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Monday, December 7, 2020

NBCUniversal Announces Comprehensive Coverage Plans for 75th U.S. Women's Open


More Than 25 Hours of Live U.S. Women’s Open Coverage to Air Across NBC, GOLF Channel, & Peacock 

(ORLANDO, Fla.) – The best female golfers in the world will convene in Houston next week for the 75th edition of the U.S. Women’s Open (Dec. 10-13), with live domestic (U.S.) coverage airing exclusively across NBC, GOLF Channel and Peacock.

Being contested at Champions Golf Club, NBCUniversal will present more than 25 hours of live coverage across NBC, GOLF Channel and Peacock, with more than 50 hours of U.S. Women’s Open-related programming airing across NBCUniversal during the course of the week. The USGA previously announced in June that the United States media rights for its championships had been transferred to NBCUniversal, with the partnership agreement continuing through 2026.

“Through our renewed partnership with the USGA, we’re eager to showcase the excitement of the U.S. Women’s Open once again across NBCUniversal,” said Tom Knapp, executive vice president, programming, NBC Sports Group. “We look forward to highlighting the best in women’s professional golf and recognizing the 75th anniversary of this renowned championship.”

“The opportunity for the U.S. Women’s Open to be back on GOLF Channel, where viewers are used to seeing the incredible play of LPGA Tour players week in and week out, is incredibly exciting,” said Navin Singh, chief commercial officer, USGA. “Pairing that with more network broadcast hours than any other event in women’s golf, we know the accessibility and insight into the year’s final major will be enhanced in so many ways, and we look forward to working with NBCUniversal to bring that to the world.”

TOURNAMENT PRODUCTION & BROADCAST TEAM: Led by 29-time Emmy Award-winning producer Tommy Roy, the network’s coverage of the U.S. Women’s Open will be anchored by Dan Hicks and Grant Boone (play by play), along with Paige Mackenzie and Judy Rankin (lead analyst), as well as Tom Abbott (holes). Kay Cockerill, Jim “Bones” Mackay, Karen Stupples and Billy Ray Brown will serve as on-course reporters, while Cara Banks will conduct interviews with those in the field.

In total, NBC and GOLF Channel will combine to televise 20 hours of live linear coverage from Champions Golf Club (equal to the 2019 U.S. Women’s Open).

COVERAGE OF THE U.S. WOMEN’S OPEN ON PEACOCK: Peacock will exclusively stream a portion of live U.S. Women’s Open coverage for free across the first three rounds of the championship (Thursday through Saturday). Two hours will stream live on Peacock across each of the first two rounds (Thursday-Friday), along with 1.5 hours during Saturday’s third round.

NBC SPORTS’ SIGNATURE USGA MUSIC, FULL-FIELD COVERAGE RETURN: Viewers tuning in to coverage will recognize a familiar musical refrain previously synonymous with NBC Sports’ coverage of USGA Championships, as Yanni’s In Celebration of Man will be incorporated throughout the championship. Coverage additionally will aim to showcase each of the 156 players in the field, under the mantra that if a player is good enough to make it into the field, they deserve the opportunity to be shown on the broadcast.

COMPREHENSIVE NEWS COVERAGE: GOLF Channel’s daily news program Golf Central will provide comprehensive wraparound news coverage, with interviews, highlights and analysis throughout the championship. Steve Burkowski will host Golf Central Thursday-Friday (Dec. 10-11), while Whit Watson will host Saturday-Sunday (Dec. 12-13). Brandel Chamblee and Amanda Blumenherst will offer analysis across the four days of competition on Golf Central live pre and post-round coverage. Lisa Cornwell, Cara Banks and Karen Stupples also will contribute to coverage of Golf Central from on-site at Champions Golf Club.

“GOLF’S GREATEST ROUNDS” TO CELEBRATE PAST U.S. WOMEN’S OPENS: Next Tuesday and Wednesday (Dec. 8-9), GOLF Channel will commemorate some of the most-memorable editions of the U.S. Women’s Open in recent memory with special episodes of Golf’s Greatest Rounds. The series will celebrate the 2014 U.S. Women’s Open on Tuesday (9 p.m. ET), recounting Michelle Wie’s monumental victory at Pinehurst (N.C.). Alison Nicholas’ 1997 victory at Pumpkin Ridge (Ore.) will be revisited on Wednesday (11 a.m. ET), along with Cristie Kerr’s 2007 triumph (9 p.m. ET) at Pine Needles (N.C.)

In addition to Golf’s Greatest Rounds episodes, GOLF Films also will air a one-hour special, Greatest Moments of the U.S. Women’s Open, which will air on NBC immediately following the conclusion of final round coverage on Sunday, Dec. 13.

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