PGA Tour on ESPN
Encyclopedia
Golf coverage on ESPN
and ESPN2
has been a regular feature of the cable sports channels' programming since soon after ESPN's launch in 1979. Although ESPN no longer owns any share of the rights to the week-to-week events on the PGA Tour
, LPGA Tour, or Champions Tour
, the ESPN networks continue to cover eight major tournaments associated with those tours.
. Since 2008, they have also broadcast the first two rounds of The Masters Tournament
.
ESPN has also had exclusive U.S. coverage of The Open Championship
since 2010. The network had previously lost the early-round rights to TNT after the 2002 event, although ESPN's sister network ABC
continued to carry weekend coverage through 2009.
The ESPN networks also previously aired a small number of the week-to-week PGA Tour events – primarily weekday coverage of semi-major tournaments such as The Players Championship
and the World Golf Championships
– until Golf Channel took over as the Tour's exclusive cable partner in 2007.
since 2006, the U.S. Women's Open
since 1995, and resumed broadcasting the Women's British Open
starting in 2010.
since 1995, and resumed broadcasts of the Senior British Open Championship
in 2010.
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
and ESPN2
ESPN2
ESPN2 is an American sports cable television network owned by ESPN. The channel debuted on October 1, 1993.Originally nicknamed "the deuce," ESPN2 was initially branded as a network for a younger generation of sports fans featuring edgier graphics as well as extreme sports like motocross,...
has been a regular feature of the cable sports channels' programming since soon after ESPN's launch in 1979. Although ESPN no longer owns any share of the rights to the week-to-week events on the PGA Tour
PGA Tour
The PGA Tour is the organizer of the main men's professional golf tours in the United States and North America...
, LPGA Tour, or Champions Tour
Champions Tour
The Champions Tour, a golf tour run by the PGA Tour, hosts a series of events annually in the United States and the United Kingdom for golfers 50 years of age and older. Many of the PGA Tour's most successful golfers have gone on to play on the Champions Tour.The Senior PGA Championship, founded in...
, the ESPN networks continue to cover eight major tournaments associated with those tours.
Men's golf coverage
ESPN has broadcast men's professional golf in some form since 1980. Since 1995, they have annually broadcast the first two rounds and part of the third and fourth round of the United States Open ChampionshipU.S. Open (golf)
The United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is the second of the four major championships in golf, and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour...
. Since 2008, they have also broadcast the first two rounds of The Masters Tournament
The Masters Tournament
The Masters Tournament, also known as The Masters , is one of the four major championships in professional golf. Scheduled for the first full week of April, it is the first of the majors to be played each year...
.
ESPN has also had exclusive U.S. coverage of The Open Championship
The Open Championship
The Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico...
since 2010. The network had previously lost the early-round rights to TNT after the 2002 event, although ESPN's sister network ABC
ESPN on ABC
ESPN on ABC is the brand used for sports programming on the ABC television network. Officially the broadcast network retains its own sports division; however, for all practical purposes, ABC's sports division has been merged with ESPN, a sports cable network majority-owned by ABC's parent, The...
continued to carry weekend coverage through 2009.
The ESPN networks also previously aired a small number of the week-to-week PGA Tour events – primarily weekday coverage of semi-major tournaments such as The Players Championship
The Players Championship
The Players Championship is an annual golf tournament on the PGA Tour.Originally known as the Tournament Players Championship, the inaugural event in 1974 was played at Atlanta Country Club in Marietta, Georgia before moving to the Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas in 1975 and Inverrary...
and the World Golf Championships
World Golf Championships
The World Golf Championships are a group of four annual events for male professional golfers created by the International Federation of PGA Tours, with a fifth to be added in 2012...
– until Golf Channel took over as the Tour's exclusive cable partner in 2007.
Women's golf coverage
Beginning in 1979, ESPN started covering LPGA Tour events. ESPN stopped broadcasting regular LPGA Tour events after 2009. However, ESPN has broadcast the Kraft Nabisco ChampionshipKraft Nabisco Championship
The Kraft Nabisco Championship is one of the four major championships on the LPGA Tour. It was founded in 1972 by Dinah Shore and has been classified as a major since 1983...
since 2006, the U.S. Women's Open
United States Women's Open Championship (golf)
The United States Women's Open Golf Championship, one of thirteen national championships conducted by the United States Golf Association , is one of the LPGA's major championships along with the LPGA Championship, the Women's British Open, and the Kraft Nabisco Championship...
since 1995, and resumed broadcasting the Women's British Open
Women's British Open
The Women's British Open is a leading event in women's professional golf and the only tournament which is classified as a major championship by both the Ladies European Tour and the LPGA Tour. Since 2007, it has been called the Ricoh Women's British Open, for sponsorship reasons...
starting in 2010.
Senior golf coverage
ESPN has broadcast the U.S. Senior OpenUnited States Senior Open
The U.S. Senior Open is one of the major championships in men's senior golf. It was first played in 1980 and is administered by the United States Golf Association and is recognized as a major championship by both the Champions Tour and the European Seniors Tour...
since 1995, and resumed broadcasts of the Senior British Open Championship
Senior British Open Championship
The Senior Open Championship, or simply The Senior Open is a professional golf tournament for men aged 50 and over. It is run by The R&A, the same body that organises The Open Championship. Prize money won in the event is official money on both the Champions Tour and the European Seniors Tour...
in 2010.
