The post ‘The media have painted me as this black hat’: Patrick Reed opens up on lawsuit, LIV appeared first on Golf.

The post ‘The media have painted me as this black hat’: Patrick Reed opens up on lawsuit, LIV appeared first on Golf.

Patrick Reed, in addressing his defamation lawsuit against Golf Channel and analyst Brandel Chamblee, says the narrative against him is “he’s a horrendous person, he’s a cheater, a liar and a thief” and that “you have to fight back, fight for yourself, and fight for what you believe in.”

In the exclusive interview with the Sunday Times, Reed also says comments made by Rory McIlroy over LIV Golf player participation this week in the BMW PGA Championship are “insulting.” And after his final round on Sunday at Wentworth Golf Club, Reed told reporters that should a LIV golfer ever win a non-LIV event, “there would be some kind of media s*** storm.”

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The lawsuit comments were his first known on the subject, and we’ll begin there. Last month, Reed filed a defamation suit in the Southern District of Texas against Chamblee and Golf Channel, alleging they “have conspired as joint tortfeasors for and with the PGA Tour, its executives and its Commissioner Jay Monahan, to engage in a pattern and practice of defaming Mr. Reed.” The lawsuit uses quotes from Chamblee from his time on the air for Golf Channel and Sky Sports as well as on podcasts to allege damages in excess of $750 million. 

In the interview with the Sunday Times — which you can read in full here — Reed said he needed to defend himself. 

“Everyone who knows the true me knows it’s not this narrative that the PGA Tour and the Golf Channel have built,” Reed told the Sunday Times. “It feels like the media have painted me as this black hat, and they’ve just allowed that to keep on driving their clicks as well as the amount of income they can bring in from attacking me. They run with everything they can find or try to spin it in a negative way. It’s hard to even talk about it because of how fictitious it is. The malice and deceit to say something like that about somebody is just ridiculous.”

Continuing his thoughts on the lawsuit, Reed admitted to the Sunday Times that he’s brought on some of the attention himself, noting comments he made on Jordan Spieth and Jim Furyk at the 2018 Ryder Cup, but he also said he’s never cheated. Notably, Reed was penalized for brushing away sand from behind his ball in a waste area during the 2019 Hero World Championship, though he has maintained that he did not mean to skirt the rules. 

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“I have never ever intentionally tried to break any rule of golf to gain an advantage on anyone,” Reed told the Sunday Times. “I take too much pride in the hard work I do each and every day to try and gain an advantage in such a petty and deceitful way.”

On the subject of LIV Golf player participation at the BMW PGA, McIlroy had said after his victory at the PGA Tour’s Tour Championship that it would be “hard to stomach” seeing LIV golfers at Wentworth, then reiterated that thought in his pre-tournament press conference. 

Reed, meanwhile, had played on the DP World Tour and the PGA Tour before joining the threat to both leagues, LIV Golf, and he and 17 other LIV golfers played the BMW PGA on the DP World Tour this week, ahead of a trial that should determine whether he and other LIV players can play more DP World Tour events in the future.

“I feel like [Rory] making those types of comments is insulting,” Reed told the Sunday Times. “Let’s be honest, I’ve [played the DP World Tour] more consistently than some of the Europeans on the PGA Tour, so for them to take shots at other guys, especially Billy [Horschel] and Rory taking shots at the LIV guys saying they shouldn’t be here — I’ve done more for this Tour than Billy has and I’ve played almost as much as Rory has for the past five years.

“I was able to talk to a bunch of DP World Tour players [on Tuesday] and not a single one of them had any issue with me being here because of the support I’ve shown this tour throughout my career, throughout Covid and at smaller events as well as big events.”

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After Reed’s final round at the BMW PGA, where he shot a nine-under 63 to finish tied for fifth, he said again players were supportive throughout the week. Also during the press conference exchange, a reporter later asked: “Is it going to get to a point where people are too entrenched in their positions to change?” 

His answer also spoke to a comment he made in late June during his introductory LIV press conference, where he said the LIV schedule would allow him more family time. 

“I don’t know. To be honest with you, I have no idea,” Reed began. “Really at the end of the day, I feel like everyone has to come to terms with their decision. How I look at it especially a part of this tour, especially me being American and being, hey, guys, I’ve played on two tours my whole life, my whole career. I’ve played on the PGA Tour and European Tour at the same time. I don’t see any difference me playing on PGA Tour and here and playing on LIV and here at all.  

