TNT Hits Web for PGA Coverage

TNT is teeing up a new round of broadband content with live coverage of the 2006 PGA Championships. In what it said is a first for a U.S. golf event, Turner Broadcasting System is teaming up with PGA.com to offer 11 hours of live coverage from the tournament Aug. 17-18 at Medinah Country Club in Illinois.

PGA.com will simulcast six hours of TNT on-air tournament coverage from 2 to 5 p.m. Eastern during the first and second rounds of play, and it also will Webcast five more hours of coverage related to the competition.

TNT broadcast partner CBS will pick up coverage of the later rounds and the tournament conclusion.

In addition, PGA.com will let fans pick what video stream they want to watch. That feature will be supported by CNN Pipeline technology, which creates a mosaic of four simultaneous video streams covering the wide view of the greens; a camera following a designated group of players; live coverage of press conferences plus player profiles and PGA history; and PGA Learning Center, a video offering useful golfing tips hosted by PGA’s director of instructions, Rick Martino.

AOL.com users, meanwhile, will gain access to live video coverage of select par-3 holes, plus interactive email forums, chat and AOL Instant Messaging linking them to the TV anchors and analysts.