Sky Sports has announced that it has secured the rights to broadcast the PGA Championship in 2019, meaning the broadcaster’s status as the only place to watch all live men’s Major tournament golf has been reinstated.
All of the drama and emotion of the four men’s Majors will come to life for Sky Sports customers this year as the biggest names in golf hunt down the most treasured prizes in the sport.
The new look Major calendar sees the Masters Tournament at Augusta National in April and The Open at Royal Portrush in July serve as bookends, with the PGA Championship and US Open between in an intense three-month period, all live on Sky Sports.
The announcement of the return of the PGA Championship to Sky Sports, for the first time since 2016, ends the pay-TV broadcaster’s two-year dispute over a new rights deal with the PGA of America.
This resulted in the 2017 tournament being shown live on the BBC, while last year’s event was shown online only via the then fledgling Eleven Sports, both broadcasters receiving criticism for their broadcasts from hardcore golf viewers.
There were also strong rumours that Sky were struggling to secure a deal to broadcast the Masters Tournament, but the broadcaster has confirmed that it has secured these rights as well, sharing coverage with the BBC, ensuring that golf fans who subscribe to the channel will be able to watch all four majors on its network this season.
Precise details and the length of Sky’s new deals with both the PGA of America and the Masters committee have not been released.
Barney Francis, Head of Sky Sports, said:
“It promises to be a stunning year for golf fans with countless fascinating stories of the best players on the planet jostling for the biggest prizes on pristine courses. Will Georgia Hall at just 22 add to her major collection? Can Europe regain the Solheim Cup?
As well as the men’s Majors, all five women’s Majors are also live on Sky Sports this year, including Georgia Hall’s bid to defend her Women’s British Open title at Woburn in August.
The ANA Inspiration begins the major season 4-7 April, followed by the US Women’s Open in May, Women’s KPMG PGA Championship a month later and then the Evian Championship in July. There’s also the Solheim Cup at Gleneagles to look forward to, where Europe and USA go head to head.
The Masters on Sky Sports Golf will provide fans all the tee-to-green action from April 11-14, plus tournament highlights throughout the week from the first men’s major of the year.
Live coverage on Sky Sports Golf will include live practice sessions as part of the On The Range broadcast, Wednesday’s Par 3 Contest, featured groups and holes – including Amen Corner – plus all four tournament rounds live.
Then a month later in New York, the PGA Championship moves to the second slot in the major schedule, with the field taking on the Black Course at Bethpage State Park on Long Island.
Rory McIlroy has lifted the Wanamaker trophy twice and will be gunning for the hat-trick, but will face stiff competition from both his European Ryder Cup team-mates and a US field who have won six of the previous eight majors.
Previously the final major of the year, the tournament will now be live on Sky Sports from 16-19 May, with defending champion Brooks Koepka looking to retain the trophy he lifted last August, while Tiger Woods will be bidding to repeat his US Open victory on the same course in 2002.
Another course that Tiger will remember fondly follows as the US Open moves to Pebble Beach, scene of his stunning 15-shot victory in 2000 and Graeme McDowell’s win a decade later.
The Open then completes the men’s major schedule as it returns for only the second time to Northern Ireland, with Royal Portrush hosting the historic event for the first time since 1951. Sky Sports has televised The Open since 2016 and won a BAFTA for its coverage.
For more information about Sky Sports’ golf coverage, visit skysports.com/golf.