“If anything, with playing on LIV and them only having 14 events, that means I’ll be over here more. That means I play six or seven events. Guys are like, oh, you joined LIV to play a lesser schedule. Well, I’m a guy that’s played 31 to 34 events a year. So if I played 14 and say I play six here, that’s 20, so that’s 11 to 14 events left. That’s 11 to 14 extra weeks I can spend time with my family and that’s huge. 

“But at the end of the day, as a player, I hope they do the right thing and allow us to play, but at the end of the day, that’s not our decision.”

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A reporter then asked: “How do you think the golfing world will react if a LIV player did win one of these?” 

At the BMW PGA, four LIV golfers finished in the top 20 — Reed tied for fifth, Talor Gooch was fourth, Lee Westwood tied for 13th, and Sam Horsfield and Abraham Ancer tied for 18th. 

“I don’t know,” Reed began. “At the end of the day, the guys that are on LIV are really, really good golfers. I’m sure there would be some kind of media s*** storm is the easiest way to put it, but that being said, it would be no difference if it was last year and guys were playing the PGA Tour, would it?

“I mean, at the end of the day, really, if you took everything away, all the hoopla of everything, it would be just another top player coming over and winning a golf tournament, whether it’s PGA Tour, LIV, European Tour. There’s no big media just frenzy when a European comes over and wins on the PGA Tour, and when Billy [Horschel] won here it felt like the same as if a normal player won from over here. I don’t think there should be anything different. It just shows that the guys are still ready to play and guys are hungry to win and really just hungry for competition.”

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The post How Golf Channel’s “Live From” comes to life: Inside golf fans’ cult-favorite TV show appeared first on Golf.

The post How Golf Channel’s “Live From” comes to life: Inside golf fans’ cult-favorite TV show appeared first on Golf.

BROOKLINE, Mass. — It’s been three minutes and 48 seconds, and the “Live From” team has already forgotten the cameras are off.

The 1 p.m. Wednesday production meeting started just seconds ago, but the argument ripping through those seated under the harsh fluorescent lights of the conference room feels like it’s been simmering for weeks.

“I don’t know if he says this in the piece,” starts Brandel Chamblee. He’s often the instigator with these things. “But you could make the argument that this is the most important hole in the history of American golf.”

The group is discussing the 17th hole at The Country Club, which will play a starring role both at this week’s U.S. Open and on Wednesday night’s evening edition of “Live From.” Justin Leonard, another Golf Channel on-air talent, has filed a video report on the hole. It is a vibrant, well-researched piece, but also something else: a conversation-starter for golf’s most renowned debate team.

“Off of Brandel’s positioning, what are the other super-important holes?” says host Rich Lerner, teeing the ball up high for Chamblee and his sparring partner, Paul McGinley. “Eighteen at Winged Foot, to me, you get Bobby Jones. And then what Mickelson did there,” — Lerner is referring to Mickelson’s stunning double-bogey on the 72nd hole of 2016 U.S. Open — “I thought it was a turning point in American golf history. If he wins, that’s three majors in a row. He goes to Liverpool with a chance at the Mickel-slam.”

“We can have fun with this,” Lerner continues, not realizing that Chamblee and McGinley already are. “The audience might like that — other important golf holes.”

The next 45 minutes are the only time the entire “Live From” team will be in one place until the show goes live at 7 p.m. ET. I’ve been told the meetings are a sight to behold — “Live From: Uncensored” — a place where golf’s best debaters take on the most important argument of all: the battle over the agenda for that night’s show.

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Lerner turns to his right, where Chamblee is scribbling furiously on a yellow legal pad in the corner of the room.

“That next one that comes to mind really is Merion 11, where Jones closed out Eugene Homans in ’30 to clinch the grand slam,” Lerner says. “Birdied the 11th hole to win and said later, ‘I still have that golf ball.’ That’s how cool that hole is.”

Suddenly, a noise comes from the other corner of the room.

“Sixteen at Augusta,” whispers Mark Loomis, Golf Channel’s new head of studio programming. He’s sitting in on the meeting.

“Sixteen, Augusta. Jack. Tiger in ’05, in ’19,” Lerner says.

“We’ve got to say 16 at Cypress Point,” Chamblee counters. “Because that’s where Marion Hollins hit that shot.”

“We can turn it into the top five most important holes in the world,” says Jeff Fabian, the producer responsible for keeping the “rundown” — or the list of topics the show will discuss that night.

