Strong Field Convenes for BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth; Featured Group Led by McIlroy to Stream Live on GOLFPASS
Champ Defends at Sanderson Farms Championship in Mississippi
Langer Leads Field at Sanford International in South Dakota
ORLANDO, Fla. (Sept. 18, 2019) – The European Tour stages its flagship event this week with the BMW PGA Championship, as Rory McIlroy leads the field alongside defending champion Francesco Molinari. GOLF Channel will carry more than 25 hours of linear live tournament coverage Thursday-Sunday. Additionally, featured group coverage will stream exclusively on GOLFPASS, following the group of McIlroy, Molinari and Shane Lowry (3:50 a.m. ET Thursday; 7:40 a.m. ET Friday) over the first two days. The PGA TOUR is in Mississippi for the Sanderson Farms Championship, where Cameron Champ will defend his 2018 title. The PGA TOUR Champions are in South Dakota for the Sanford International, where Bernhard Langer and Scott McCarron lead the field.
EUROPEAN TOUR
BMW PGA Championship
Dates: Sept. 19-22
Venue: Wentworth Club (West Course), Virginia Water, England
Tournament Airtimes on GOLF Channel (Eastern):
Thursday 5 a.m.-1 p.m. (Live)
Friday 5 a.m.-1 p.m. (Live)
Saturday 7:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. (Live)
Sunday 7:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. (Live)
Broadcast Notes:
McIlroy, Molinari & Lowry Featured Group streaming exclusively on GOLFPASS: On Thursday and Friday, the featured group of Rory McIlroy, Francesco Molinari and Shane Lowry will be available to stream exclusively on GOLFPASS. Streaming of Thursday’s opening round will begin at 3:50 a.m. ET, and Friday’s round will kick off at 7:40 a.m. ET.
Event finds new place on golf calendar: In response to the new professional golf schedule landscape, this week marks the first time since 1974 that the European Tour’s flagship event will be played outside of May.
GOLF Channel Insider Rex Hoggard reporting on-site from Wentworth: GOLF Channel Insider Rex Hoggard will report on-site from the BMW PGA Championship throughout the week, offering reports on the latest storylines as they develop. Hoggard also will conduct interviews with those in the field during the course of the event.
Molinari defends: Francesco Molinari finished two shots ahead of Rory McIlroy for his fifth European Tour win.
Headlining the field: Rory McIlroy, Justin Rose, Francesco Molinari, Jon Rahm, Tommy Fleetwood, Tony Finau, Shane Lowry, Paul Casey, Ian Poulter, Patrick Reed and Viktor Hovland.
GOLF Channel Broadcast Team:
Play by Play: Dougie Donnelly
Analyst: Tony Johnstone / Sam Torrance / Alison Whitaker
On-Course: Jay Townsend / Ken Brown / Warren Humphreys / Tim Barter
PGA TOUR
Sanderson Farms Championship
Dates: Sept. 19-22
Venue: Country Club of Jackson, Jackson, Miss.
Tournament Airtimes on GOLF Channel (Eastern):
Thursday 2-6 p.m. (Live) / 7-10 p.m. (Replay)
Friday 2-6 p.m. (Live) / 9 p.m.-Midnight (Replay)
Saturday 3-6 p.m. (Live) / 9 p.m.-Midnight (Replay)
Sunday 3-6 p.m. (Live) / 9 p.m.-Midnight (Replay)
PGA TOUR LIVE on NBC Sports Gold (Eastern):
Thursday 8 a.m.-2 p.m. (Featured Groups)
- Stewart Cink/Zach Johnson/Brandt Snedeker (8:31 a.m. ET)
- Dylan Frittelli/Joaquin Niemann/Si Woo Kim (8:42 a.m. ET)
Friday 8 a.m.-2 p.m. (Featured Groups)
- Ryan Armour/Cameron Champ/Bill Haas (8:31 a.m. ET)
- Second group to be voted on via “Fan Vote Friday” Twitter poll
Broadcast Notes:
Champ defends: Cameron Champ captured his first PGA TOUR victory in just the second start of his rookie season, winning by four shots over Corey Conners.
Headlining the field: Joaquin Niemann, Brandt Snedeker, Zach Johnson, Cameron Champ, Sungjae Im, Maverick McNealy, Corey Conners, Dylan Frittelli and Lucas Glover.
GOLF Channel Broadcast Team:
Play by Play: Terry Gannon
Analyst: Curt Byrum
Tower: Matt Gogel / Jim Gallagher Jr.
On Course: Jim “Bones” Mackay / Jerry Foltz
Interviews: George Savaricas
PGA TOUR CHAMPIONS
Sanford International
Dates: Sept. 20-22
Venue: Minnehaha Country Club, Sioux Falls, S.D.
Tournament Airtimes on GOLF Channel (Eastern):
Friday 6-8 p.m. (Tape delay) / 3:45-5:45 p.m. (Streaming on GOLF Channel Digital)
Saturday 6-8 p.m. (Tape delay) / 4-6 p.m. (Streaming on GOLF Channel Digital)
Sunday 6-8 p.m. (Tape delay) / 3-5 p.m. (Streaming on GOLF Channel Digital)
Broadcast Notes:
Headlining the field: Bernhard Langer, Scott McCarron, Davis Love III, Tom Lehman, John Daly, Retief Goosen, Vijay Singh, Jerry Kelly, Colin Montgomerie and Angel Cabrera.
GOLF Channel Broadcast Team:
Play by Play: Whit Watson
Analyst: Lanny Wadkins
Tower: Phil Blackmar
On Course: Billy Ray Brown / John Cook
-NBC Sports Group-
Media Contacts:
Jeff Szklinski
GOLF Channel Communications
407-248-3267
Jeff.Szklinski@golfchannel.com
Jeremy Friedman
GOLF Channel Communications
407-355-4058
Jeremy.Friedman@golfchannel.com
