Watching Golf this Week: Rory Returns at Shell Houston Open

March 28, 2013 by Paul Kapustka 1 Comment

Call it the “pull my finger” tournament — all eyes (and other body parts) are on former No. 1 Rory McIlroy as he returns to action at the Shell Houston Open this weekend. Missing from the field is new world No. 1, Tiger Woods, who won at Arnie’s house last week and then sent the tweet of the year to Rory, basically telling him to get in gear if he wants this Nike rivalry to take off.

With two weeks to go until the season’s first major — the Masters — even minor events like the Shell tourney take on extra meaning, especially so in the case of Rory, who hasn’t been in top shape yet this year. There are also two more chances for players who haven’t qualified for the Masters to possibly get in by winning — so at the very least, a little more built in drama possibility.

SHELL HOUSTON OPEN

(all times Eastern)
TV COVERAGE

Thursday, March 28 — Golf Channel, 4 p.m. — 7 p.m.
Friday, March 29 — Golf Channel, 4 p.m. — 7 p.m.
Saturday, March 30 — Golf Channel, 1 p.m. — 3 p.m.; NBC, 3 p.m. — 6 p.m.
Sunday, March 31 — Golf Channel, 1 p.m. — 3 p.m.; NBC, 3 p.m. — 6 p.m.

LIVE ONLINE COVERAGE

Thursday and Friday, Golf Channel TV simulcast coverage via PGATour.com and GolfChannel.com; Saturday and Sunday, NBC coverage via the PGA site and from NBC sites, which include Golf Channel. Right now only Comcast cable subscribers can watch live online video on weekdays. NOTE: If you are using the PGA Mobile app to watch the Golf Channel online video, be advised that it only works with iOS phones and with some (not all) Android phones. There is no fix planned for the immediate future.

RADIO
SIRIUS XM (Satellite) 1 p.m. to 7 p.m., Thursday and Friday; 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. The live broadcasts are also available to subscribers on the SiriusXM Internet Radio App and online at SiriusXM.com.

FACEBOOK PAGE
Here is the Shell Houston Open Facebook page.

TOP TWITTER FEEDS TO FOLLOW
Shell Houston Open Twitter feed.
Geoff Shackelford — well known golf writer. If you’re not following Geoff you are missing the online boat.
Golf Channel — official Golf Channel feed
@PGATOUR — official PGA Twitter feed
@StephanieWei — great golf writer who is a Twitter fiend.
Doug Ferguson is the lead golf writer for AP. Good Twitter insights that often aren’t part of your wire-service lead.

WHAT’S THE COURSE LIKE?
It’s all about the golf at the Redstone Golf Club.

WHO WON THIS THING LAST TIME?
Hunter Mahan.

Watching Golf this Week: Cadillac Championship and Rory’s Apology

March 7, 2013 by Paul Kapustka Leave a Comment

Are we all clear about the great toothache now? With a no-excuses apology Wednesday for his sudden departure last week, No. 1 Rory McIlroy cleared the decks of controversy (for now) ahead of the World Golf Championship Cadillac Championship this week at Doral.

Since there’s no cut for the select field this weekend, McIlroy will have to grind it out over four rounds at the TPC Blue Monster at Doral, bad molars or not. As of Thursday afternoon it didn’t look like much fun, as McIlroy was flirting with last place. Expect more questions over the weekend about his switch to Nike clubs, which so far this year has been a disaster.

Putting Rory aside, there’s still plenty of good golfers in the pack this weekend, including Sir Eldrick. No Live@ video this week, but you can still catch simulcasts online if you are a Comcast cable subscriber. NBC picks up on the weekend, for you Johnny Miller fans.

WGC CADILLAC CHAMPIONSHIP

(all times Eastern)
TV COVERAGE

Thursday, March 7 — Golf Channel, 2 p.m. — 6 p.m.
Friday, March 8 — Golf Channel, 2 p.m. — 6 p.m.
Saturday, March 9 — Golf Channel, 12 p.m. — 2 p.m.; NBC, 2 p.m. — 6 p.m.
Sunday, March 10 — Golf Channel, 1 p.m. — 3 p.m.; NBC, 3 p.m. — 7 p.m.

LIVE ONLINE COVERAGE

RADIO
SIRIUS XM (Satellite) 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday, 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday. The live broadcasts are also available to subscribers on the SiriusXM Internet Radio App and online at SiriusXM.com.

