The IMG agency has agreed a deal with UK public-service broadcaster the BBC to produce its live and highlights television coverage of golf for 2016.
IMG will produce live coverage of the Women’s British Open, which takes place from July 29-31 at England’s Woburn Golf and Country Club.
The agency will also provide a two-hour daily highlights programme from the 145th Open Championship, which will be staged at Royal Troon in Scotland from July 14-17.
In addition, IMG will produce highlights shows from the PGA Championship at Wentworth, Surrey from May 26-29, the Scottish Open at Castle Stuart from July 7-10 and the Ryder Cup from Hazeltine National in the US from September 27 to October 2.
“IMG has vast experience in producing both live and recorded coverage from the world’s top events through our joint venture with the European PGA Tour where we produce around 700 hours of coverage every year,” said Graham Fry, global head of production for IMG.
The 2016 edition of the Open Championship will mark the first time in 60 years that the BBC has not held exclusive live rights to the event, one of the four majors on the golfing calendar. Pay-television broadcaster Sky will take over the UK’s live coverage this year, with the BBC continuing its radio coverage and enhancing its digital offerings.
Sky had initially struck a deal with the R&A, which operates the Open, to assume live rights from 2017. However, the R&A last September accepted a proposal from the BBC to end its obligations a year early. Sky will hold the rights until 2021.