The Loop

The LPGA live (more or less) on Golf Channel

January 06, 2010

Seven of the 11 North American events on the LPGA's 2010 schedule with air entirely live on Golf Channel, according to a joint news release from Golf Channel and the LPGA. The release shows only six entirely live, but who's counting?

It's a start, at any rate. One of the obstacles the LPGA has faced in recent years is the inability of a potential viewing audience to know where to look for a televised LPGA tournament, as Golf World's Ron Sirak pointed out in his five-step plan to revive the LPGA two months ago.

A year ago, the LPGA announced it had reached an agreement with Golf Channel for the latter to become the tour's exclusive cable home.

The schedule it announced on Wednesday shows the LPGA Classic Presented by J Golf, the ShopRite LPGA Classic, the LPGA Championship Presented by Wegmans, the Safeway Classic Presented by Coca-Cola, the P&G NW Arkansas Championship Presented by Walmart, and the LPGA Tour Championship all to air live in their entirety.

An additional three tournaments (the Bell Micro LPGA, CVS/Pharmacy LPGA Classic, and the Lorena Ochoa Invitational) will feature live and tape-delay coverage, while another two (the LPGA State Farm Classic and the Navistar LPGA Classic) will be broadcast strictly on a delay basis. All overseas events will air on a delay basis on Saturdays and Sundays.

-- John Strege