Greg Norman's Hand Makes Speedy Recovery For Shark Shootout Pro-Am; Fox Sports Golf Debut Has Been Downsized?!

I had previously reported that Fox Sports would be taking over Greg Norman's Shark Shootout from Golf Channel as the first golf broadcast for the network. On April 30th, Fox Sports issued a press release announcing that Fox Sports 1 and Fox would be taking the longtime event from Golf Channel/NBC to mark the debut of Fox's golf broadcast effort, which begins in earnest with the 2015 USGA television contract.

But Jeff Babineau reports two surprising developments in this short Golfweek.com item: Greg Norman's maimed hand is so much better that he will play the Shark Shootout pro-am and then, work the broadcast for Saturday's Fox final round. But only after Golf Channel televises the first two rounds, not Fox Sports 1, as previously announced. The tournament website confirms this lineup as well.

Norman, on the mend from a near-tragic chainsaw accident while trimming a tree at his Jupiter Island property last month, will compete in the pro-am rounds early week (he has received permission from his doctor to start swinging a club), then will join Joe Buck in the Fox broadcast booth on Saturday, Dec. 13, the final day of competition, which will feature a better-ball format. Rounds on Dec. 11 (scramble) and Dec. 12 (modified alternate shot) will be aired on Golf Channel.

Just last week Norman told Fox Business News that he wasn't sure if he'd ever play golf again.

As for the opportunity to see Fox's fresh and innovative approach, we'll have to wait to find out who is handling the production end of the 2014 Shark Shootout.

Here was the Fox press release touting their acquisition of the event:

2014 FRANKLIN TEMPLETON SHOOTOUT TO BE FIRST PROFESSIONAL GOLF EVENT BROADCAST ON FOX

Joe Buck & Greg Norman Make Their Tower Debut

Los Angeles – FOX Sports and the Franklin Templeton Shootout have reached a multi-year, multi-platform rights agreement that brings the Franklin Templeton Shootout to FOX and FOX Sports 1 exclusively beginning this December 11-13. The 2014 event is held at Tiburon Golf Club at The Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort in Naples, Fla.

Founded in 1989 by World Golf Hall of Famer Greg Norman, who was recently paired with Joe Buck as FOX Sports’ 18th tower broadcast team, the Shootout is the longest running PGA TOUR-sanctioned challenge season event. The Shootout’s move to FOX Sports makes it the first PGA TOUR-sanctioned event televised by FOX and FOX Sports 1, features a minimum of 10 hours of live tournament coverage and is where Buck and Norman make their broadcasting debut together.

Just last year, FOX secured the rights for all United States Golf Association (USGA) events, including the U.S. Open, starting in 2015. Adding the Franklin Templeton Shootout to the FOX Sports golf portfolio further solidifies its entry into golf while providing additional compelling content for FOX and FOX Sports 1.

"The Franklin Templeton Shootout is a prestigious PGA TOUR-sanctioned event, so we jumped at the idea of working with Greg and bringing it to FOX Sports,” said Eric Shanks, FOX Sports President, COO & Executive Producer. “This is going to be a great opportunity for us to have Joe and Greg work with the rest of the FOX Sports golf team for the first time, and moving the final round from a football Sunday to Saturday makes for a much better showcase."

“I’m thrilled that FOX Sports has secured the rights to broadcast the tournament that I have hosted for the last 25 years, and equally excited about making my broadcasting debut with Joe Buck,” said Norman, Chairman and CEO of Great White Shark Enterprises. “FOX Sports has always taken an innovative approach to sports broadcasting, and I’m certain that their coverage of golf will be no different. The Franklin Templeton Shootout is a unique event that showcases an outstanding collection of PGA TOUR talent, while more importantly helping to generate awareness for children’s cancer research. I am honored that FOX Sports has added the event to their golf lineup.”

The shift to FOX Sports results in a schedule change for the Shootout. The opening round of the 54-hole professional competition is held Thursday, Dec. 11 with the final round played Saturday, Dec. 13. This year, FOX Sports 1 televises the Thursday and Friday rounds, and FOX broadcasts the final round on Saturday.

Throughout its history, the Franklin Templeton Shootout has attracted many of golf's greatest players who form two-man teams and compete in the a modified alternate-shot, better ball and scramble formats. The 12 two-man teams are expected to be announced in October. The defending champions of the Shootout are Matt Kuchar and Harris English, who were victorious over a field of challengers including Jason Dufner/Dustin Johnson, Ian Poulter/Lee Westwood, Greg Norman/Jonas Blixt and Steve Stricker/Jerry Kelly.

All three rounds of the Franklin Templeton Shootout televised by FOX and FOX Sports 1 are streamed live via FOX Sports GO through participating video providers.