FACEBOOK PAGE
Use the PGA Facebook page for the WGC event this week.

TOP TWITTER FEEDS TO FOLLOW

Geoff Shackelford — well known golf writer. If you’re not following Geoff you are missing the online boat.
Golf Channel — official Golf Channel feed
@PGATOUR — official PGA Twitter feed
@StephanieWei — great golf writer who is a Twitter fiend.
Doug Ferguson is the lead golf writer for AP. Good Twitter insights that often aren’t part of your wire-service lead.

WHAT’S THE COURSE LIKE?
Here’s a hole by hole description of the TPC Blue Monster at Doral.

WHO WON THIS THING LAST TIME?
Justin Rose.

Filed Under: Golf, Golf Channel, NBC Sports, Tiger Woods Tagged With: Comcast, Golf Channel, Mobile Sports Report, NBC Sports, Paul Kapustka, PGA, Rory McIlroy, Tiger Woods, WGC

Watching Golf this Week: Rory and Tiger Return at The Honda Classic

February 28, 2013 by Paul Kapustka Leave a Comment

It’s back to Florida time for the PGA Tour, and the stars are definitely out, with defending champ Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods heading the full-force field. If you watch on TV or online, get ready for a full weekend of references to “The Bear Trap,” the finishing three holes at the Jack Nicklaus-designed PGA National course in Palm Beach Gardens.

I’m not sure if the full press promo will move “The Bear Trap” into golf lore — personally I think it will take some real history, like a mano a mano showdown over the last three holes with some spectacular shots to really make the Bear Trap something real. But the good news is, with a full field and a high profile tourney we get the return of @Live, the PGA’s own extra online coverage of a couple holes. Good stuff for those of us who watch more on the PC than on the couch.

THE HONDA CLASSIC

(all times Eastern)
TV COVERAGE

Thursday, Feb. 28 — Golf Channel, 3 p.m. — 6 p.m.
Friday, March 1 — Golf Channel, 3 p.m. — 6 p.m.
Saturday, March 2 — Golf Channel, 1 p.m. — 3 p.m.; NBC, 3 p.m. — 6 p.m.
Sunday, March 3 — Golf Channel, 1 p.m. — 3 p.m.; NBC, 3 p.m. — 6 p.m.

LIVE ONLINE COVERAGE

The PGA’s @Live returns this week for the Honda Classic, with exclusive coverage of the par-5 third and par-4 ninth at PGA National. Here is the @Live link.

RADIO
SIRIUS XM (Satellite) 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. all four days. The live broadcasts are also available to subscribers on the SiriusXM Internet Radio App and online at SiriusXM.com.

FACEBOOK PAGE
Here is the Honda Classic Facebook page.

TOP TWITTER FEEDS TO FOLLOW

Honda Classic Twitter feed.
Geoff Shackelford — well known golf writer. If you’re not following Geoff you are missing the online boat.
Golf Channel — official Golf Channel feed
@PGATOUR — official PGA Twitter feed
@StephanieWei — great golf writer who is a Twitter fiend.
Doug Ferguson is the lead golf writer for AP. Good Twitter insights that often aren’t part of your wire-service lead.

WHAT’S THE COURSE LIKE?
Here’s an interactive look at the PGA Resort and Spa’s Champion Course.

WHO WON THIS THING LAST TIME?
Rory McIlroy.

Filed Under: Golf, Golf Channel, NBC Sports, PGA, Tiger Woods Tagged With: Golf Channel, Honda Classic, Mobile Sports Report, NBC Sports, Paul Kapustka, PGA, Rory McIlroy, Tiger Woods

Watching Golf this Week: The Frozen Open, or WGC Accenture Match Play Championship

February 21, 2013 by Paul Kapustka Leave a Comment

Pardon us for our late entry for this week’s watching golf episode… can we claim we were just waiting for our keyboard to thaw?

In case you hadn’t heard, the opening rounds Wednesday of the World Golf Championships Accenture Match Play Championships got put “on ice,” so to speak, after a snowstorm moved in on The Golf Club at Dove Mountain in Marana, Ariz. Snow? In Arizona? You bet. Watch Ricky Fowler get pasted by a snowball… what fun!