To this point, McGinley has been observing the action. The Irishman and former Ryder Cup captain officially joined the “Live From” set in March, which makes him a newcomer in a well-traveled family. To date, he’s been an excellent addition, the rare golf mind foolish enough to lock horns with Chamblee — and sharp enough to win.

“What about 18 at St. Andrews?” McGinley says. “Seve’s putt, when he saluted everyone. That was iconic to me as a kid growing up in Ireland. It’s synonymous with golf over in Europe.”

Sensing the conversation veering, Matt Hegarty steps in. Hegarty is the boss, the show’s lead producer. Forget Augusta, forget St. Andrews — the focus for that evening’s segment, he says, will be the five best holes in U.S. Open history.

The argument picks up again, rearing after every subsequent addition. Soon there are 10 holes on the list, and the team is trading playful daggers as they try to cut it to five. After a few more minutes of debate, the squad has reduced the list to six, and nobody wants to give an inch.

“Why can’t it be six?” Lerner says. “Why do we have to put a number on it?”

Chamblee pounces, his eyes glimmering playfully.

“Because at some point the segment’s gotta end,” he says.

The room erupts in laughter. Lerner, too.

Quietly, he turns to me, the smile spread wide across his face.

“I mean, seriously, how great is this?”

I. The Show

“Live From” is your favorite golf fan’s favorite golf show, which isn’t a statement of opinion so much as it is one of inevitability.

There are only two types of diehard golf fans: those who watch “Live From” for dozens of hours during golf’s biggest weeks, and those who don’t realize they’ve watched dozens of hours of it during golf’s biggest weeks.

The show has taken on its own life force since it first started on Golf Channel in 2005, earning a cult following among those whose obsession with golf extends beyond the typical broadcast window. The show has since grown into the network’s proudest offering — traveling to seven tournaments across men’s and women’s golf annually and typically providing in the neighborhood of 40 hours of live coverage per event. For those with an unquenchable appetite for golf, “Live From” is comfort food, typically offering intelligent commentary, an uncommon depth of analysis and lively debate.

“There was a tagline for ‘Inside the NFL’ in the 90s,” says Hegarty, the show’s lead producer. “It was, ‘The Show The Pros Watch,’ and that’s what I like to think we do with ‘Live From.’ We’re the show that pro players and professional writers and golf industry professionals and really serious fans watch. We take pride in that.”

Hegarty is sitting in his “office,” which is an 8-by-10 cell tucked into the back of the “Live From” production truck. When he’s on the road, he spends most weeks here or in the main conference room next door — an area that feels like a church basement. Folding chairs and tables are scattered haphazardly across the room, which is accented with “decor” that’d make a college underclassman blush. Papers are taped to the walls, and the windows are protected by shades that are bent in some places and yanked halfway up in others.

Hegarty is in a chair pressed up against pane, reading over the early rundown for the night’s show. He has sharp, worn features and haphazardly slicked-back dark hair. He speaks with a New York slight accent — a product of his Westchester County, N.Y., roots — that grows more pronounced when a cigar is between his teeth. He’s friendly but direct, a tone that tends to soften with those he doesn’t know.

“I think we’re excellent. I think we’re f—ing world-class,” Hegarty says, gesturing toward his team. “I’ve learned so much about golf just listening to these guys talk. Personally, yeah. Not only in here in this trailer, or my friendships with them, but on the show.”

On Wednesday, Hegarty’s day begins at 6:45 a.m. with the first of two production meetings. After a video call with Arthur Volpe and Alan Robison, the early shift’s two producers, he heads over to the course, where it’s time to field phone calls and to begin working with the rest of the team about the shape of that night’s show.

After the production meeting at 1, the real work begins. Hegarty spends his afternoon providing guidance to talent, producers, research, directors and reporters preparing for the evening. At 7, the show goes live, and for the first time all day, Hegarty is powerless. Now it’s up to Lerner, Chamblee, McGinley and Todd Lewis to steer the ship. The show ends at 10. By 11, Hegarty is back in his hotel room, sometimes still providing feedback to talent and producers.

When Hegarty talks about “Live From,” it’s difficult to know where the show stops and he begins. When the show is on the air, it’s an all-encompassing element in his life, and the pride he feels — in his staff and the show — is palpable. Hegarty is the heartbeat of the program, an indispensable asset.

“He’s great at taking a step back and looking at the big picture,” says producer Jeff Fabian, Hegarty’s right-hand man. “You know, you get involved in what you’re doing. We’ll start with all these conversations and start going down these paths. Matt is great at sitting back and saying, ‘Let’s think about this for a second. What’s the best direction we should take here?'”

