The BBC has announced details of its coverage of the 2011 Masters on TV, HD, radio and online.
This year’s tournament, starting April 7th, marks the first time that TV coverage of one of golf’s majors in the UK will be shared by two major networks.
In a deal announced last September, Sky Sports will broadcast all four days from the Augusta National, including the popular Par-3 tournament, in High Definition and 3D, ending the BBC’s exclusivity of golf’s season-opening major, which they have shown since the mid-1980s.
The BBC will be providing live coverage of the final two rounds on Saturday and Sunday.
Coverage will be shown on BBC Two and the BBC HD Channel and extended coverage on the BBC Red Button, as well as highlights from Thursday and Friday.
Once again Hazel Irvine will lead the BBC’s Masters coverage, a role she took over from Gary Lineker last year.
Irvine will present a preview show on Wednesday 6 April, BBC Two at 11.20pm, taking a look back at last year’s tournament and to the competition ahead.
Commentary comes from Peter Alliss, Ken Brown, Andrew Cotter and Wayne Grady.
One notable absentee is former European Ryder Cup winning captain Sam Torrance, who was dropped by the BBC due to budget cuts.
Torrance, who has been a regular on the corporation’s golf output for the last decade, has withdrawn his services from other BBC golf tournaments, including The Open Championship.
Mark Pougatch will be reporting, taking over from Shane O’ Donoghue who is now working for CNN.
Live BBC Two coverage will be streamed online via the BBC Sport website (UK users only).
Radio 2 and The One Show presenter, and golf fanatic, Chris Evans will present BBC Radio 5 Live’s coverage. Iain Carter leads the commentary team alongside John Murray and Alistair Bruce Ball; with expert analysis from former European and PGA player Jay Townsend and former PGA tour winner and seven times Masters veteran Andrew Magee.
Radio 5 Live and 5 Live Sports Extra will have extensive commentary live from Augusta, Georgia. 5 Live Sports extra has coverage of the opening day’s play on Thursday 7 April, with the remaining three days live on 5 Live.
