NBC Sports has named Golf Channel executive Molly Solomon as NBC Olympics president and executive producer in charge of the network’s 2020 Olympics coverage.

Solomon, who will retain her position as Golf Channel executive producer, will oversee all day-to-day editorial production of NBC Olympics’ coverage of next summer's games from Tokyo, as well as content on the Olympic Channel, the company said. Solomon replaces longtime Olympics producer Jim Bell, who left the company earlier this month.

NBC Sports Group president Pete Bevacqua said on a Tuesday afternoon conference call that Solomon, who has been involved with NBC’s Olympics coverage since 1992, is a perfect fit for the position. “When you combine her passion and energy with the deep history she has at NBC Sports and the Olympics, I have to say that this was a very easy and obvious decision,” he said.

NBC Olympics president Gary Zenkel added that he’s looking forward to reuniting with Solomon for the 2020 Games. “She brings an amazing amount of energy, a great deal of creativity, and we have this incredibly ambitious plan leading into what should be one of the great Olympics of our career,” he said. “To have Molly plug in and apply not just her energy but some of her incredible creativity to how we present the Olympics is really a privilege for us, and it’s really exciting for the team.”

Solomon said she looks forward to bringing a “uniqueness” to the position. “My mantra as a producer is let’s innovate and search for fresh ways to tell the athlete stories,” she said.

Golf Channel, having used its “Spotlight” coverage to provide alternate vistas of key holes on the PGA Tour, is looking to play a different draw for viewers through a second-screen experience with the upcoming Ryder Cup later this month.

Stepping onto the course for the first time with live coverage on Friday, Sept. 26, Golf Channel will tee off the Ryder Cup Alternate Shot, featuring a different view of the action complementing NBC’s live weekend presentation on Sept. 27 and 28 (see schedule below).

ESPN previously aired the biennial competition’s first day of the biennial team competition between the U.S. and Europe. The stage this time is the PGA Centenary Course at Gleneagles Hotel in Perthshire, Scotland.

NBC Sports’ gambit marks the first time a European-hosted Ryder Cup will air live and be streamed in this country -- via the NBC Sports Live Extra and Golf Live Extra apps.

Alternate Shot will be hosted by Emmy-nominated David Feherty – a 1991 Ryder Cup European Team member, now an American citizen and host of the network’s award-winning Feherty – and Morning Drive host Gary Williams. 

They will be joined by Lanny Wadkins – the former U.S. captain and the American with the second most Ryder Cup match wins behind Golf Channel co-founder Arnold Palmer – and ex U.S. Ryder Cup captain and player Corey Pavin, plus former team members David Duval and Justin Leonard.

“There is nothing like the relationships between these players and their captains,” said Golf Channel executive producer Molly Solomon in an interview. “This group has been in those positions. We want to find out what the players are thinking, what are the strategies. Let’s have a conversation.”

As such, Alternate Shot is akin to the coaches’ channel ESPN used during its “Megacast” that flanked ABC’s coverage of the 2014 BCS Championship game.

The coverage will also showcase different graphics and social media entries (pictured, a mock-up of Alternate Shot).

Solomon also wants Alternate Shot to provide the European perspective of the proceedings. Former captains and players Nick Faldo and Colin Montgomery, Tony Jacklin and Darren Clarke, as well as Peter “Voice of Golf” Alliss and Jesper Parnevik all will be weighing in on the weekend action.

Golf Channel’s coverage will also include the European feed.  “NBC might be on the eighth, but [Europe] might be focused on Rory [McIlroy], who just did something on six,” said Solomon. “And, you know, they commentate differently over there.”

There will also be hands-on analysis featuring Golf Channel’s simulator, which has been loaded with a virtual version of the Centenary Course at Gleneagles.

“When a player drops one in the middle of the fairway 150 yards from the pin, Lanny Wadkins will show us how that shot was played, and what are the next options,” Solomon said. “Or he’ll show us how the player could have changed that shot.”

Does the U.S. have a chance to stop a three-peat by the powerful European side?

“If you look at the world rankings, Europe is the favorite. But this is an unpredictable event that’s about the right guys, who is playing well and team chemistry,” Solomon said. “Then, there’s the pomp and the patriotism and the way the crowd will react to the Americans. That can galvanize the U.S. team. I’m never surprised, if there’s an upset at the Ryder Cup.”

NBC Sports' Ryder Cup Schedule

Friday, Sept. 26           Ryder Cup – Day One              2:30 a.m.-1 p.m.         Golf Channel

Saturday, Sept. 27       Ryder Cup – Day Two              3 a.m.-1 p.m.              NBC*

Ryder Cup Alternate Shot      3 a.m.-11:30 a.m.       Golf Channel

*Coverage on NBC will begin at the conclusion of regularly scheduled late-night programming in Mountain and Pacific time zones. Streaming will be available via NBC Sports Live Extra

Sunday, Sept. 28          Ryder Cup – Final Day             7 a.m.-1 p.m.              NBC

Ryder Cup Alternate Shot        7 a.m.-11:30 a.m.       Golf Channel