Even if he sometimes likens himself to a hardass, Hegarty’s actions show a different side. He calls Lerner his best friend. He spends hours in the lead-up to tournament weeks in unprompted, often middle-of-the-night, ideation sessions with hosts Lerner, Chamblee and McGinley, and his team of producers. In the hours after an episode airs, you can usually catch Hegarty rewatching that night’s show.

“I watch until we screw something up,” he says, only half-joking. “Then I have to turn it off.”

The sum of Hegarty’s obsession is illustrated in his show’s tone: “Live From” can be intense, but its staffers show not only a passion for golf but also for one another.

“Of all the places I’ve been at Golf Channel, when I walk in this room, I feel at home,” Lerner says. “This family is unlike anything else I’ve ever been involved with.”

II. The Geek Squad

What separates “Live From?”

“We’re f—ing golf nerds,” says Fabian, the producer. “We loved golf before we did this for a living. I enjoy watching on the weeks when I’m not working — it feels like I’m working, but I still do it.”

Golf obsession is a prerequisite, particularly considering the show’s logistical hurdles. On show weeks, the “Live From” crew is divided into two teams — one for the morning and evening shows — and split between the on-site location and the NBC Sports studios in Stamford, Conn. The constant churn places an unusual emphasis on communication, which leaves little time for understanding the course material.

“The show works because [the team loves] the game so much,” Chamblee said. “They know its history really well, they aren’t afraid to say no, they know all the topical events are going on, and they want to treat it fairly. And that’s it. Bottom line is, they love it.”

There are only two staff-wide golf discussions each day: the production meetings for the morning and evening shows. The remainder of the show — from Chamblee’s swing breakdowns to Lerner’s closing essay — is left up to the people executing it.

No one staffer personifies this reality more than Ari Marcus, an associate producer who’s quickly risen up the “Live From” ranks. Marcus, who joined the show in 2015, is a producer’s dream: both extraordinarily type-A and ravenously curious. He’s become a favorite of Chamblee’s, who shares similar proclivities.

“Brandel — I really appreciate how much effort he puts into the show,” Marcus told me. “When he gets in today, he’ll just stick his head down in his laptop and notepad and you’ll just see the wheels turning. Then he’ll come to me with something he has this. He has this walk — like I can recognize when he has something. And he’ll like to have a brisk walk and come over to me. And I’ll be like, ‘Oh, here we go.’ And I’ll get my notes ready.”

These are the relationships that make for high-IQ entertainment, and they can be found everywhere on the “Live From” staff. From Chamblee and Lerner to Hegarty and Marcus, to members of the show’s (increasingly important) standards and research team: Jake Abrahams and Kevin Casey.

“‘Live From’ is unlike anywhere else I’ve worked in TV. It’s so all-in on the event, on the moment,” Abrahams said. “It’s really the only time when our entire crew is in one place to cover something. And so to an outsider, it’s the show that gives the golf fan everything they need to know about what’s about to happen, and what’s happened already.”

In short, the people are what separates “Live From.” They are the engine that pushes the show forward, even when they’re working long hours, under stressful conditions, from two locations across the United States.

“I love this whole team, because we’re all super-passionate about golf,” Marcus said. “They’re not just coworkers, they’re good friends. Golf is all of our lives. Even if we’re not working, we’re gonna go home and watch the tournament just out of pure enjoyment.”

It’s serious work, largely because it’s work the “Live From” team takes seriously. Well, most of it.

“I gotta say, the theme song plays a big role,” Chloe Pistorius, another producer, says with a laugh. “Seriously, you just get goosebumps, you know it’s a major when you hear it.”

III. ‘6-and-5!’

It’s 12 minutes to showtime, and Chamblee has just heard some very bad news.

“Eighteen at Merion didn’t make it?!” he barks. “I thought we discussed that 18 at Merion made it. I can’t believe that.”

The “Live From” crew is in battle positions. Lerner, Chamblee and McGinley are in the studio, which is in a cavernous space overlooking the clubhouse at The Country Club. Fabian, the producer, is taking the team through the final run-through before the Wednesday night show, showing the team a preview of the segments that are soon to follow. The exercise is largely a formality meant to test the equipment, though it does have the added benefit of being a last-second refresher for the on-air talent.