Seriously, there is a golf tournament going on, but my personal opinion is that match play does not make for a good TV viewing experience, especially in the first rounds when there are so many matches going on that it’s hard to keep track of where anybody is. In the spirit of March Madness, which is just around the corner, I say it’s best to wait until Saturday or Sunday to see if there are matches you care about, then tune in. If you’ve joined the PGA bracket competition you can track it live to see if your bracket is busted, like mine was thanks to Richard Sterne’s 1-up upset of Jason Dufner Thursday. As of this writing, ~~Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy are still playing~~. Update: Rory and Tiger are out. But you can still watch this weekend!

UPDATE 2: Here’s Saturday’s pairings:

Below are starting times for Saturday’s third-round of the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship. Attached is an updated bracket with results from Friday’s second round included.

Saturday 2/23/13
Tee Time Match # Players
1 07:10 AM Match 49 Robert Garrigus vs Fredrik Jacobson
1 07:22 AM Match 50 Nicolas Colsaerts vs Matt Kuchar
1 07:34 AM Match 53 Shane Lowry vs Graeme McDowell
1 07:46 AM Match 54 Bubba Watson vs Jason Day
10 07:10 AM Match 51 Scott Piercy vs Steve Stricker
10 07:22 AM Match 52 Tim Clark vs Ian Poulter
10 07:34 AM Match 55 Gonzalo Fdez-Castano vs Webb Simpson
10 07:46 AM Match 56 Martin Kaymer vs Hunter Mahan

Round 4 – Approximate Starting Times: Saturday 11:30 a.m. to 12:40 p.m., one tee start

All times local Arizona MT

WGC ACCENTURE MATCH PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP

(all times Eastern)
TV COVERAGE

Thursday, Feb. 21 — Golf Channel, 12:30 p.m. — 6 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 22 — Golf Channel, 2 p.m. — 6 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 23 — Golf Channel, 12 p.m. — 2 p.m.; CBS, 2 p.m. — 6 p.m.
Sunday, Feb. 24 — Golf Channel, 9 a.m. — 1 p.m.; CBS, 2 p.m. — 6 p.m.

LIVE ONLINE COVERAGE

Thursday and Friday, Golf Channel coverage via PGATour.com and GolfChannel.com; Saturday and Sunday, CBS coverage at CBSSports.com. Right now only Comcast cable subscribers can watch live online video on weekdays. NOTE: If you are using the PGA Mobile app to watch the CBS or Golf Channel online video, be advised that it only works with iOS phones and with some (not all) Android phones. There is no fix planned for the immediate future.

RADIO
SIRIUS XM (Satellite) Thursday-Friday-Saturday, and 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. The live broadcasts are also available to subscribers on the SiriusXM Internet Radio App and online at SiriusXM.com.

TOP TWITTER FEEDS TO FOLLOW

WHAT’S THE COURSE LIKE?
The Golf Club at Dove Mountain is a Jack Nicklaus design, and we expect it plays better when the snow melts off. Not sure if there are chairlifts. End of snow jokes.

WHO WON THIS THING LAST TIME?
Hunter Mahan, over Rory McIlroy.

Filed Under: CBS Sports, Golf, Golf Channel, PGA Tagged With: Golf Channel, Mobile Sports Report, Paul Kapustka, PGA, Rory McIlroy, Tiger Woods, WGC Match Play

Watching Golf this Week: The Ryder Cup

September 28, 2012 by Paul Kapustka 2 Comments

It’s really too bad that the Ryder Cup, the biennial golf competition between the U.S. and Europe, takes place in the fall — because that means a lot of fun and interesting golf is going to get lost in the tornado of football this weekend. Fortunately, thanks to the PGA and Turner Sports there’s a boatload of Ryder action taking place online, so get your browsers fired up for Friday morning foursomes. And then some fourballs. What?

Oh yeah, the Ryder Cup’s first two days have something we never see during the regular tour year — team competitions! If you need a how-is-it-scored primer, the BBC has a great one explaining the scoring — but basically foursomes are alternate-shot competitions (meaning each of the two players trades shots) while fourballs are more familiar team play, with everyone playing their own ball and the team with the player with the lowest score wins the hole. Each hole is worth a point, and the team with the higher score at the end wins an overall match point. If the match is tied each team gets a half-point. Singles on Sunday need no explanation. Mano a mano, also match play so it only matters how many holes you win, not your total score.

