Pasatiempo To Get Its First National Television Exposure
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It’s weird to say it, but Alister MacKenzie’s Santa Cruz gem has never been seen by a national audience other than in stories, photos and assorted other media. So besides highlighting one of the nation’s great collegiate events, won’t it be fun this April to have Pasatiempo on Golf Channel.
Brentley Romine talked to San Jose State alum Arron Oberholser about his excitement on hearing the news.
For Immediate Release:
GOLF CHANNEL PARTNERS WITH SAN JOSÉ STATE UNIVERSITY AND TOPGOLF TO TELEVISE THE WESTERN INTERCOLLEGIATE, ONE OF THE LONGEST RUNNING EVENTS IN COLLEGE GOLF
Taking Place Monday-Wednesday, April 15-17, GOLF Channel to Air 18 Hours of Tournament Coverage Complemented by Wraparound News and Digital Coverage
73rd Annual Western Intercollegiate presented by Topgolf to be Staged at Iconic Pasatiempo Golf Club in Santa Cruz, Calif.
Top-ranked Players Collin Morikawa (California, No. 2) and Justin Suh (USC, No. 6) Headline Field of 13 Premier NCAA Division I Programs Competing for Coveted Blue Jacket
ORLANDO, Fla., (Feb, 5, 2019) – GOLF Channel, San José State University and Topgolf Entertainment Group today announced a multi-year partnership for GOLF Channel to televise one of the longest-running men’s collegiate golf championships in the country – the Western Intercollegiate presented by Topgolf – taking place at the historic Pasatiempo Golf Club in Santa Cruz, Calif. GOLF Channel will air live coverage of the 54-hole stroke play team and individual championship in primetime Monday and Tuesday, April 15-16, from 7-10 p.m. ET and on Wednesday, April 17 from 4-7 p.m. ET.
“Partnering with the Western Intercollegiate and Topgolf underscores GOLF Channel’s commitment to raising the profile of college golf and showcasing the sport’s future stars,” said Tom Knapp, executive vice president, programming and partnerships, GOLF Channel. “The Western Intercollegiate is one of the more distinguished tournaments in college golf that is rich in history, and we look forward to introducing our viewers to this championship and its iconic venue at the Pasatiempo Golf Club.”
"We are thrilled to partner with GOLF Channel and Topgolf on showcasing the iconic Western Intercollegiate men's golf tournament,” said Marie Tuite director of athletics, San José State University. “Our program and the Western Intercollegiate have long, rich histories connected to the sport of men's golf. We look forward to three days of challenging and outstanding golf and GOLF Channel's plans for unprecedented live college golf coverage. The Pasatiempo Golf Club is one of the best tests of golf anywhere in the country."
“We are honored to have the Western Intercollegiate televised this year with nine hours of live TV sponsored by Topgolf and televised on GOLF Channel,” said John Kennaday, San José State University men’s golf coach and Western Intercollegiate tournament director. “For 73 years, we have been blessed to have an amazing venue in Pasatiempo. To have the consistency of great, meaningful and historic players come through our tournament, it’s an honor and a labor of love for many of us.”
“We’re excited to sponsor the Western Intercollegiate Golf Championship – a tournament that, like Topgolf, brings a ton of energy and fun to the sport,” said Erik Anderson, executive chairman of Topgolf. “These collegiate players are the future of golf, and we can’t wait to watch them play with our Toptracer technology, the first-ever broadcast of the tournament with real-time ball tracking.”
Hosted by San José State University, the Western Intercollegiate presented by Topgolf is a 54-hole team and individual stroke play championship, entering its 73rd year and one of the premier events on the spring college calendar. The individual medalist at the Western receives the coveted Blue Jacket, honoring legendary Pasatiempo Golf Club course designer Alister MacKenzie, also the designer of Augusta National Golf Club.
The 2019 Western Intercollegiate presented by Topgolf field will include 13 elite NCAA Division I golf programs, highlighted by two nationally-ranked top 10 players – California’s Collin Morikawa (No. 2) and USC’s Justin Suh (No. 6), also the 2017 Western Intercollegiate individual medalist. Annually attracting several of the top college programs on the West Coast, the field boasts six teams ranked in the top-50 in the Golfstat rankings, including three teams currently ranked in the top-20 nationally: USC (8), Pepperdine (15) and Cal (17).