Chamblee has just seen the final list of that night’s segment, ranking five iconic U.S. Open holes. Earlier in the afternoon, someone (likely Hegarty) cut the list from six holes down to five. In doing so, the mysterious villain omitted the 18th hole at Merion — the site of Ben Hogan’s famed 1-iron approach in 1950 — in favor of the 18th at Oakmont. Oakmont’s closer is a famous hole in its own right, a legitimate choice among the list’s other esteemed selections.

But not to Chamblee. He’s incredulous.

“Eighteen at Merion beats 18 at Oakmont 6-and-5!” he says. “Six-and-5! It’s not even a discussion.”

Ever judicious, Lerner tries to play the middleman.

“Arnie’s walk on 18 at Oakmont was absolutely memorable,” he says.

“And that tops 18 at Merion?” Chamblee says in rhetorical staccato. 

“I’m not saying that,” Lerner says.

Quickly, they’re interrupted by the stage manager, who calls out from the corner of the room.

“Eight minutes to air!”

Chamblee is stewing, making sharp pen strokes on legal paper. At least four pages of notes are weighed down by coasters on the desk.

“Five minutes!”

“Two minutes!”

Fabian gets back in Chamblee’s earpiece. Back in Stamford, a fast-moving editor is pulling together images of the 18th at Merion. The hole has been added to the list, which will feature six holes after all.

“Well, thank goodness!” Chamblee says.

“Thirty seconds!”

Chamblee flashes me a mischievous grin. At long last, it’s finally showtime.

“Hello again and welcome — Rich Lerner pleased as always to be joined by Paul McGinley and Brandel Chamblee,” Lerner says before running through the day’s biggest storylines. “All that and more as we continue … Live From the U.S. Open.”

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The post Why U.S. Open qualifying was like a breath of fresh air this week appeared first on Golf.

The post Why U.S. Open qualifying was like a breath of fresh air this week appeared first on Golf.

It was just after 3 p.m. ET on Monday, and Golf Channel was coming up on the halfway point of a marathon.

For four hours that morning, the network had carried live, wall-to-wall coverage of the day’s biggest story: U.S. Open sectional qualifying. There were still six hours of live coverage left — most of which would come later in the evening — and now, in the mid-afternoon, it was time for a break.

This was good news for the nearly 150 Golf Channel workers spread out at qualifying sites across the United States. A long evening was ahead, with live coverage stretching close to midnight.

Suddenly, news broke. After months of silence, Phil Mickelson had just announced his intention to compete in the first LIV Golf event in London, and the U.S. Open soon after.

The tenor of the day quickly changed. Time for Golf Channel to shift gears. Qualifying was on the back-burner, at least for the next few hours.

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Golf Channel’s coverage from “Golf’s Longest Day” returned at 6 p.m. ET, and with it, a flurry of new activity.

There were scoring updates from each of the nine qualifying sites, a pre-produced package with former NFL running back (and U.S. Open hopeful) Danny Woodhead, and vignettes from the teams of reporters out in the field.

Soon, the East Coast qualifying sites began wrapping up, and Golf Channel went back out again to the course, where reporters shared details on the players who’d punched their tickets into the national championship.

There were conversations with Tour pros who’d earned their way into the Open the hard way and updates on those who were still in the midst of qualifying — the sort of general chatter that’s typical of a golf broadcast.

But it wasn’t until after the initial wave of qualifiers ended that the coverage found its rhythm. First, it was through a teary-eyed interview with Keith Greene in Jupiter, Fla. Greene, a 29-year-old pro who’d flamed out on the PGA Tour Latinoamerica, shot four under on Monday to earn the third of four qualifying slots.

“This is a dream, man. Man, family and friends, belief in God,” Greene said, his eyes welling. “I just believed so much in myself. It’s just been hard, man. The family’s there, though. The texts from Mom and Dad. They believe in me. I’m just trying to do what I can, and I know I got it. It just takes so much out here.”

And then again, through another emotional conversation — this time with Brady Calkins.

“A dream come true,” Calkins said, his voice cracking. “I’ve been a professional since I was 19. I’m 27 now, and this is my first time getting through.”

Golf Channel stuck on the air until close to midnight on the East Coast, finishing its coverage shortly after the day’s final qualifier in Bend, Ore., concluded.

It was an exhausting evening for the staff. The network had handled some 10 hours of live coverage from sectional qualifying on Monday, stretching itself thin to cover the sprawl of events. And to many golf fans, surely the coverage came as a much-needed respite.

