We have a couple of Golf Channel press releases. One involving Ryder Cup coverage and the other focusing on the new season of Big Break which premieres on Wednesday. Let’s give you the Ryder Cup release first since coverage begins on Tuesday.
Golf Channel has the Ryder Cup CoveredNearly 20 Hours of News Coverage from Celtic Manor ResortORLANDO, Fla. (Sept. 27, 2010) – Beginning Tuesday, Golf Channel will take viewers inside the ropes at Celtic Manor Resort with nearly 20 hours of live news reports, inside analysis and features to deliver wrap-around news coverage of the 2010 Ryder Cup.Originating from a set overlooking the 18th hole at Celtic Manor in Wales and from the network’s Orlando studios, coverage will begin Tuesday at noon ET with pre-tournament news conferences followed by the latest news on Golf Central at 6 p.m. ET. News conferences will continue Wednesday at noon ET, followed by two-hour preview shows Wednesday at 7 p.m. ET and Thursday at 6 p.m. ET. Once tournament play begins, Live From the Ryder Cup will deliver player interviews, highlights and analysis from Golf Channel’s panel of reporters and expert analysts after tournament coverage Friday-Sunday.The Live From the Ryder Cup team reporting from Celtic Manor will include Kelly Tilghman, Frank Nobilo, Rich Lerner, Steve Sands, Alex Miceli, Tim Rosaforte, Ken Schofield, Mark Rolfing and Randall Mell. Lerner will cover the European Team throughout the week, with Sands reporting on the activities of the U.S. Team. Joining the broadcast team from the network’s studios in Orlando will be Kraig Kann, Todd Lewis, Whit Watson, Tom Abbott, Brandel Chamblee and Charlie Rymer. PGA TOUR Professional Notah Begay, who made his on-air debut as a member of the network’s Live From the Masters broadcast team in April, returns as a studio analyst beginning Wednesday.GolfChannel.com’s team of writers, as well as the on-air team, will contribute to the network’s popular blogs – Shag Bag and Punch Shots – with entries and posts throughout the week, along with daily columns, features and breaking news. Lerner, Tilghman, Rex Hoggard and Jay Coffin also will post twitter updates throughout the week, which will be re-posted on Golf Channel’s twitter feed.Scheduled Live From the Ryder Cup features include:
- Shot re-creations at Celtic Manor: Following each round of play Friday-Sunday, Frank Nobilo will break down the key moments at Celtic Manor. Charlie Rymer and Brandel Chamblee also will examine the key shots using the network’s virtual simulator in-studio.
- Corey Pavin One-on-One: U.S. Ryder Cup team captain Corey Pavin sits down with Steve Sands for a one-on-one interview to discuss his experience as captain leading into the Ryder Cup.
- Colin Montgomerie One-on-One – Rich Lerner sits down with European Ryder Cup team captain Colin Montgomerie to discuss the state of his game, his Ryder Cup experiences as a player and what the captaincy means to him.
- U.S. Ryder Cup rookie Jeff Overton – Tim Rosaforte sits down with U.S. Ryder Cup rookie Jeff Overton to discuss his Indiana roots and his excitement in competing in his first Ryder Cup.
- 2008 U.S. Ryder Cup Captain Paul Azinger’s Winning Formula – Rich Lerner takes an in-depth look at 2008 U.S. Ryder Cup team captain Paul Azinger’s leadership in guiding Team U.S.A. to victory.
- Tony Jacklin’s Lasting Ryder Cup Influence – Rich Lerner takes a look at how Tony Jacklin transformed the image and confidence of the once beleaguered European Ryder Cup team – both as a player and a captain – ultimately leading the Europeans to their first victory in 28 years as a captain in 1985.
- 1999 Ryder Cup Comeback – Golf Channel will take a look back to the historic U.S. team comeback in Brookline to win the 1999 Ryder Cup.
Live >From the Ryder Cup TV Times (all times ET)Tuesday, Sept. 28: 12-3 p.m. (News Conferences)6-6:30 p.m. (Golf Central)Wednesday, Sept. 29: 12-3 p.m. (News Conferences)7-9 p.m.Thursday, Sept. 30: 6-8 p.m.Friday, Oct. 1: 1-2 p.m.6-8 p.m.Saturday, Oct. 2 6-8 p.m.Sunday, Oct. 3 1-2 p.m.6-8 p.m.
