More golf on ESPN
ESPN and the USGA announced that they had extended their television agreement through the year 2014, ensuring fans exclusive cable access to the U.S. Open, U.S. Women's Open and U.S. Senior Open.
"We're thrilled to remain the home of USGA championships," said ESPN's George Bodenheimer in a release. "The USGA has long embraced our multimedia approach which will continue to provide compelling content to golf fans and present opportunities to expand the audience of the sport."
Most of you are probably wondering why I've bothered to bring this to you attention, but there's a good reason. The deal also includes enriching the fans' experience online. In addition to the continued television covereage, ESPN.com will offer inside looks and videos with their ESPN360 system. It all boils down to more great golf content from some of the best venues in the game.
If you're like me, you want to get all you can, and this extended deal does just that.
Labels: ESPN, golf, USGA
USGA heading to Sahalee
The USGA is bringing another national championship to the Great Northwest. Sahalee Club will host the 2010 US Senior Open. Here are all the details from a USGA press release:Sahalee Country Club in the Seattle suburb of Sammamish, Wash., will host the 2010 U.S. Senior Open, the United States Golf Association has announced. The championship is scheduled from July 29-Aug. 1. It will be the first of the USGA’s three Open championships to be conducted in Washington.
Ted Robinson designed the original 18-hole course which opened in 1969. Rees Jones oversaw a redesign and renovations in 1996 in preparation for Sahalee’s role as host site for the 1998 PGA Championship.
Vijay Singh won that 1998 PGA Championship, the first of golf’s “majors” to be played in the Northwest since 1944, by two strokes over Steve Stricker. Four years later, Sahalee hosted the 2002 NEC World Golf Championship, won by Craig Parry.
I call this great news and encourage as many fans as possible to turn out for the event. It's time we showed the USGA that our region can support major championships and deserves to host a US Open in the future!Labels: golf, USGA
Women's Open gets changes
The U.S. Women's Open has a big change coming its way. The game's governing body here in the United States announced Friday that it would change the way playoffs were conducted for the women's championship.
Instead of a full 18-hole playoff on the day following the final round (of which there have been ten), those tied atop the leaderboard will move to a three-hole aggregate score playoff. After that, a sudden-death playoff will be conducted.
Said newly elected USGA President Walter Driver, "This makes sense for the players, fans, volunteers, vendors, the general media and our broadcast partners regarding the Women’s Open." The same format is also used for the U.S. Senior Open.
This style of playoff is similar to the one used by the Royal & Ancient in the British Open (both The Masters and PGA Championship are decided by sudden-death playoffs), the leaves the men's U.S. Open the only championship decided by a full 18-hole playoff. Could that change?
For now, Driver said the USGA has no plans to change the Men's Open. But, even if they did, would that be a bad thing? Many will argue that there's tradition in the 18-hole playoff, but I thnk it would actually be an improvement. Those who attend the final round will actually get to see who wins and TV viewship would probably be better than for those playoffs decided the following day. It's an extra day of championship golf, yes, but does it really get any better than Father's Day to crown our national champion?
Let me know what you think.Labels: golf, US Open, USGA
USGA announces a big deal
The USGA announced yesterday that it had signed its first corporate sponsorship with an automaker. The multi-year deal makes Lexus the official car of the U.S. Open, U.S. Women’s Open, U.S. Senior Open and U.S. Amateur.It's the first auto partnership in the USGA's 112 year history. I would say it's about time.In the last couple of years, the USGA really stepped up its sponsorship efforts, seeking bigger and better deals similar to the ones already in place for the PGA TOUR as well as the other, international associations. It's a move that gives the USGA more money to promote its product and grow the fan and player base of the game of golf.In a release from the USGA regarding the Lexus sponsorship, USGA President Walter Driver had this to say: “The obvious fit is that the USGA will now be able to offer Lexus vehicles and provide the players with an enhanced experience at selected USGA national championships while Lexus gets to showcase its product line at the very top events in golf—the USGA national championships. We are looking at all of the possibilities and the things we can do together for the benefit of golf.”It's win-win for the USGA and Lexus and you can believe that there will be more and more companies lining up to create exclusive deals in future.Labels: golf, Lexus, USGA
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