As LIV Golf prepares to stage its first tournament this week, the debate over the huge sums of money now being poured into the game is reaching a critical mass. The cash, the player commits, the consequences: all have dominated golf’s news cycle. These are, of course, important and weighty conversations, and matters that should be discussed.

But Monday — well, some of Monday, anyway — was a break from all that, a reminder that there is also another very different side to the game, one occupied by grinders and dreamers.

Indeed, the soul of golf has little to do with appearance fees and purses, and every year, U.S. Open qualifying reminds us of this. It’s the game’s great unifier, the strand that connects Tiger Woods to Joe Schmoe.

Fans will be reminded of this again next week when the U.S. Open returns to The Country Club, the site, in 1913, of Francis Ouimet’s landmark Open win. Ouimet, an amateur, didn’t collect a dime that week.

Imagine that.

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The post How miles of prep work help this on-course reporter stock up on insights appeared first on Golf.

The post How miles of prep work help this on-course reporter stock up on insights appeared first on Golf.

SOUTHERN PINES, N.C. — Kay Cockerill does a lot of walking.

As an on-course reporter for Golf Channel and NBC, she walks with players during their practice rounds to earn their trust, and if there’s a player she doesn’t know, she walks right over and introduces herself.

She walks up and down the driving range, gathering intel from swing coaches and caddies.

And, before a single shot is hit in competition, she walks the whole course — fairways and greens and everywhere in between.

“I like to walk it to feel it under my feet,” she says.

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That may sound like the kind of thing a bohemian on a spirit quest might say, but for someone in Cockerill’s role, it’s a sign of diligent prep work. The miles she logs — and things she learns along the way — are all part of the gig.

This week, she’s walking familiar ground.

Cockerill, 57, covered the U.S. Women’s Open the last time the ladies were in town in 2007. And, more recently, she competed in the U.S. Senior Women’s Open at Pine Needles in 2019, after architect Kyle Franz gave the course a makeover.

“The greens, to me, are even more severe than they were before [the restoration],” Cockerill says. “There are literally one or two maybe 20-foot circles that you have to find, irrelevant of where the holes are located.”

Just as Donald Ross intended.

Observations like these are why Cockerill sees value in spending so much time walking the course in the days leading up to the championship. Fans get to hear her insights during the broadcasts each weekend, but most of the work is done before the opening tee ball is struck.

“I try to do as much as I can out on the golf course,” she says. “That’s where you learn the most. You see things, you watch shots, you see how the course is reacting.”

Cockerill is much like the players she covers in that regard. She approaches her duties as an on-course reporter with the same routine-oriented mindset that the top golfers in the world use — a remanent of her pre-broadcasting days when she competed on the LPGA Tour.

As Cockerill puts it, her game was a struggle in the mid-90s. She was good enough to play on tour, but not quite good enough to win — she finished her pro career with one win, on what would become the Epson Tour. The grind was wearing on her.

That’s when then-LPGA commissioner Charlie Meacham approached her with an interesting proposal. The Golf Channel was in its infancy, and they were looking for former players to become commentators. Would she be interested?

“I was smart enough to understand that it was a pretty cool opportunity,” Cockerill says. “I was at a crossroads, and it was an opportunity to take a different route in the golf world.”

Cockerill took the job, and it it didn’t take long for her to become hooked on her new career. She split her time between playing and broadcasting for a few years, but by the end of 1997, she’d fully transitioned to her on-air role.

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“I just loved that I could stay in the golf world,” she says. “I could see things form a different perspective and use my knowledge in a less stressful manner.”

The way Cockerill describes her contributions to the Golf Channel team is a utility player. She’s said yes to as many opportunities as possible, and as a result she has a diverse skillset.

One day, she’ll be on the course, reporting on a feature group and providing analysis at a ground level. The next, she’s in the studio for one of Golf Channel’s many shows. Her diverse resume is perhaps her greatest asset — and it’s something she’s fiercely proud of.

“I’m not a superstar,” Cockerill admits. “But you can put me in a lot of different positions. We can’t all be David Fehertys and Dottie Peppers.”

Through it all, though, there remains a common theme — Cockerill always enjoys the walk. Especially late on Sundays.

“Now I always get to walk down the 72nd hole,” she says. “I didn’t often get to do that as a player.”

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The post Golf Channel to unveil new PGA Tour-inspired logo appeared first on Golf.

The post Golf Channel to unveil new PGA Tour-inspired logo appeared first on Golf.

The corner of your television screen is undergoing a makeover.