And after the inflated importance of the FedEx Cup — yes there was some good golf by the big names and congrats to Brandt Snedeker for bagging the big check — there is nothing truer than playing for your country or your continent, no prize money on the line just pressure and pride. This year the Cup is being contested in my home town, Chicago, at the monster known as Medinah. I remember playing there once, just out of high school, thought I had some game, and put something like a 120 on the scorecard. The pros, of course, will be shooting pars and birdies but the scores matter less than the head to head, between the great Euro players led by Rory McIlroy and the U.S. team, led by Tiger Woods.

With live coverage online, on TV and on an app, you have no excuse for not watching some great golf, even if you are also watching football. The great thing about Ryder coverage is that it’s also unlike tournament coverage — there is usually always some tension going on, and the TV folks are usually in a Red Zone-type mode, switching to where the pressure is most high. A great way to end the real golf season. Just wish we didn’t have to be distracted by the return of real refs and all that.

REMEMBER: ESPN for TV Friday, NBC on Saturday and Sunday.

THE 2012 RYDER CUP

(all times Eastern)
TV COVERAGE

Friday, Sept, 28 — ESPN, 8 a.m. — 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 29 — NBC, 9 a.m. — 7 p.m.
Sunday, Sept. 30 — NBC, 12 p.m. — 6 p.m.

RADIO
SIRIUS XM (Satellite)
8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday and Saturday; 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. The live broadcasts are also available to subscribers on the SiriusXM Internet Radio App and online at SiriusXM.com.

ONLINE / MOBILE APPS
Ryder Cup Live will be online basically the whole tourney, starting at 8:20 a.m. on Friday and Saturday, 12 p.m. on Sunday, and going until competition is over each day. The live video is free (no cable contract required), and mobile viewers can download the iPhone app, the iPad app, or go to the Ryder Cup Mobile Site if you have an Android device.

ESPN3 is also carrying the ESPN broadcast live on Friday.

FACEBOOK PAGE
The PGA Facebook page is the Facebook home of the Ryder Cup.

SOCIAL MEDIA
The Ryder Cup has something called the 13th Man page, similar to the Social Caddy we saw at the PGA. Lots of Twitter streams, a USA vs. Europe Twitter competition, an Instagram feed… worth a bookmark.

TOP TWITTER FEEDS TO FOLLOW

WHAT’S THE COURSE LIKE?
Here’s the deets on Medinah Country Club course.

WHO WON THIS THING LAST TIME?
Europe is the defending champ, if you remember. I remember bad raincoats.

Filed Under: Apple, Apps, ESPN, Facebook, Golf, iPad, iPhone, Live sports via mobile, Live Sports Video Consumption, NBC Sports, Ryder Cup Tagged With: Chicago, Medinah, Mobile Sports Report, Paul Kapustka, Phil Mickelson, Rory McIlroy, Ryder Cup, Sports Apps, Tiger Woods

Watching Golf this Week: TOUR Championship, aka the $10 Million Tourney

September 20, 2012 by Paul Kapustka 1 Comment

If you decided to watch golf instead of football two weekends ago, you may have caught the star-studded leaderboard (Tiger! Rory! Phil!) at the BMW Championship, which ended with POY top candidate Rory McIlroy winning his second straight tourney, and third of the last four. Going into this week’s TOUR Championship in Atlanta, Rory the lad is the favorite to walk away with the big playoff prize, $10 million to the FedEx Cup champ.

Please don’t ask us to explain the convoluted points system, which “reset” after the last event so that theoretically any of the 30 players in the field this weekend could win the final prize. That is supposed to introduce drama but I think it’s a waste. There are several theories floating around about how to change the “playoffs” to make them exciting or original — why not do playoffs like all other sports, make it head to head (aka match play), and the losers go home? Instead of 30 guys and weirdo mathematical combinations (like last year when Bill Haas didn’t even know he’d won the big enchilada after winning the weekend), why not a “final four” weekend where there are singles match play on Friday and then again on Sunday?

