Golf Central to Provide Wraparound News Programming on Location, Including Live Announcements of Year-End Collegiate Golf Awards
More Than 10 Live Hours of Individual Stroke Play on Monday, May 25 and Three Rounds of Team Match Play Tuesday-Wednesday, May 26-27
Top Teams From NCAA Women’s Golf Championships to Receive Invitation to Compete in Newly Created East Lake Cup in November
Marathon LPGA Classic Extends Two Invitations for the 2015 NCAA Women’s Golf Championships
Men’s and Women’s Championships Airing in Back-to-Back Weeks From Concession Golf Club in Bradenton, Fla.
ORLANDO, Fla., May 20, 2015 – Building upon the success of its 2014 coverage of the NCAA Division I Men’s Golf Championships, Golf Channel is expanding its news and tournament coverage to include – for the first time since 1997 – live coverage of the NCAA Division I Women’s Golf Championships, Monday, May 25-Wednesday, May 27.
The 2015 NCAA Women’s Golf Championships will be contested at Concession Golf Club in Bradenton, Fla., May 22-27. Golf Channel’s live tournament coverage of the women’s championships begins on Monday, May 25 with the final round of the individual stroke play competition, as well as tracking the teams attempting to qualify for the eight-team match play tournament. Coverage will continue on Tuesday, May 26 and Wednesday, May 27, including all three rounds of the team match-play tournament. In addition, Golf Central will surround live tournament coverage with pre-and post-event news coverage produced on location, as well as daily news updates on Morning Drive and online at GolfChannel.com. News and tournament coverage also will be live streamed on Golf Live Extra.
Golf Channel NCAA Women’s Division I Golf Championships Tournament Coverage
Monday, May 25 Final Round, Individual Stroke Play 4-7 p.m. ET (Live)
Tuesday, May 26 Quarterfinals, Match Play 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. ET (Live)
Tuesday, May 26 Semifinals, Match Play 3:30-7 p.m. ET (Live)
Wednesday, May 27 Finals, Match Play 3-7 p.m. ET (Live)
Marathon LPGA Classic to Offer Two Exemptions for 2015 NCAA Women’s Golf Championships
The individual champion from the 2015 NCAA Women’s Golf Championships and a representative from the team national champions will receive exemptions to compete in the 2015 Marathon LPGA Classic, taking place July 13-19 in Toledo, Ohio.
Semifinal Teams in Match Play to Receive Invitations to Compete in Inaugural East Lake Cup
Announced earlier today, the new East Lake Cup collegiate match-play championship will feature top-performing teams from the NCAA Men’s and Women’s Golf Championships, taking place at historic East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, Ga., airing live on Golf Channel on Monday, Nov. 2 and Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2015. Invitations for the field will be extended to the semi-finalists of the team match-play tournaments at both the NCAA Men’s and Women’s Golf Championships.
Golf Central Announcing ANNIKA Award Presented by 3M Winner on Monday, May 25
New for 2015, the ANNIKA Award Presented by 3M winner announcement will take place Monday, May 25 during Golf Channel’s live coverage of the 2015 NCAA Women’s Golf Championships, with the recipient appearing on-set as part of the network’s Golf Central news program. Named after World Golf Hall-of-Famer and 1991 NCAA Individual Champion Annika Sorenstam, the ANNIKA Award Presented by 3M honors the nation’s most outstanding female Division I collegiate golfer as selected by her peers, coaches and the golf media.