On Monday, Golf Channel is set to announce the creation of a new, PGA Tour-inspired logo, a spokesman told GOLF. The new logo will debut during the network’s coverage of the Players Championship later this week, and will serve as Golf Channel’s main identifier during PGA Tour and studio coverage heading forward.

The updated design, which features the PGA Tour’s “swingman” logo in concert with NBC’s hallmark peacock, marks just the latest advancement in the relationship between the Tour and its most prominent television provider. The shift comes a little more than two years after Golf Channel — which is owned by NBC — signed onto a multi-billion-dollar television rights agreement with the Tour spanning through the end of the decade.

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From the time the latest batch of rights deals were signed, Golf Channel’s expanded involvement with the Tour served at the center of rumors about the future of the network. Some reports emerged that Golf Channel would surrender its name in favor of the “PGA Tour Network” — reports that were seemingly discredited by NBC/Golf Channel’s expanded coverage agreements with both the USGA and Open Championship. The new logo won’t be used during the network’s coverage of non-PGA Tour-affiliated events, and as part of the rebrand, the network will also announce a new, LPGA Tour-styled logo later this month for use during women’s golf coverage.

The new logo comes at a time of change for Golf Channel, which moved from its original Orlando, Fla., studios to NBC Sports HQ in Stamford, Conn., last year. The move triggered a wave of layoffs at the network and led to the overhaul of longtime studio shows like “Morning Drive.” The logo represents another piece of that overhaul for the network, which along with other sports networks like ESPN, appears to be placing a renewed emphasis on live sports coverage.

The rebrand also comes at an important moment for the Tour, which is attempting to beat back a Saudi-backed rival league. While the announcement was in the works well before rumors of a Saudi super league gained legitimacy, the new logo entrenches the Tour’s fitting even further with the golf establishment.

“We’re excited about the positive statement the new channel brand makes to our fans, players, tournaments and sponsors about the quality and quantity of PGA Tour coverage produced throughout the season,” Rick Anderson, the PGA Tour’s chief media officer said in a release that will be distributed to media on Monday. “Additionally, this is another step in deepening the long-standing partnership between the PGA Tour and NBC Sports.”

Golf Channel, which was founded in the mid-1990s by a group of investors, including Arnold Palmer, and later acquired by NBC, is the sport’s sole 24-hour content provider. From its perch at NBC’s Stamford, Conn., headquarters, Golf Channel broadcasts thousands of hours of live golf per year in addition to studio shows like “Golf Today” and “Live From.”

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The post How has Tiger Woods’ swing changed since his accident? Here are 4 key differences appeared first on Golf.

The post How has Tiger Woods’ swing changed since his accident? Here are 4 key differences appeared first on Golf.

When news of Tiger Woods’ horrific car accident broke earlier this year, there were legitimate questions as to whether he’d ever be able to play golf competitively again. The accident was so serious that just hours after he was pulled from the mangled wreckage, there was a possibility he would lose his right leg.

But just 10 months later, the 15-time major winner is back on the course, smashing drives and flagging irons. Woods has made many comebacks throughout his career, but his journey back to the PNC Championship to play alongside his son, Charlie, is easily the most impressive.

“We worked every day,” Woods said. “Even days where I didn’t feel very good, we still worked on something. So every day, there was never a day off the entire time other than those three months in bed. I haven’t taken a day off.”

The earlier-than-expected comeback has delighted golf fans, with galleries lining the ropes in Orlando like it’s a major championship and media outlets covering the 15-time major champion’s every move.

It almost feels like old times. Almost.

While seeing Woods out and competing again is a delight, things aren’t all normal. There’s a slight limp in his step as he treks around the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club, and he’ll be the first to tell you he’s still a way off from getting back to the Tour.

“It’s frustrating when I don’t hit the ball as far as I know that I can and the shots that I see don’t come off the way I want,” he said. “If I want to compete out here at the Tour level, I’m going to have to get the endurance back and hit thousands upon thousands of golf balls. [It] just takes time.”

The lingering effects of his car accident might not be enough to keep him from teeing it up at the PNC Championship, but his swing is not where it needs to be if he aspires to claim another green jacket.

The differences in Woods’ swing are subtle, but if you look closely enough, you can see where his new moves differ from those of old. During the NBC broadcast on Sunday, analyst Gary Koch broke down Woods’ swing from last year versus his swing from this year.

Here are the four biggest changes to Woods’ swing year over year.

