Coverage Team Includes Two Former Ryder Cup Captains Azinger and Strange
Unprecedented live coverage from the United Kingdom Begins at 2:30 A.M. ET, Includes over 32 Hours Scheduled

For the first time from a European venue, ESPN will present Ryder Cup Day 1 matches live from 2:30 a.m.-1 p.m. ET on Friday, Oct. 1.  The 38^th Ryder Cup, the biennial competition between teams from Europe and the United States, will take place from The Twenty Ten Course at Celtic Manor in Newport, Wales.

ESPN’s coverage of the Ryder Cup begins Thursday, Sept. 30, with exclusive coverage of the Opening Ceremonies within the 11 a.m. ET SportsCenter followed by the SportsCenter at the Ryder Cup preview show at 2 p.m.  ESPN networks will also re-air coverage from all three days beginning with a Friday encore of Day 1 matches from 1-10 p.m. on ESPN2.  Live coverage from Wales will conclude with SportsCenter at the Ryder Cup, including coverage of the Closing Ceremonies on Sunday, Oct. 3, from 1-2 p.m. on ESPN2.

ESPN’s coverage will be anchored by Mike Tirico and 2008 U.S. Ryder Cup captain Paul Azinger. ESPN’s commentating team also includes two-time U.S. Open champions Curtis Strange, who was the Ryder Cup Captain in 2002 and played in the event five times, and Andy North, who also played in the Ryder Cup. In addition, Judy Rankin, Bill Kratzert and Peter Alliss, an eight-time Ryder Cup member, will serve as analysts. Scott Van Pelt will host SportsCenter at the Ryder Cup highlight shows, Tom Rinaldi will provide essays and interviews, and Rick Reilly will contribute commentaries and essays.

Corey Pavin captains the defending U.S. squad featuring three of the world’s top four players in Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Steve Stricker alongside major champions Jim Furyk and Stewart Cink.  Colin Montgomerie leads the European team which includes 2010 major champions Graeme McDowell (U.S. Open) and Martin Kaymer (PGA Championship). Former PGA and two-time Open Champion Padraig Harrington and top golfers Lee Westwood, Rory McIlroy and Ian Poulter round out the team. The U.S. won the 2008 Ryder Cup 16½ – 11½ to end a streak of three consecutive victories for Team Europe.                                                                                         

ESPN’s production will include features on Tiger Woods’ selection to the team; the 2008 Ryder Cup, won by the United States team that was captained by Azinger; and the pressure for Corey Pavin and first time players.

ESPN.com’s editorial coverage of the Ryder Cup will include Jason Sobel’s daily live blog, as well as insight and analysis from columnists Bob Harig and Gene Wojciechowski each day of the competition from Wales. 

ESPN’s Ryder Cup TV schedule:

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