Golf Channel on NBC’s Dan Hicks, Johnny Miller, Roger Maltbie, Gary Koch and lead golf producer Tommy Roy will be returning to familiar territory this week in the California Desert for Golf Channel’s tournament coverage of the CareerBuilder Challenge in partnership with the Clinton Foundation.
All were members of NBC Sports’ broadcast team for the 1998 Bob Hope Classic, the last year it was televised by NBC.
A two-time winner of the event (1975-76), Miller also returns to the tournament where he began his broadcast career when he made his on-air debut as an analyst in 1990.
Hicks (a tower announcer in 1998) and Miller will serve as play-by-play host and analyst for Golf Channel’s weekend coverage, rotating with Steve Sands and Curt Byrum.
Lead golf producer Tommy Roy also returns to the tournament where he began his NBC Sports career, working as a volunteer runner in 1979 and making his debut as a golf producer in 1993.
Golf Channel will air live coverage of the CareerBuilder Challenge Thursday-Sunday from 3-7 p.m. ET.
PGA TOUR
CareerBuilder Challenge in Partnership with the Clinton Foundation
Dates: Jan. 21-24
Venue: PGA West (TPC Stadium and Nicklaus Tournament Course), La Quinta, Calif.
La Quinta Country Club, La Quinta, Calif.
Tournament Airtimes on Golf Channel (Eastern):
| Thursday | 3-7 p.m. (Live) / 10:30 p.m.-2 a.m. (Replay) |
| Friday | 3-7 p.m. (Live) / 10:30 p.m.-2 a.m. (Replay) |
| Saturday | 3-7 p.m. (Live) / 10:30 p.m.-2 a.m. (Replay) |
| Sunday | 3-7 p.m. (Live) / 8 p.m.-Midnight (Replay) |
Broadcast Notes:
Hicks and Miller join broadcast team for weekend coverage: Golf Channel on NBC’s Dan Hicks and Johnny Miller will join the broadcast team for weekend coverage, marking the first time since 1998 – the final year NBC covered the Bob Hope Classic – that the duo will be calling action at this tournament.
Miller returns to familiar venue: Johnny Miller made his broadcast debut on NBC at the Bob Hope Classic in 1990. The 1990 tournament also was where Miller made his first – and now legendary – “choke” reference, directed at Peter Jacobsen, now part of the broadcast team and a colleague of Miller’s. Jacobsen, playing this week at the Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai, is scheduled to call-in during weekend coverage to recount the 1990 event.
Mickelson making 2016 debut: Two-time CareerBuilder Challenge winner Phil Mickelson makes his 2016 debut this week, his first competition since the 2015 Presidents Cup.
Format: 156 professionals will play alongside amateur golfers over 72 holes (the event was previously played as a five-round, 90 hole event.)
TPC Stadium course returns to rotation: For the first time since 1987 and the second time in tournament history, the TPC Stadium Course at PGA West joins the rotation of courses. For the first three rounds, all three courses (TPC Stadium, Nicklaus Tournament and La Quinta CC) will be used, with TPC Stadium hosting the final round.
Haas defends: Bill Haas defeated five players by one stroke to earn his sixth career PGA TOUR win and his second at this event.
Headlining the field: Phil Mickelson, Zach Johnson, Patrick Reed, Bill Haas, Zac Blair, Paul Casey, Luke Donald, Jason Dufner, Matt Kuchar, Ollie Schniederjans and Steve Stricker.
