Northern Irish golfer to provide analysis and commentary in Scotland
Monday 1 September 2014 22:20, UK
Northern Irish golf legend Darren Clarke has joined Sky Sports for its exclusively live coverage of the 2014 Ryder Cup.
Clarke, who has appeared in seven Ryder Cups, either as player or vice-captain, will provide analysis and commentary on Sky’s dedicated channel, Sky Sports Ryder Cup.
The Ulsterman has played a total of 20 matches over five Ryder Cups, winning 10 and losing just three, with his most memorable performance coming as a wildcard selection in 2006 when he won all three of his matches and helped Europe to an 18 ½ - 9 ½ victory.
I know from experience just how gripping the Ryder Cup can be, and I hope I can help give viewers a perspective of the event from inside the ropes.
Clarke said: "The Ryder Cup has been a major part of my life, and I'm hugely excited to be working with Sky Sports on this truly special event.
"I know from experience just how gripping it can be and I hope I can help give viewers a perspective of the event from inside the ropes."
Jason Wessely, Sky Sports’ executive producer of golf, added: "Darren is a European Ryder Cup legend and a fantastic signing for Sky Sports’ coverage. He knows the event, the players and the course and will offer fascinating insight from Gleneagles.”
Clarke will join a Sky Sports team of commentators and experts that boasts experience from playing in and broadcasting over 100 Ryder Cups.
Sky Sports’ line-up for its 10th exclusive showing of the event includes former winning European Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie and coach to US Ryder Cup stars Butch Harmon.
Plus, on the Sunday at Gleneagles, Jack Nicklaus, who played in five Ryder Cup teams and captained the US twice, winning in 1983, will join the Sky Sports team.
David Livingstone will present the coverage, while Ewen Murray, Bruce Critchley, Rob Lee and Mark Roe will provide commentary, and on-course reporting will be provided by Howard Clark - who played in six Ryder Cups – Richard Boxall and Tim Barter.
Highlights programming will be presented by Sarah Stirk, who will be joined each day in the studio by Andrew Coltart and Nick Dougherty to review the key moments in the previous day’s matches.
Sky Sports will dedicate a channel to the Ryder Cup for the first time, with Sky Sports 4 becoming ‘Sky Sports Ryder Cup’ between 6am on September 18 and 6am on October 2 and showing over 330 hours of golf across 14 days, including 36 hours of live coverage from Gleneagles.
Sky Sports Ryder Cup will form part of an unrivalled autumn of sport on Sky which includes Barclays Premier League football, UEFA Champions League, Autumn International rugby union, Formula 1, ATP tennis and NFL.
