154th Open Media Notes
Some new technology will bolster the world feed and fan experience. Furyk makes his Open debut for USA, Press Conference schedule is out and a warm, breezy forecast awaits the field.
Broadcasters rely almost entirely on the R&A’s world feed and supplement accordingly. This year that feed will purportedly be enhanced by a new partnership with Cisco providing “the technological backbone for the Championship across routing, switching, wireless and network security, ensuring that stakeholders across critical functions like scoring, broadcast, media and facility management remain connected and secure.”
Toptracer is also upping its game at The 154thOpen at Royal Birkdale next week with a continued push to include as much Toptracer technology through the worldwide TV broadcasts, including on the practice range after last year’s debut with an LED display for fans of various warm-ups. The company is also billing more on-site bells and whistles for fans via simulators at the HSBC Golf Zone, Dunes House, Patrons Pavillion, Mastercard Club and even the competitors clubhouse. A PGA Swing Zone will feature the chance to get free swing advice.
But most intriguing is a plan to allow spectators to access to live shot data through QR codes via Toptracer Go on each tee box…during practice rounds. So fans, behave yourselves and this may be available all tournament days assuming no one barks out to Brooks Koepka that his Smash Factor sucks.
Before we get to broadcaster plans, in case you missed it…
Viewing
Jim Furyk makes his Open analyst debut for USA, and judging by the sight of the former U.S. Open champion preparing notes for a media conference call, he’s quite invested.
“I might put [Royal Birkdale] up against any Open venue as creating some of the greatest champions,” Furyk said. “The list is just phenomenal, and so I look forward to being there.”
Furyk also will bring an extra bit of affinity for Birkdale after a T4 in 1998 and T5 in 2008. He also played well ona baked out links (4th at Hoylake in 2006).
“I just remember a lot of difficult angles, a lot of crosswinds, a lot of doglegs,” Furyk says. “The guy that can control the golf ball - work it both ways, cut it into a right-to-left wind, hook it into a left-to-right wind - the guy that can control his golf ball the best usually gets around Birkdale the best.”
Furyk is keen to analyze the renovation work but also showed no sign of holding back if he doesn’t like what he sees.
“When you take a wonderful golf course, and a possible masterpiece, and you start to play around with it, it makes me nervous,” Furyk said. “I think you take caution, but when I hear the words modernize, I totally understand. I’m very anxious to see the new holes and the changes, and I do enjoy architecture so I’m interested to see what has been done.”
The American viewing schedule is pretty easy for a change.
USA Network. The first two days will be exclusively on USA Network/app, Peacock and various subscription streaming platforms (Fubo, YouTubeTV, Hulu+, etc…)
USA Network
Thursday, July 16 (First Round): 4 am - 3:30pm ET
Friday, July 17 (Second Round): 4 am - 3:30pm ET
NBC:
Saturday, July 18 (Third Round): 5:00 a.m. – 7:00 a.m. (USA/Peacock/NBC Sports App), 7:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. (NBC, Peacock)
Sunday, July 19 (Final Round): 4:00 a.m. – 7:00 a.m. (USA/Peacock/NBC Sports App), 7:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. (NBC, Peacock)
I’ve yet to see NBC’s specific plans but will pass them along when they land. However, this is your first of several reminders that should the commercial load again violate all sense of decency, Peacock traditionally offers the Sky Sports feed.
Golf Channel. Golf Central Live From The Open surrounds The 154th with 80 hours of live and encore studio coverage all week beginning Monday morning 9 a.m. ET. Expect plenty of press conference coverage (schedule below), and of course, lively evening chats between Rich Lerner, Brandel Chamblee and Paul McGinley immediately following play.
