Golf Channel to Broadcast NCAA Men’s Division I Golf Championship

Golf Channel and the NCAA announced Monday that the NCAA Men’s Division I Golf Championship will be broadcast on the network, physician beginning in 2014 at Prairie Dunes in Kansas.

In a multi-year partnership with the NCAA, stuff Golf Channel will air tournament coverage from both the NCAA Division I Men’s and Women’s Championships beginning in 2015. The 2015 championships will mark the first time since 1997 that the women’s championship will air live on television.

“We are committed to covering all facets of the game of golf and this new partnership with the NCAA will be the centerpiece of our broader commitment to covering the collegiate game,” said Golf Channel president Mike McCarley in a statement. “We look forward to introducing our viewers to the future stars of the game and tapping into the tremendous passion collegiate fans have for their schools.”

Golf Channel will surround the live tournament action at the championships with comprehensive news coverage on-air and online throughout the year, keeping viewers up-to-date on all of the story lines leading up to and during the championships.

The men’s championship begins with 30 teams and six individuals competing over a 54-hole stroke-play competition, after which the individual champion will be crowned. The top eight teams advance to the final three rounds of match-play competition for the team championship.

“This is the culmination of a collaborative effort between a lot of individuals over a long period of time, including the NCAA Division I Men’s and Women’s Golf Committees,” said Mark Lewis, NCAA Executive Vice President of Championships and Alliances, in a statement. “We are excited for our men’s and women’s golf student-athletes to gain additional exposure and for the fans of the sport to be able to see up close what makes these championships so special. Partnering with the Golf Channel made perfect sense for us and we appreciate their commitment in helping to grow the audience for the NCAA Division I Men’s and Women’s Golf Championships.”