Even without Tiger Woods dominating golf, the PGA Tour announced Thursday its longest network television deal in history that secures broadcast rights for the next 10 years.
The tour agreed to a nine-year deal with CBS Sports and NBC Sports. PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem did not disclose financial terms, although he said there was an increase in the rights fee and players would see modest increases in prize money.
“In our business plan, we did not assume any golfer was going to be as dominant as Tiger had been in the past,” CBS Sports chairman Sean McManus said. “Tiger played in a relatively small number of PGA Tour events, anyway.”
The TV contract was the last big hurdle in getting through an economic crisis. The tour still managed to sign 10 new tournament title sponsors, and it renewed contracts with title sponsors of 12 other events.
Now, it has its TV partners locked up through 2021.
Finchem said he expected the tour’s schedule to be largely unchanged.
Television contracts have fueled the growth in prize money, which has gone from about $80 million in Woods’ first full season in 1997 to nearly $280 million this year.
PHIL BELLIES UP
Two drivers at the Masters. No drivers at the U.S. Open.
Phil Mickelson will throw in yet another surprise today at the Deutsche Bank Championship, the second PGA Tour playoff event, in Norton, Mass.
Mickelson had a belly putter in his golf bag and said he was likely to become the next in a growing list of players to use it.
“It’s awkward to me,” Mickelson said after his pro-am round at the TPC Boston. “But so many guys have had success with it that I thought I’d give it a try.”
ON THE COURSE
Nick Dougherty shot an 8-under 63 to lead Rory McIlroy by two shots after the first round of the European Masters in Crans-sur-Sierre, Switzerland.
The Englishman had eight birdies in a bogey-free round. McIlroy had five birdies in his first eight holes in his first event since injuring his right wrist three weeks ago.
NICKLAUS’ LATEST
Jack Nicklaus is trying something new to get more people to play golf. He is holding events at his Muirfield Village Golf Club in which the cup will be twice as large and the tournaments only will be 12 holes.
As part of the Labor Day activities at Muirfield Village in Dublin, Ohio, Nicklaus will host 12-hole tournaments in which the hole will be 8 inches in diameter. To encourage faster play, participants are required to complete the round in 21/2 hours or be penalized strokes.
TRACKING LOCAL GOLFERS ON THE PGA TOUR
This week: The Deutsche Bank Championship, today through Monday, TPC Boston, Norton, Mass. This is the second leg of the four-event FedEx Cup playoffs.
In the field: Puyallup’s Ryan Moore and Gig Harbor’s Kyle Stanley.
World rankings: Moore is 46th, and Stanley is 181st.
2011 earnings: Moore has $1.65 million (41st on the PGA Tour), and Stanley has $1.17 million (64th on tour).
FedEx Cup playoff standings: Stanley is 39th with 979 points, and Moore is 44th with 883 points.
Last tournament: Even though he made the cut there in his first professional tournament in 2005, Moore has never played well at The Barclays – and he missed the cut last week (3-under-par 139). By contrast, Moore has made the cut four times in five appearances at the Deutsche Bank Championship, with his best a tie for 12th in 2006. … The rookie Stanley recorded his sixth top-25 finish at The Barclays by tying for 24th (10-under 203). The Bellarmine Prep graduate has made the cut in five of his past six tournaments.
Tee times today: Stanley at 4:34 a.m. PDT off the first tee, and Moore at 9:04 a.m. PDT off the first tee.
Todd Milles, staff writer
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