Curt Byrum, Jerry Foltz, Jimmy Roberts and Todd Lewis.

GOLF CENTRAL LIVE FROM THE OPEN: Rich Lerner and Ryan Burr will anchor Golf Central Live From The Open coverage from onsite at Royal Troon and will be joined by analysts David Duval (2001 Open Champion) – who also will be competing in The 145^TH Open – as well as Brandel Chamblee, Frank Nobilo, Notah Begay, Mark Rolfing, Sir Nick Faldo, Paul McGinley, Colin Montgomerie and Billy Kratzert. They will be joined by a team of reporters and contributors, including Steve Burkowski, Todd Lewis, Rex Hoggard, Tim Rosaforte and Ken Schofield.

SPECIAL “MIDNIGHT” DRIVE AT THE OPEN: Morning Drive will set the scene Monday-Wednesday with live interviews from Royal Troon. Co-hosts Damon Hack and Cara Robinson will report from on-site, joining co-hosts Gary Williams, Charlie Rymer, Chris DiMarco, John Cook and Lauren Thompson in Golf Channel’s World Headquarters in Orlando, Fla.

A first-ever “late night” special edition of “Midnight” Drive will lead into live opening round coverage on Wednesday night, starting at 11:30 p.m. ET. Co-hosts Hack and Robinson will be joined by special guest Ken Schofield from Royal Troon, along with co-hosts Williams, Rymer, Cook and Thompson from Orlando.

DIGITAL EDITORIAL CONTENT: Golf Channel Digital will feature expanded editorial content for The Open with up-to-the-minute blogs and fan interaction, highlighted by:

News & Features: Golf Channel Digital’s Mercer Baggs, Jay Coffin, Rex Hoggard, and Ryan Lavner will report from Royal Troon throughout the week with blogs, columns and features.

Exclusive Video Content: Daily video updates throughout the week will originate from the network’s digital studio in Orlando, as well as segments from Golf Central Live From The Open and Morning Drive news coverage. George Savaricas, Lisa Cornwell, Tripp Isenhour and Robert Damron will deliver these exclusive video updates and analysis throughout the week.

NBC SPORTS GROUP’S LIVE PROGRAMMING FROM THE 145^TH OPEN (all E.T.)

Monday, July 11
Golf Central Live From The Open — 7-9 p.m.

Tuesday, July 12
Morning Drive — 6-8 a.m.
Golf Central Live From The Open — 8 a.m.-1 p.m.
Golf Central Live From The Open — 7-9 p.m.

Wednesday, July 13
Morning Drive — 6-8 a.m.
Golf Central Live From The Open — 8 a.m.-1 p.m.
Golf Central Live From The Open — 7-9 p.m.
“Midnight” Drive Special — 11:30 p.m.-1:30 a.m.

Thursday, July 14
The 145^TH Open – Round 1 — 1:30 a.m.-4 p.m.
Golf Central Live From The Open — 4-5 p.m.

Friday, July 15
The 145^TH Open – Round 2 — 1:30 a.m.-4 p.m.
Golf Central Live From The Open — 4-5 p.m.

Saturday, July 16
The 145^TH Open – Round 3 — 4-7 a.m.
The 145^TH Open – Round 3 – NBC — 7 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
Golf Central Live From The Open — 2:30-3 p.m.
The Open Recap Special – NBC — 4-6 p.m.
Golf Central Live From The Open — 8-9 p.m.

Sunday, July 17
The 145^TH Open – Final Round — 4-7 a.m.
The 145^TH Open – Final Round – NBC — 7 a.m.-2 p.m.
Golf Central Live From The Open — 2-3 p.m.
The Open Recap Special – NBC — 4-6 p.m.
Golf Central Live From The Open — 6-7 p.m.