Featured Golf News
NBC to Televise Kiwi Challenge in mid-November
The NBC golf announce team of Mark Rolfing, Gary Koch and Roger Maltbie will provide four hours of weekend coverage November 14-15 of the Second Annual Kiwi Challenge from Cape Kidnappers in Hawkes Bay, New Zealand. The event will be televised by NBC in vivid HDTV from 4-6 p.m. (EST) each day.
The event will be played live two days earlier than it will be shown, on November 11-12. Tickets are available at Ticket Direct online at www.ticketdirect.co.nz at $50 (NZD) each. The local New Zealand phone number for Ticket Direct is 0800-4TICKET.
Sky TV will show coverage of the event in New Zealand on Saturday and Sunday, November 21-22, beginning at 6 a.m. each day. It will also re-air the program later those days at 5 p.m. and 4 p.m. respectively. Additionally, Sport 3 will carry the two-day event on Monday and Tuesday, November 23-24, at 11 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. respectively.
Rolfing and Maltbie were part of the NBC crew last year when Hunter Mahan won the $1.5 first prize in the 36-hole made-for-TV event sanctioned by the PGA Tour. Anthony Kim also returns, while Sean O'Hair and Camilo Villegas are competing for the first time.
The four are among the best young golfers under age 30. Combined, the group has eight PGA Tour wins, more than 80 top-10 finishes and over $40 million in career winnings. The $2 million Kiwi Challenge will be played on a 7,187-yard, Tom Doak-designed course ranked 36th in the world by Golf Magazine.
"It's one of the most stunning golf courses I have ever seen," says Rolfing, a resident of Hawaii.
Rolfing will be the host along with Koch, who will provide the color commentary. Maltbie will assume his familiar post on the course following the players. Steve Williams, a New Zealand native better known as Tiger Woods's caddie, will provide guest segments for NBC on the culture and historic background of New Zealand as well as playing strategies for the course. However, he will not be able to offer on-course commentary like last year because of his work schedule.
"I am looking forward to again being able to help NBC showcase golf in New Zealand and the beautiful golf course at Cape Kidnappers," said Williams. "However, since Tiger is playing in the Australian Masters that same week, I think it's a good idea to be where my boss needs me. Seriously though, I am proud to be part of both worldwide events that are happening here in New Zealand and Australia."
The broadcast will be shown in more than 100 countries, including those in Latin America and the United Kingdom, China, Hong Kong, India, the Philippines, Malaysia and Canada, as well as New Zealand and Australia.
For more information about the Kiwi Challenge, visit www.thekiwichallenge.com.
(' ’) |
 |
