The PNC Championship is always a fun event to watch each year in December, as major champions tee it up with a family member – usually, but not limited to – their son.
This year’s version is getting more hype than most other years and as a result, could get the highest ratings the event has ever seen. And it is not Tiger Woods that will be bringing in the viewers.
Well, not exactly Tiger Woods. This year Tiger is teaming with his 11-year-old son Charlie. It figures to be of major interest from golf fans everywhere as the duo teams up for the first time. Charlie has shown some chops in winning a pair of junior events.
“I can’t tell you how excited I am to be playing with Charlie in our first official tournament together,” said Woods in a recent statement. “It’s been great watching him progress as a junior golfer and it will be incredible playing as a team together in the PNC Championship.”
The defending champions are Bernhard Langer and his son Jason Donald Langer.
Other interesting groups are the tandem of Justin Thomas and his father Mike Thomas, who are slated to be paired with Tiger and Charlie. Thomas has gone on record saying that Charlie talks as much trash on the course as Tiger does.
Annika Sorenstam made history in the tournament last year becoming the first female to play in the event and is back again this year with her father Tom as her partner.
Another popular group figures to be John Daly and his son Little John Daly. Last year the two bombers finished 5th with a 20-under-par score.
Since the inaugural tournament in 1995, when ten major winners gathered with their sons, the PNC Championship has continued to evolve and develop. It now features 20 major champions and their relatives competing for the total purse of $1,085,000 in a two-day, 36-hole scramble for the Willie Park Trophy.
To qualify for the PNC Championship, players must have won a major championship or The Players Championship. Their partner must not hold a PGA TOUR card.
On each hole, each player hits a tee shot and the best drive is selected. Each player then plays a second shot from the spot where the selected drive lies, and the best second shot is selected. This process is repeated until the hole is completed.
Example: If both players teed off and Player 1’s ball landed in the rough, while Player 2’s ball landed in the fairway, Player 1 would pick up his ball and both players would play their second shots from Player 2’s position in the fairway. Every shot is played in this manner until the hole is completed.
Following are the broadcast times for the two-day event
Saturday, December 19 – First Round
- 1-2:30PM ET – Peacock (watch)
- 2:30-5PM ET – NBC (live steam)
- 6-10PM ET – Golf Channel (Re-Air)
Sunday, December 20 – Final Round
- 2-3PM ET – Golf Channel (live stream, 11AM-Noon ET)
- 3-6PM ET – NBC (live stream, Noon-3PM ET)
- 7-11PM ET – Golf Channel (Re-Air)
Compiled by Dennis Miller