Golf Channel celebrates 'The Open' July 7-19 in celebration of golf's original championship

Collection of Signature GOLF Films Shorts Featured in Two-Part Special – Celebrating The Open – Tuesday, July 14, 7-9 P.M. ET

The Open for the Ages (Sunday, July 19): Footage of Open Champions at St Andrews, Creating Illusion of Head-to-Head Competition Across Generations

ORLANDO, Fla., (July 7, 2020) – Beginning today and continuing through next Sunday (July 19), GOLF Channel will dedicate nearly 70 hours of programming celebrating The Open, as the 149th edition of golf’s original championship was originally scheduled to take place July 16-19 at Royal St Georges Golf Club in England prior to being canceled due to COVID-19. Additionally, highlights of the 2019 Open from Royal Portrush are scheduled to air Saturday, July 25 from 1-3 p.m. ET on NBC.

GOLF Channel will celebrate The Open’s iconic heritage and signature champion moments through final-round encore presentations, highlight specials and the network’s high-quality storytelling, beginning with tonight’s premiere of Chronicles of a Champion Golfer featuring 2019 Open champion Shane Lowry.

Celebrating The Open: Tuesday, July 14, 7-9 p.m. ET
Hosted by Rich Lerner on Tuesday, July 14, the two-part special (7 p.m. – Part I; 8 p.m. – Part II) will feature a collection of critically-acclaimed GOLF Films Shorts and features produced for Golf Central Live From The Open wraparound news programming. The shows also will utilize vignette elements voiced by Stephen Dillane (Game of Thrones), including Giant’s Causeway (Royal Portrush, Northern Ireland) and Barry’s Burn (Carnoustie, Scotland).

Part I:

• The significance of Prestwick Golf Club, the first host of The Open in 1860.
• Royal Troon’s 8th hole, known as the “Postage Stamp,” one of golf’s most iconic par-3s.
• Exploring the Northwest England rail system as a gateway to incredible golf venues.
• Uncovering Royal Birkdale’s “Artisans Club,” where membership is hard to come by.
• Recollections from the 1999 Open, re-watching Jean van de Velde’s epic collapse.
• A remarkable story on efforts being made to curb PTSD through golf at Waterville Golf Links in Northeast Ireland.
• Adventures of the Claret Jug with 2015 Open champion Zach Johnson.
• Recounting Tiger Woods’ memorable 2000 Open victory at St Andrews.

Part II:

• Nick Edmund, a man walking (and playing golf) around the world to raise funds for those battling cancer.
• Recalling Nick Faldo’s win at the 1990 Open in what he considers his greatest victory.
• The career arc of Justin Rose following his showing as a 17-year-old in the 1998 Open.
• Exploring Tom Weiskopf’s journey to winning the 1973 Open at Royal Troon.
• The unmistakable role of wind at The Open, and the requisite mastery of dealing with it.
• Remembering the duel at the 2016 Open between Henrik Stenson and Phil Mickelson.

The Open for the Ages – premieres Sunday, July 19 (6-9 a.m. ET)
Open champions across different eras in the sport will convene in The Open for the Ages (Sunday, July 19, 6 a.m. ET), in a reimagined Open Championship produced by (and being simulcast on) Sky Sports Golf. Edited footage of Open champions competing at St Andrews in their prime – including Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson, Seve Ballesteros, Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy – creates the illusion of golf’s elite going head-to-head at the Home of Golf. The Open for the Ages also will re-air in primetime on Monday, July 20 at 8 p.m. ET on GOLF Channel.

Lessons with a Champion Golfer premieres today on GOLFPASS
A new season of Lessons with a Champion Golfer instructional series premieres exclusively today on GOLFPASS, featuring 2019 Open champion Shane Lowry. Hosted by GOLF Channel’s Martin Hall (School of Golf) and produced on location at The Club at Ibis in West Palm Beach, Fla., Lessons with a Champion Golfer features a 14-episode deep dive of instruction, providing a rare, insider’s look into Lowry’s practice regimen. He covers a number of swing methods, drills and tips used throughout his career. Lowry also shares thoughts about his mental game – thought processes during the golf swing and some of his personal traits that may go against common practices.

Golf’s Greatest Rounds and The Open Highlights
Viewers will be able to relive many of The Open’s iconic moments on GOLF Channel through encore presentations of final rounds and highlight specials. A new episode of Golf’s Greatest Rounds will premiere tomorrow (Wednesday) night at 8 p.m. ET, recounting the final round of The 2019 Open as Shane Lowry captured his first major championship title at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland. Golf’s Greatest Rounds also will recall Ben Curtis’ 2003 Open victory at Royal St George’s next Tuesday (July 14, 9 p.m. ET), and Tiger Woods’ 2006 Open win at Royal Liverpool next Friday (July 17, 11 a.m. ET). Highlight shows from The Open also will air this afternoon on GOLF Channel:

• 2013 Open (Phil Mickelson) – 2 p.m. ET
• 2014 Open (Rory McIlroy) – 3 p.m. ET
• 2019 Open (Shane Lowry) – 10 p.m. ET

-NBC Sports Group-

Media contacts:
Jeff Szklinski
GOLF Channel Communications
814-880-6933
Jeff.Szklinski@golfchannel.com

Jeremy Friedman
GOLF Channel Communications
407-721-9752
Jeremy.Friedman@golfchannel.com