TNT's golf coverage is produced by Turner Sports and consists of television broadcasts of some of the key professional golf events in the United States. Currently, TNT has the cable rights to the PGA Championship (with full coverage of the first two rounds and early coverage of the weekend rounds since 1999 after being on sister channel TBS since 1991) under a contract with the PGA of America that runs through 2019.[1]
The channel has generally only carried major competitions, as opposed to the other week-to-week tournaments which are under the auspices of the PGA Tour, an organization which is independent from the PGA of America.
On October 10, 2018, it was announced that CBS had renewed its contract through 2030, but that ESPN would replace TNT as its cable partner beginning in 2020; CBS and ESPN similarly partner on the Masters Tournament. As before, ESPN will hold rights to early-round and weekend morning coverage, but ESPN will have the ability to offer supplemental coverage through its digital subscription service ESPN+ during CBS's weekend broadcast windows as well.[2]
In the past, TNT owned cable rights to the (British) Open Championship,[3] as well as the Women's British Open and Senior British Open, from 2003 to 2009 (with ABC picking up weekend coverage), replacing (and ultimately being replaced by) ESPN. TNT also carried the biennial PGA Tour-managed Presidents Cup[4] from 2000 to 2007; Golf Channel assumed those rights beginning with the 2009 event as part of its overall deal for PGA Tour cable rights.
Beginning in 2004, TNT as well as CBS, began broadcasting the PGA Championship in HDTV.
British Open
PGA Championship
See also: List_of_sports_announcers § Golf |