AT&T will offer expanded coverage The 146th Open at Royal Birkdale Golf Club

AT&T will team up with Golf Channel and NBC Sports to give viewers expanded coverage of The 146th Open Championship at Royal Birkdale Golf Club. The tournament, often referred to as the British Open, takes place at the famous links course on England’s Lancashire Coast on July 20-23. It is the oldest of golf’s four “major championships” (along with the Masters, U.S. Open and PGA Championship) and the only one played outside the United States.

Royal Birkdale, the host for 9 previous Open Championships, is known for producing memorable golf moments, including a closing-round 66 by Johnny Miller (who will analyze the action for NBC this year) to defeat Jack Nicklaus and Seve Ballesteros in 1976. DIRECTV will telecast the action on its 4-screens-in-1 Mosaic Channel2 on all 4 days of the championship.

Each channel within The Open Championship Mosaic Channel—DIRECTV channel 701—is in HD3, fully produced with its own announcers. It includes:

• The Network Simulcast (702) – Golf Channel/NBC
• Marquee Group (703)
• Featured Holes 12, 13 and 14 (704)
• The Open Spotlight (705)

You can also tune each channel in the Mosaic to full screen.

The Open Spotlight, which will include coverage of the 1st and 18th holes, along with live look-ins at players on the driving range, press center interviews and highlights, will feature Golf Channel hosts Ryan Burr, Cara Robinson and Damon Hack. You can also catch Golf Channel analysts Tom Abbot, Billy Ray Brown, Curt Byrum, John Cook, Jerry Foltz, Trevor Immelman, Billy Kratzert, Colin Montgomerie and 1997 Champion Golfer of the Year, Justin Leonard.

DIRECTV’s enhanced coverage also includes interactive features, accessible by clicking the red button on the DIRECTV remote control, including:

• Leaderboard. Get information on all golfers in the field.  Press “SELECT” on a golfer to access their in-depth scorecard. Select the star icon to add a golfer to the “FAVORITES” list atop Leaderboard.
• Scorecards. View hole by hole scoring of your favorite golfers.
• Groupings & Tee Times. Check out pairings and start times.

The Mosaic Channel and interactive menu are available during broadcast hours for all 4 days of the championship.