The other Golf Channel press release comes after the jump.
Golf Channel premieres its new season of Big Break Dominican Republic on Wednesday and this time, we have a mixture of men and women. In fact, the teams are separated by men and women. We have the release previewing the show.
Most Valuable Prize in Series History Up for Grabs on Big Break Dominican RepublicTournament Exemptions and $100,000 on the LineORLANDO, Fla. (Sept. 27, 2010) – The most valuable prize in the history of Big Break will be up for grabs when Golf Channel’s popular series tees up its 14th season Wednesday at 9 p.m. ET. Big Break Dominican Republic will feature an all-star cast of the most captivating and polarizing personalities in series history competing for redemption, the opportunity to earn a sponsor’s exemption to either the 2011 Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open on the PGA TOUR or the 2011 Kia Classic on the LPGA Tour, and a lion’s share of the $100,000 purse.Featuring teams of six men vs. six women, Big Break Dominican Republic will include a new series format, new challenges and twists. The teams will compete against one another in a variety of golf challenges per episode, with the ultimate goal of knocking the other out of contention. The winning team at the conclusion of the 10-episode series will share the $100,000 cash prize, with $50,000 going to the most valuable player (MVP), who will be crowned Big Break Dominican Republic Champion.In addition to the tournament exemptions and the cash prize, the Big Break champion also will receive an endorsement contract, which includes $10,000 in cash; a $10,000 shopping spree and an all-expenses paid return trip for two in La Romana, Dominican Republic – host site for the series. Each member of the winning team also will receive a four-night getaway to the Dominican Republic.The contestants on Big Break Dominican Republic include:Andrew Giuliani (24, New York, N.Y.) – Son of former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, Andrew is an aspiring professional attempting to make a name in golf. A contestant on Big Break Disney Golf in 2009, Giuliani was eliminated on the eighth episode of the series and developed an on-camera rivalry with fellow competitor Blake Moore, also a competitor and teammate on Big Break Dominican Republic.David Mobley (45, Charlotte, N.C.) — A dominant force on the Long Drive circuit for the past 15 years, David Mobley competed on Big Break Michigan in 2008, teamed with Long Drive champion Sally Dee. On paper, the team appeared to be the favorites, but they were eliminated in the series’ eighth episode, and Mobley became known as one of the biggest villains in Big Break history.Blake Moore (26, Denver, Colo.) – A feisty competitor with a tenacity for perfection, Moore was a competitor on Big Break Disney Golf in 2009. He was eliminated in the seventh episode of the series, when his temper got the best of him. His experience on the series was a wake-up call. Moore has since made changes to improve himself on and off the golf course.Anthony Rodriguez (37, San Antonio, Texas) – Once hailed to become the next Latin star on the PGA TOUR, Rodriguez competed in Big Break Mesquite in 2006. The third contestant eliminated on the series, Rodriguez faced enormous criticism from blogs and chat rooms for his temper and poor sportsmanship. He lost sponsors and his confidence, and ultimately quit the game he loves to return to San Antonio to support his family. Now at peace with his experience on Big Break, Rodriguez is taking full advantage of his second chance at redemption.Brian Skatell (37, Greensburg, Penn.) – A very confident player, Skatell is a self-described perfectionist and prides himself on his meticulous work ethic. A contestant on Big Break Prince Edward Island in 2008, Skatell survived more than halfway through the series, an achievement considering Skatell had a lengthy hospital stay six months prior, undergoing exploratory surgery that caused him to be more than 30 pounds underweight when the series was filmed. He believes he has more to prove on his return to Big Break Dominican Republic.William “Football” Thompson (24, Bracey, Va.) – A fan favorite from Big Break Prince Edward Island, Thompson is the definition of country, and he knows it. Equally at home hunting deer as much as hunting birdies on the golf course, his friends call him “Football.” Thompson was the second contestant