Announcers
ESPN's golf announcing team in 2010 includes:- Peter AllissPeter AllissPeter Alliss is an English professional golfer, BBC television presenter and commentator, author and golf course designer. Alliss is known for his charismatic and unique style of commentary, often displaying a witty demeanour...
(part-time) - Scott Van PeltScott Van PeltScott Van Pelt is an American sportscaster. He is an anchor for the 11 p.m. edition of SportsCenter on ESPN, the host of The Scott Van Pelt Show on ESPN Radio and has also covered various golf events for the network.-Early life:...
- Paul AzingerPaul AzingerPaul William Azinger is an American professional golfer and occasional on air golf analyst. He spent almost 300 weeks in the top-10 of the Official World Golf Rankings between 1988 and 1994.-Early years:...
- Colin MontgomerieColin MontgomerieColin Stuart Montgomerie, OBE is a Scottish professional golfer, often referred to by one of his nicknames 'Monty'. He has had one of the finest careers in European Tour history, having won a record eight Order of Merit titles, including a streak of seven consecutively from 1993 to 1999, and 31...
(part-time) - Billy Ray BrownBilly Ray BrownBilly Ray Brown is a former American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour in the 1980s and 1990s, and a current sportscaster for ESPN on ABC....
(part-time) - Terry GannonTerry GannonTerrance Patrick "Terry" Gannon , is a sportscaster for ABC Sports, ESPN and The Golf Channel. Gannon's work has included an extensive variety of sporting events, including college basketball, as well as figure skating, golf, college football, and the WNBA.-College basketball:Gannon began his...
- Curtis StrangeCurtis StrangeCurtis Northrup Strange is an American professional golfer. He is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame and Virginia Sports Hall of Fame. He spent over 200 weeks in the top-10 of the Official World Golf Rankings between their debut in 1986 and 1990.-Early years through college:Strange and his...
- Sean McDonoughSean McDonoughSean McDonough is an American sportscaster, currently employed by ESPN.-Early life and career:The son of Boston Globe sportswriter Will McDonough, Sean graduated from Syracuse University in 1984. It was in Syracuse where McDonough began his broadcasting career in 1982 as the play-by-play announcer...
- Mike TiricoMike TiricoMichael Todd Tirico is an announcer for ESPN's presentation of Monday Night Football, and second lead broadcaster for ESPN's presentation of the NBA. In addition, Tirico hosts a multitude of programming on ESPN/ABC. He was the host of ABC's golf coverage from 1996 to 2007, and continues in that...
- Tom WeiskopfTom WeiskopfThomas Daniel Weiskopf is an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour and the Champions Tour. His most successful decade was the 1970s, and he won 16 PGA Tour titles between 1968 and 1982. After winding down his tournament career, Weiskopf has become a noted golf course...
(part-time) - Tom WatsonTom Watson (golfer)Thomas Sturges Watson is an American professional golfer who has played on the PGA Tour and now mostly on the Champions Tour....
(part-time) - Rocco MediateRocco MediateRocco Anthony Mediate is an American professional golfer with multiple PGA Tour wins.-Early years:Mediate was born in the Pittsburgh suburb of Greensburg, Pennsylvania. According to the Golf Channel, he is the son of a barber and has Italian ancestral heritage. Mediate attended Florida Southern...
(part-time) - Judy RankinJudy RankinJudy Torluemke Rankin is an American professional golfer and golf broadcaster. She became a member of the LPGA Tour in 1962 and won 26 LPGA Tour events in all. She is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame.-Amateur career:...
- Bill Kratzert
- Andy NorthAndy NorthAndrew Stewart North is an American professional golfer who is best known for winning the U.S. Open twice.- Early years :North was born in Thorp, Wisconsin, and raised in Monona, Wisconsin...
- Wayne GradyWayne GradyWayne Desmond Grady is an Australian professional golfer.Grady was born in Brisbane. He turned professional in 1978. He is best known for winning the PGA Championship, one of golf's four majors, in 1990. He was also runner up at The Open Championship in 1989, losing in a playoff against Greg...
(part-time) - Tom RinaldiTom RinaldiTom Rinaldi is a reporter for ESPN and ESPN on ABC based in New York. He has contributed to SportsCenter, Outside the Lines, College GameDay, Sunday NFL Countdown, and is also a fill in host on ESPN First Take ....
- Wendi NixWendi Nix-Professional:Wendi primarily handles coverage for NFL and College Football games featuring teams from the New England area. Prior to working for ESPN, Nix was a weekend sports anchor at WHDH in Boston and previously reported for Fox Sports Net, NESN and WPDE in South Carolina...
- Rick ReillyRick ReillyRichard "Rick" Paul Reilly is an American sportswriter. Long known for being the "back page" columnist for Sports Illustrated, Reilly moved to ESPN on June 1, 2008 where he is a featured columnist for ESPN.com and wrote the back page column for ESPN the Magazine...
(part-time)