Really, no charge for my ideas. You’re welcome PGA. And FedEx. Though we are going to need to ramp up that online coverage while we’re at it. The last three tourneys of the playoffs have been great since the PGA’s Live@ coverage has been around, but it’s been severely limited — usually only showing a couple holes, still not up to the multiple cam/group choices offered by the Masters online. Ah well, there’s always next year. Just be sure to tune in to the last 15 minutes on Sunday, when the great tension of the playoffs comes to an end and one of the millionaire golfers gets to add another 10-spot to his career earnings. A construct, but $10 million makes you watch.

Bonus TV coverage this week on Golf Channel, starting at 1 p.m. Eastern on Thursday and Friday, and then at 12 p.m. Saturday and 11:30 a.m. Sunday before the NBC broadcasts; also on ESPN3 for those who follow at work; ESPN3 will mimic the Live@ coverage times, 1-6 p.m. each day.

TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP / FEDEX CUP PLAYOFFS

(all times Eastern)
TV COVERAGE

Thursday, Sept. 20 — Golf Channel, 1 p.m. — 6 p.m.
Friday, Sept, 21 — Golf Channel, 1 p.m. — 6 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 22 — Golf Channel, 12 p.m. — 2 p.m.; NBC, 2 p.m. — 6 p.m.
Sunday, Sept. 23 — Golf Channel, 11:30 a.m. — 1:30 p.m. NBC, 1:30 p.m. — 6 p.m.

RADIO
SIRIUS XM (Satellite)
12 p.m. — 6 p.m. every day

ONLINE
Live@ video is back this week —
Live@ coverage — 1 p.m. to 6 p.m., every day

ESPN3 will offer live action from 1-6 p.m. each day with unique views of the Par 4 No. 1 hole and the Par 3 No. 11, plus the Par 3 No. 18 each day when play finishes on No. 1.

PGA SHOT TRACKER
If all you want is shots and distances (which can be addicting) get your fix via Shot Tracker, which will definitely be in action at the Barclays.

FACEBOOK PAGE
We don’t know why it’s an all-caps TOUR Championship but here is their FACEBOOK PAGE.

TOP TWITTER FEEDS TO FOLLOW

The TOUR Championship Twitter feed.
Geoff Shackelford — well known golf writer. If you’re not following Geoff you are missing the online boat.
Golf Channel — official Golf Channel feed
@PGATOUR — official PGA Twitter feed
@StephanieWei — great golf writer who is a Twitter fiend.
Doug Ferguson is the lead golf writer for AP. Good Twitter insights that often aren’t part of your wire-service lead.

WHAT’S THE COURSE LIKE?
Here’s the deets on East Lake GC in Atlanta.

WHO WON THIS THING LAST YEAR?
Bill Haas, with his amazing chip from the waves. Then he had to be told that he won the overall playoffs too. So don’t feel bad, the players are as confused as you are. But they’re also a lot richer.

FEDEX CUP PLAYOFF LEADERS
1. Rory McIlroy, 7,299 points
2. Tiger Woods, 4,067
3. Nick Watney, 3,586
4. Phil Mickelson, 3.420
5. Brandt Snedeker, 3,357

RESET POINTS (used to calculate final FedEx payoff)
1. McIlroy, 2,500 points; 2. Woods, 2,250; 3. Watney, 2,000; 4. Mickelson, 1,800; 5. Snedeker, 1,600.

See the playoff full standings at the PGA site.

WORLD GOLF RANKINGS
1. Rory McIlroy; 2. Tiger Woods; 3. Luke Donald; 4. Lee Westwood; 5. Adam Scott.
See the official World Golf Ranking list.

Filed Under: Golf, Golf Channel, NBC Sports, PGA, Tiger Woods Tagged With: FedEx Cup, Mobile Sports Report, Paul Kapustka, PGA Tour, Phil Mickelson, Rory McIlroy, Tiger Woods, TOUR Championship

Watching Golf this Week: Rory Returns at Shell Houston Open

SHELL HOUSTON OPEN

Watching Golf this Week: Cadillac Championship and Rory’s Apology

WGC CADILLAC CHAMPIONSHIP

Watching Golf this Week: Rory and Tiger Return at The Honda Classic

THE HONDA CLASSIC

Watching Golf this Week: The Frozen Open, or WGC Accenture Match Play Championship

WGC ACCENTURE MATCH PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP

Watching Golf this Week: The Ryder Cup

THE 2012 RYDER CUP

Watching Golf this Week: TOUR Championship, aka the $10 Million Tourney

TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP / FEDEX CUP PLAYOFFS

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