Additional Awards to be Announced on Golf Channel During NCAA Women’s Golf Championships
- Dinah Shore Trophy Award – Monday, May 25 (Golf Central Pre Game)
- Kim Moore Spirit Award – Monday, May 25 (Golf Central Pre Game)
- Golfstat Cup Award – Tuesday, May 26 (Golf Central Pre Game)
Golf Channel’s NCAA Women’s Golf Championships Tournament Broadcast Team:
- Billy Ray Brown, On-Course Reporter (1982 NCAA Individual Champion, member of 3-time NCAA Team National Champions, University of Houston)
- Steve Burkowski, Analyst, Golf Channel College Insider
- Curt Byrum, Tower Announcer (Participant in 1979 NCAA Men’s Golf Championships, University of New Mexico)
- Kay Cockerill, Lead Analyst (Finished Fourth at 1986 NCAA Women’s Golf Championships, 2-time All-American at UCLA)
- Bob Papa, Play-by-Play Commentator
- Phil Parkin, On-Course Reporter (All-American at Texas A&M, participant in 1984 NCAA Men’s Golf Championships)
- Karen Stupples, On-Course Reporter (Second Team All-American at Florida State University, participant in the 1996 NCAA Women’s Golf Championship)
Golf Central News Team – Women’s Championship:
- Steve Burkowski, Golf Channel College Insider
- Lisa Cornwell, Host (University of Arkansas)
- Angela Hamann, Reporter (University of Texas)
- Emilee Klein-Gille, Analyst (University of Tulsa Women’s Head Golf Coach; LPGA Major Champion, and Solheim Cup Team Member; Member of two-time Team National Champion at Arizona State in 1993-94, NCAA Individual Champion, 1994).
- Paige Mackenzie, Analyst (University of Washington, 4-time participant in the NCAA Women’s Golf Championships (25th, 11th, 10th and 8th place finishes. Top-ranked collegiate golfer in 2006)
- Lizette Salas, Analyst (Member of Team National Champions at USC in 2008, currently competing on the LPGA Tour)
GolfChannel.com Digital Coverage
GolfChannel.com is providing comprehensive coverage during the NCAA Women’s Golf Championships as part of College Central (GolfChannel.com/college). College Central, led by Jay Coffin and Ryan Lavner, will be the source for all things NCAA golf, including tournament results, features and columns, video highlights and breaking news.
2015 NCAA Division I Women’s Golf Championship
Hosted by the University of South Florida, the 2015 NCAA Women’s Golf Championships will feature 24 teams and 12 student-athletes – who advanced from NCAA Regional Qualifying – competing in an individual stroke-play format over 72 holes Friday-Monday, with the top eight teams qualifying at the conclusion of play for the team match-play tournament Tuesday and Wednesday. The same television coverage is planned for the men’s national championships the following week: Monday, June 1 – Wednesday, June 3. All rounds on Golf Channel will include primetime replays.
ABOUT THE NCAA
The NCAA is a membership-led nonprofit association of colleges and universities committed to supporting academic and athletic opportunities for more than 450,000 student-athletes at more than 1,000 member colleges and universities. Each year, more than 54,000 student-athletes compete in NCAA championships in Divisions I, II and III sports. Visit www.NCAA.org and www.NCAA.com for more details about the Association, its goals and members and corporate partnerships that help support programs for student-athletes.
ABOUT GOLF CHANNEL
Golf Channel is a multimedia, golf entertainment and services company based in Orlando, Fla. Golf Channel, co-founded by Arnold Palmer in 1995 and now part of the NBC Sports Group, is available in more than 120 million homes in 83 countries and 12 languages around the world. Exclusive partnerships with the world’s top tours allow Golf Channel to feature more live golf coverage than all other networks combined, as well as a programming schedule distinguished by golf’s highest-quality news, instruction and original programming. Golf Channel’s digital platforms, headed by GolfChannel.com, are the leading golf destinations on the Internet, delivering unmatched coverage of the world of golf. Fans are able to enjoy 24/7 live streaming of Golf Channel content through Golf Live Extra and select programming is simulcast via SiriusXM’s PGA TOUR Radio. In addition, Golf Channel connects the world to golf through a wide array of digital services including Golf Channel Mobile; GolfNow, the world’s largest online booking platform; GolfAdvisor.com, a golf course ratings and review portal; the interactive Golf Channel Academy instructional app; and the Golf Channel Am Tour, the world’s largest amateur golf tour.
-NBC Sports Group-