Golf Channel Announces Coast-to-Coast Claret Jug Tour Leading Up to 146th Open at Royal Birkdale

Tour to Target Cultural, Sporting Events, Kicking Off April 13 at Universal Hollywood & Concluding July 5 at Universal Orlando

(ORLANDO, Fla.) – In advance of the 146th Open at Royal Birkdale – which is set to begin in exactly 100 days (July 20-23) – Golf Channel today announced that the Claret Jug – golf’s most iconic trophy – will take part in a coast-to-coast tour across the United States. In partnership with The R&A, the Claret Jug tour will kick off on Thursday, April 13 at Universal Hollywood and include stops at sporting and cultural events, golf venues and popular locations in more than a dozen cities across the country before concluding at Universal Orlando just two weeks prior to The Open.

“The Claret Jug is not only one of the most iconic trophies in sports, but it’s also had a unique history in traveling the world with the Champion Golfer of the Year” said Regina O’Brien, senior vice president, marketing for Golf Channel. “Given the many celebrations and wonderful memories for past Champion Golfers of the Year associated with the Claret Jug, it’s fitting that the tour will include a number of festivals and cultural events for all to admire ahead of The Open in July.”

Fans visiting one of the tour stops will have an opportunity to take photos with the trophy that dates back to 1872. Attendees also will receive a ball marker – branded for The Open – which they can engrave with their initials to replicate the traditional engraving process that is used each year to inscribe the name of the ‘Champion Golfer of the Year’ at The Open.

The Claret Jug will visit a variety of cultural events, including the Great American Foodie Fest, Texas Scottish Festival, Lincoln Park Wine Festival, Taste of Charlotte, Major League Baseball games, Major League Soccer games, and a number of stops at Topgolf locations nationwide.

OVERSIZED RENDITION OF CLARET JUG BASE ON HAND FOR PHOTO OPPS
Custom golf club selfie sticks will be on-hand at each stop for fans to capture themselves with the Claret Jug as they climb atop an oversized rendition (6’ tall, 10’ in diameter) of the base of the trophy featuring the names of past Champion Golfers of the Year.

SOCIAL MEDIA ACTIVATIONS WITH THE CLARET JUG
Fans can track the Claret Jug tour through a microsite that will include the schedule of events, photos, social media feeds, and a quiz on The Open. Those following #ClaretJug on Twitter will receive updates with information on the tour, along with photos from each of the stops over the nearly three-month duration of the tour. Additionally, at select tour events, a “Twitter Mirror” will allow attendees to take selfies that will automatically be aggregated into the tour’s social media feed. Fans also will have a chance to take part in trivia questions testing their Open knowledge.

NBC Sports Group will televise exclusive coverage of the 146th Open from Royal Birkdale in the United Kingdom, with nearly 50 live hours of tournament coverage, Thursday-Sunday, July 20-23.