1. Flared left foot

The first change Koch pointed out was some additional flaring to Woods’ left foot in the setup. With his toes pointed a little more toward the target, he’s able to put himself in position to clear his hips easier with a slower swing speed.

2. Shorter backswing

Woods also has a shorter backswing in his current-day swing. With his right leg having taken serious damage in the car accident, it likely makes it harder to turn as far back on it at the top of the backswing. Additionally, taking so many months off in 2021 probably deceased his flexibility.

3. Right heel down at impact

At impact, Woods has his right foot noticeably more on the ground than he was last year. Pushing off the injured leg is yet again the cause of this.

“The heel is not nearly as far off the ground,” Koch said.

4. Limited follow-through

The biggest difference in Woods’ swing, though, is how limited he is on the follow-through. As you can see in the picture above, he is not nearly as far onto his front side by the end of his swing.

“He’s not getting over to the front side quite as quickly, and it is very evident in the follow-through,” Koch said. “Much different how he’s able to get around to the left. Easier last year than this year. Not surprising at all considering the injuries he’s sustained to the lower part of the right leg.”

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The post Star-studded PGA Tour coverage is delayed 40 minutes — and fans explode appeared first on Golf.

The post Star-studded PGA Tour coverage is delayed 40 minutes — and fans explode appeared first on Golf.

No offense, Miguel Angel Jimenez and Lee Janzen. 

But golf fans on Sunday, especially those with two thumbs and a social media account, wanted to watch Rory McIlroy and Rickie Fowler more. 

“You have the biggest names in golf like Rory, Morikowa, and Rickie trying to make a comeback and you air the champions tour?!?!” tweeted @BFarraye. “At this rate we won’t see the PGA tour until the leaders are on the FIFTEENTH HOLE!!”

Search some version of “PGA Tour” or “Golf Channel” on Twitter on Sunday afternoon, and you could find more of the same. The issue? Golf Channel was to broadcast the final round of the Champions Tour’s SAS Championship from 2-5 p.m. ET, then show the final round of the PGA Tour’s CJ Cup — but when the SAS went past 5 for a playoff between Jimenez and Janzen, and Golf Channel stuck with it over McIlroy, Fowler and others slugging it out for the lead, fans went to their phones and computers.

To add to the furor, some fans found that Golf Channel’s website was also showing only the Champions event. Viewers then were left to occasional split-screen updates on Golf Channel and online scoreboards. 

A sampling of the social media rage: 

While golf TV coverage and complaints of golf TV coverage tend to go hand in hand, Sunday’s anger seemed elevated due to both the CJ Cup’s all-star leaderboard and a birdie bonanza at the Summit Club, the event’s host. Eventually, things settled down.  

At 5:39 p.m. ET (and 5:40 p.m. online), after Janzen won on the first playoff hole, the coverage switched to the CJ Cup.

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The post GOLF’s Subpar: Notah Begay explains his “Shooter McGavin” celebration in Hartford appeared first on Golf.

The post GOLF’s Subpar: Notah Begay explains his “Shooter McGavin” celebration in Hartford appeared first on Golf.

Subpar’s Colt Knost and Drew Stoltz are joined by 4-time PGA Tour Winner Notah Begay who explains why he went full “Shooter McGavin” after his walk off putt at the 2000 Greater Hartford Open.

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The post GOLF’s Subpar: Why Notah Begay got recruited to play golf while on the basketball court appeared first on Golf.

The post GOLF’s Subpar: Why Notah Begay got recruited to play golf while on the basketball court appeared first on Golf.

Subpar’s Colt Knost and Drew Stoltz are joined by 4-time PGA Tour Winner Notah Begay who explains why he was offered a scholarship at Stanford after the coach came to watch him play basketball.

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The post Notah Begay III Interview: His “Shooter McGavin” celebration in Hartford, how he transitioned from playing on Tour to being an analyst appeared first on Golf.

The post Notah Begay III Interview: His “Shooter McGavin” celebration in Hartford, how he transitioned from playing on Tour to being an analyst appeared first on Golf.

On this week’s episode of GOLF’s Subpar, NBC Sports and Golf Channel analyst Notah Begay III joins former PGA Tour pro Colt Knost and his close friend and on course rival Drew Stoltz for an exclusive, in-studio, interview. The three-time NCAA All-American talks winning the National Championship at Stanford, his Shooter McGavin-esque celebration after winning the 2000 Greater Hartford Open, and how his lifelong friendship with Tiger Woods has evolved over the years.

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