2011 Presidents Cup TV schedule on NBC and Golf Channel

By Tom Comi

Those looking for a links fix today might end up entering spectator rehab next week after Golf Channel and NBC combine to air more than 50 hours of live coverage of The Presidents Cup from Australia.

Taking place at the Royal Melbourne in Australia, this is the first time ever this international competition — which runs every two years and alternates with the Ryder Cup — will be televised live in its entirety when taking place outside of North America. Australia is 16 hours ahead of the Eastern Time zone, so Day 1 coverage begins tonight at 9pm ET and runs until 2am ET (the full Presidents Cup TV schedule is below).

Terry Gannon and Curt Byrum will provide the bulk of the play-by-play and analysis for Golf Channel coverage, and Dan Hicks and Johnny Miller will be contributing on days three and tour for both networks. Chipping in will be Gary Koch, Roger Maltbie, Dottie Pepper and David Feherty.

The great thing about these international competitions is they not only feature the greatest golfers in the game but they pit the United States against the rest of the world. Don’t get me started on the fairness of why the U.S. has to take on everybody else in a sport we didn’t even invent, but we’ll tackle that discussion another day. Here are the two teams:

United States: Matt Kuchar, Steve Stricker, Dustin Johnson, Webb Simpson, Nick Watney, Phil Mickelson, Bubba Watson, David Toms, Hunter Mahan, Jim Furyk, Tiger Woods and Bill Haas.

International: Jason Day, Adam Scott, Charl Schwartzel, K.J. Choi, Kyung-tae Kim, Retief Goosen, Geoff Ogilvy, Ernie Els, Y.E. Yang, Ryo Ishikawa, Aaron Baddeley and Robert Allenby.

This tournament seems like a tough one to handicap, because the U.S. team is significantly better on paper. But the home team often has the advantage, especially when you factor in that the American team hasn’t played well abroad in the past and the international team features five Aussies.

“I think the teams really match up well,” Miller said in a conference call. “I can tell you one thing: Nobody is afraid of anybody else. This is going to be a heck of a good – even close – competition, I think.”

The underlying story over the next several days will of course be the controversial selection of Tiger Woods by American Captain Fred Couples. Although there was a time when it would have been ludicrous to think about omitting the former #1-ranked golfer in the world from an international competition, Woods’ troubles on and off the course have dropped him out the top 50.

All eyes will also be on Woods and his former caddie, Steve Williams, who is now on the bag of International star Adam Jones. Williams recently made a racist remark about Woods, so things could get very awkward on the first day when Woods and Stricker take on Scott and Choice in foursomes. Either way, Miller said he is not counting Tiger out here or in the future.

“Talent always comes back,” he said. “I really believe Tiger will have a second career. He will win quite a few times.”

2011 Presidents Cup TV Schedule on NBC and Golf Channel

Wednesday, Nov. 16
The Presidents Cup – Day 1 (Live) 9 p.m.-2 a.m.

Thursday, Nov. 17
Live From The Presidents Cup 2-3 a.m.
Morning Drive 7-9 a.m.
The Presidents Cup – Day 1 (Re-air) 9 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
Live From The Presidents Cup 6-7:30 p.m.
The Presidents Cup – Day 2 (Live) 7:30 p.m.-2 a.m.

Friday, Nov. 18
Live From The Presidents Cup 2-3 a.m.
Morning Drive 6-8 a.m.
The Presidents Cup – Day 2 (Re-air) 8 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
The Presidents Cup – Day 3 (Live) 3 p.m.-2 a.m.

Saturday, Nov. 19
Live From The Presidents Cup 2-3 a.m.
The Presidents Cup – Day 3 (Re-air) 8 a.m.-4 p.m. (NBC Sports)
Live From The Presidents Cup 4-6:30 p.m.
The Presidents Cup – Final Day (Live) 6:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m.

Sunday, Nov. 20
Live From The Presidents Cup 12:30-2:30 a.m.
The Presidents Cup – Final Day (Re-air) Noon-6 p.m. (NBC Sports)
Live From The Presidents Cup 6-8 p.m.