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Golf on ESPN AI simulator
(@Golf on ESPN_simulator)
Hub AI
Golf on ESPN AI simulator
(@Golf on ESPN_simulator)
Golf on ESPN
Golf coverage on ESPN has been a regular feature of the cable sports channel's programming since soon after ESPN's launch in the United States on September 7, 1979.
ESPN broadcast the LPGA Tour from 1979 through 2009, the Senior PGA Tour from 1982 through 2000, and the PGA Tour from 1984 through 2006. Since 2022, ESPN+ has been the home of PGA Tour Live, the tour's streaming broadcast.
ESPN is the cable rightsholder for two of the men's majors - the Masters Tournament (since 2008) and the PGA Championship (since 2020). In both cases, the telecasts are produced in association with CBS Sports (which serves as the U.S. broadcast television rightsholder for both tournaments) and have incorporated talent from the network's own golf telecasts.
Golf aired on the second day of ESPN on September 8, 1979, with coverage of the LPGA Tour. ESPN aired the LPGA through 2009, when it lost rights to the Golf Channel. Over the years, ESPN televised three LPGA major championships.
Golf coverage greatly expanded on ESPN in the 1980s. In 1982, the Senior PGA Tour began airing on ESPN, which would air regular season action through 2000. In November 1983, ESPN signed a contract with the PGA Tour and would carry the tour through 2006. In 1982, innovative cable coverage of the major championships began, as ESPN aired three of men's golf's four majors for many years, the most distinctive feature being Thursday and Friday afternoon "Happy Hour" themed U.S. Open coverage anchored by Chris Berman.
From 1991 through 2006, ESPN aired the PGA Tour Championship in conjunction with ABC, a fact depicted in the 1996 smash hit golf film Happy Gilmore. In 1999, ESPN began airing the World Golf Championships. From 1996 through 2006, ESPN aired The Players Championship, a flagship event of the PGA Tour. ESPN broadcast the 1994 Presidents Cup, 1996 Presidents Cup and 1998 Presidents Cup. When ABC became the primary rights holder for the PGA Tour in 1999, several new events were broadcast on ESPN for the first time as all ABC tournaments initially shared coverage with ESPN.
Prior to 2007, ESPN and ABC shared some announcers, but the main ABC coverage team did not generally work on ESPN except for events that ABC had weekend rights to, in which case the full ABC team would work on ESPN's weekday telecasts. After losing PGA Tour rights to the Golf Channel following the 2006 season, what remained of ESPN and ABC's coverage team's merged, as did the production, with all ABC R&A broadcasts being branded as ESPN broadcasts as part of ESPN on ABC. History of the ESPN golf team during the period when some telecasts were still shown on ABC (2007–2009) can be found at the PGA Tour on ABC article.
Since 2008, ESPN has carried early-round coverage of the Masters Tournament. This coverage is co-produced by CBS Sports as part of its presentation of the event, and largely features its personalities, joined by an ESPN studio host (initially Mike Tirico before his departure for NBC, and later Scott Van Pelt).
Golf on ESPN
Golf coverage on ESPN has been a regular feature of the cable sports channel's programming since soon after ESPN's launch in the United States on September 7, 1979.
ESPN broadcast the LPGA Tour from 1979 through 2009, the Senior PGA Tour from 1982 through 2000, and the PGA Tour from 1984 through 2006. Since 2022, ESPN+ has been the home of PGA Tour Live, the tour's streaming broadcast.
ESPN is the cable rightsholder for two of the men's majors - the Masters Tournament (since 2008) and the PGA Championship (since 2020). In both cases, the telecasts are produced in association with CBS Sports (which serves as the U.S. broadcast television rightsholder for both tournaments) and have incorporated talent from the network's own golf telecasts.
Golf aired on the second day of ESPN on September 8, 1979, with coverage of the LPGA Tour. ESPN aired the LPGA through 2009, when it lost rights to the Golf Channel. Over the years, ESPN televised three LPGA major championships.
Golf coverage greatly expanded on ESPN in the 1980s. In 1982, the Senior PGA Tour began airing on ESPN, which would air regular season action through 2000. In November 1983, ESPN signed a contract with the PGA Tour and would carry the tour through 2006. In 1982, innovative cable coverage of the major championships began, as ESPN aired three of men's golf's four majors for many years, the most distinctive feature being Thursday and Friday afternoon "Happy Hour" themed U.S. Open coverage anchored by Chris Berman.
From 1991 through 2006, ESPN aired the PGA Tour Championship in conjunction with ABC, a fact depicted in the 1996 smash hit golf film Happy Gilmore. In 1999, ESPN began airing the World Golf Championships. From 1996 through 2006, ESPN aired The Players Championship, a flagship event of the PGA Tour. ESPN broadcast the 1994 Presidents Cup, 1996 Presidents Cup and 1998 Presidents Cup. When ABC became the primary rights holder for the PGA Tour in 1999, several new events were broadcast on ESPN for the first time as all ABC tournaments initially shared coverage with ESPN.
Prior to 2007, ESPN and ABC shared some announcers, but the main ABC coverage team did not generally work on ESPN except for events that ABC had weekend rights to, in which case the full ABC team would work on ESPN's weekday telecasts. After losing PGA Tour rights to the Golf Channel following the 2006 season, what remained of ESPN and ABC's coverage team's merged, as did the production, with all ABC R&A broadcasts being branded as ESPN broadcasts as part of ESPN on ABC. History of the ESPN golf team during the period when some telecasts were still shown on ABC (2007–2009) can be found at the PGA Tour on ABC article.
Since 2008, ESPN has carried early-round coverage of the Masters Tournament. This coverage is co-produced by CBS Sports as part of its presentation of the event, and largely features its personalities, joined by an ESPN studio host (initially Mike Tirico before his departure for NBC, and later Scott Van Pelt).