ORLANDO, Fla. (July 8, 2013) – The best 50-and-over golfers in the world – legends and newcomers, alike – will face a stern test in the Midwest when the USGA hosts the 2013 U.S. Senior Open Championship, with third and final-round coverage airing July 13-14 on NBC.
NBC will air three hours (3-6 p.m. ET) of live coverage on Saturday and Sunday from Omaha Country Club in Omaha, Neb. Each round also will be preceded by a 30-minute GOLF CENTRAL pre-game show at 2:30 p.m. ET.
The USGA accepted more than 2,700 entries from all 50 U.S. states and 27 other countries hoping to qualify for the 156-player field to compete for the coveted U.S. Senior Open trophy. The list included seasoned pros and amateurs, alike. Twelve former U.S. Senior Open champions are among the 78 players who are fully exempt into the field, including defending champion Roger Chapman, Fred Funk, Hale Irwin, NBC golf analyst Peter Jacobsen and Bernhard Langer, as well as some of the newer players on the senior circuit like Colin Montgomerie, Rocco Mediate, Fred Couples, Brad Faxon and Kenny Perry.
Hosting its first USGA championship, Omaha Country Club is expected to provide a mental and physical challenge, highlighted by changing course elevations, fast greens and 3 ½ -inch rough – not to mention the extreme heat and humidity the players are expected to face. Golf Channel will take a look at how the players are preparing for the tournament during Wednesday, July 10, edition of ON THE RANGE, airing at 8 p.m. ET.
BROADCAST TEAM: Golf Channel on NBC’S weekend U.S. Senior Open coverage will be anchored by Dan Hicks and Johnny Miller, who will be joined by tower reporters Gary Koch and Mark Rolfing, and on-course reporters Roger Maltbie and Notah Begay. Having qualified for the championship, Koch will both be competing and commentating.
DIGITAL COVERAGE: NBC Sports and Golf Channel digital properties – GolfChannel.com, as well as live streaming applications NBC Sports Live Extra and Golf Live Extra – are teaming up to provide comprehensive digital coverage of the U.S. Senior Open. NBC Sports Live Extra -- the NBC Sports Group’s live streaming product for desktops, mobile devices, and tablets -- will live stream the six hours of U.S. Senior Open coverage airing on NBC. For desktops, NBC Sports Live Extra can be accessed at NBCSports.com/liveextra. The NBC Sports Live Extra app for mobile devices and tablets is available at the App Store for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, and on select Android handset and tablet devices within Google Play. Fans who are customers of participating cable, satellite, telco and other video subscription services, also will be able to enjoy 24/7 streaming of Golf Channel content through GolfChannel.com and Golf Channel’s mobile application, Golf Live Extra, via “TV Everywhere,” the media industry’s effort to make quality content available to MVPD customers both in and out of the home and on multiple platforms.
U.S. Senior Open Programming
Show Premieres Network Airtime (ET) Wednesday, July 10 On the Range Golf Channel 8 p.m.
Thursday, July 11 U.S. Senior Open ESPN2 4 p.m.
Friday, July 12 U.S. Senior Open ESPN2 4 p.m.
Saturday, July 13 Golf Central NBC 2:30 p.m. U.S. Senior Open NBC 3 p.m.
Sunday, July 14 Golf Central NBC 2:30 p.m. U.S. Senior Open NBC 3 p.m.
-NBC Sports Group-