eliminated on Big Break Prince Edward Island. On this go-around, he plans to give everything he has to keep his dream alive of teeing it up on the PGA TOUR.Lori Atsedes (46, Orlando, Fla.) – Atsedes is proud of everything she has accomplished in her long career. She has 26 professional tour wins, is the all-time career money leader on the Duramed FUTURES Tour and was a five-year member of the LPGA Tour. When it comes to her experience as a contestant on Big Break Ka’anapali in 2008, however, the topic of conversation often centered around her on-camera feud with Christina Lecuyer, which overshadowed her play on the course. It left her with a feeling of unfinished business.Sara Brown (24, Tucson, Ariz.) – Like the rest of the contestants on Big Break Dominican Republic, Brown has unfinished business. Unlike many of her fellow competitors, Brown’s Big Break experience is still fresh in her mind. She competed on the most recent season of Big Break – Big Break Sandals Resorts – finishing in the top three.Christina Lecuyer (27, Conway, Ark.) – When Big Break fans last saw Lecuyer in 2008, she was a first-year professional that found herself in the finals of her first LPGA Tour Qualifying Tournament, and was a contestant on Big Break Ka’anapali. Fast forward to 2010, and the wear and tear of traveling finally got the best of her. She quit playing golf full time. On Big Break Dominican Republic, she will test herself to see if her dream of playing on the LPGA Tour is still alive.Brenda McLarnon (27, Charleston, S.C.) – A competitor on Big Break Prince Edward Island, McLarnon was 100 percent into golf. The Ireland native was a four-year competitor on the Duramed FUTURES Tour and lived out of her car, paycheck-to-paycheck, while trying to achieve her goal of playing on the LPGA Tour. Then she fell in love. Engaged to be married just four days before the season premiere, McLarnon’s goals and off the golf course have changed, but the dream to play on the LPGA Tour rages on.Blair O’Neal (29, Scottsdale, Ariz.) – Prior to her appearance on Big Break Prince Edward Island, O’Neal was better known for her modeling career than her golf game. She also was in the middle of an extended leave from golf. She finished runner-up on the series, and the golf world took notice. Since then, she has hosted shows for Golf Channel, including InFuze My Game on GolfChannel.com and the premiere episode of Donald J. Trump’s Fabulous World of Golf. Now, she is back to playing full time on the Cactus Tour. She is more focused than ever and has some unfinished business on Big Break Dominican Republic.Elena Robles (26, Redondo Beach, Calif.) – The first competitor eliminated on Big Break Sandals Resorts, Robles is excited for her second opportunity on Big Break Dominican Republic. Her experience on the series, albeit brief, was another chapter in the story about how she has returned to the game after quitting in 2008, citing burnout.Filmed on location in June at the world-famous Casa de Campo Resort, Big Break Dominican Republic will unfold on two Pete Dye-designed courses at Casa de Campo: the Teeth of the Dog and Dye Fore. Teeth of the Dog is the number-one-ranked course in the Caribbean and 42nd in the world by Golf Magazine. Dye Fore is a picturesque and challenging course overlooking the Caribbean Sea that measures more than 7,700 yards.Golf Channel’s Tom Abbott and Stephanie Sparks will return as co-hosts to add insight during the 10-episode series.
The Big Break show concept pits highly skilled golfers against each other in a variety of challenges that test their physical skills and mental toughness. Past Big Break champions have won tournament exemptions to compete on some of the world’s top professional circuits, such as the PGA TOUR, Champions Tour, European Tour, LPGA Tour, Nationwide Tour and Canadian Tour. Carling Coffing (Middletown, Ohio) was crowned champion of Big Break Sandals Resorts in early September, and has earned the opportunity to compete in the 2010 Lorena Ochoa Invitational on the LPGA Tour and the 2010 Dubai Ladies Masters on the Ladies European Tour. Several past Big Break competitors are currently competing on the world’s top tours, including Tommy Gainey, James Nitties, Matt Every and Kristy McPherson, a member of the victorious 2009 U.S. Solheim Cup Team. For more information about Big Break Dominican Republic, visit www.GolfChannel.com/Big-Break-Dominican-Republic.
That is it.
