By Daniella Apiyo and Amanda Damaris

SuperSport viewers on DStv can look forward to catching all the action from the PGA Tour’s Memorial Tournament at the Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio from June 3 to 6, 2021.

SuperSport is the ultimate destination for Golf fans, with an unparalleled selection of action from around the world.

The Tournament, founded and hosted by golf legend Jack Nicklaus, is conducted each year with three goals in mind: to honour the memory of individuals living and deceased who have distinguished themselves in the game of golf; to showcase the world’s best golfers competing on one of the most challenging venues in the world for the enjoyment of spectators; and to benefit many Greater Columbus Charities in alliance with the Nicklaus Children’s Healthcare Foundation.

One of the biggest names appearing at this week’s Tournament is four-time Major champion Rory McIlroy, who admits he is still working on returning to his best after a disappointing showing at the recent PGA Championship.

“The par-5s were a killer,” said the Northern Irishman. “I made six bogeys on the par-5s in the first two days, I think. Especially on a par-72, those are the holes that you have to birdie. Even walking off there with pars is a disappointment, so to walk off there with bogeys is obviously even worse. I really put myself behind the 8-ball with that.

“And then, I actually felt like I putted okay the first couple days and then just over the weekend I started to miss a few. I started to over-read them a little bit and was sort of questioning my reads. A little bit of indecisiveness crept in.

“I just need to figure out a driver, as well. I just haven’t driven the ball as well as I know that I can for a long time. That’s where the foundation of my game, I guess, and once I’m driving it well, everything becomes so much easier. I haven’t driven the ball like myself since 2019, so I need to figure it out.”

Other big names who will be appearing at the Tournament include Adam Scott, Bubba Watson, Collin Morikawa and Jon Rahm, who won the 2020 edition by three strokes ahead of Ryan Palmer. The victory took the 26-year-old Spaniard to the number one spot on the world rankings at the time.

The all-time leader at the Memorial Tournament is Tiger Woods, who has won the event five times: 1999, 2000, 2001, 2009 and 2012. However, the golf legend will not be present at this year’s edition as he continues to recover from the injuries he suffered in a car accident earlier this year.

The Muirfield Village Golf Club is a 7,392 yard par 72 course which passes through a large neighbourhood called Muirfield Village, featuring a 1999 bronze sculpture of Nicklaus mentoring a young golfer located in the wide median of Muirfield Drive. The Purse for the Memorial Tournament is $9.3million.

No rival can compete with SuperSport’s coverage. Our viewers on DStv can see all their favourite golf stars dominating courses across the world. Visit www.dstv.com to subscribe or upgrade, and join in on the excitement. And while you’re on the move, you can stream matches on the DStv App.

 

Memorial Tournament broadcast details

All times EAT

Thursday 3 June:

22:00: Day 1 – LIVE on SuperSport Variety 1

 

Friday 4 June:

22:00: Day 2 – LIVE on SuperSport Variety 1

 

Saturday 5 June:

19:30: Day 3 – LIVE on SuperSport Variety 1

 

Sunday 6 June:

19:00: Day 4 – LIVE on SuperSport Variety 2

 

By DANIELLA APIYO AND AMANDA DAMARIS

There will be some duos trying to make an impression on US Ryder Cup captain Steve Stricker when the US PGA Zurich Classic of New Orleans begins today and all this action can be viewed on DStv, SuperSport live from the comfort of living rooms, despite the partial lock downs.

SuperSport is the ultimate destination for Golf fans, with an unparalleled selection of action from around the world. All the breath taking action is on channel 233 throughout the four days.

The pair event, with 160 players in all, features a four-ball (best ball) format in the first and third rounds and a foursomes (alternate shot) format in the second and final rounds.

The field will be cut to the low 33 pairs and level after two rounds at TPC Louisiana.

It’s a perfect chance for some US players to show Stricker how they mesh with other talent, knowing Stricker has six captain’s choices to fill out the lineup for the September matches against Europe at Whistling Straits.

The six US points leaders in quest of automatic Ryder Cup spots include top-ranked Dustin Johnson, reigning US Open champion Bryson DeChambeau, PGA Championship winners Justin Thomas and Collin Morikawa, Xander Schauffele and four-time major winner Brooks Koepka.

Fifth-ranked Schauffele is playing with a familiar Presidents Cup partner in 10th-ranked Patrick Cantlay as the event’s highest-ranking duo looks ahead to the Ryder Cup against Europe on home soil.

“We have the Ryder Cup this year and Pat and I are good friends,” Schauffele said. “We play almost every week at least once and we figured it was a bit of a no-brainer.”

Cantlay, third at the 2019 PGA in his best major finish, would like the chance to reunite with Schauffele after they won twice in foursomes and lost twice in four-ball at the 2019 Presidents Cup in Australia.

“It should be great,” Cantlay said.

“Like Xander said, we struck up a pretty good friendship at Presidents Cup and played well too. So we figure we would play this week.

“It’s the only team event other than those big team events at the end of the year, so it should be really fun and we’re really looking forward to competing.”

 

“We definitely feel like we could have been more successful, but we definitely meshed and clicked really well,” Schauffele said.

“Our games matched up and our mentalities aligned and I think Stricker, he knows that I would love to play with Pat and vice versa.

“Yes, it’s a Ryder Cup year, but I think it’s more so Pat and I are buddies and we’re definitely trying to win this golf tournament.”

Ryder Cup qualifying will run through the BMW Championship in August. Among the leaders of those chasing a spot on points are major winners Patrick Reed and Webb Simpson and long-hitting Tony Finau.

“Every week is an opportunity to show the captain who you are, the state of your game and the state of your overall self in certain situations,” Finau said.

“Who knows? You could be looking at a team that is representing the US in the Ryder Cup later this fall.”

Finau is playing in New Orleans with Cameron Champ, helping develop a bond that could be on display again in September.

“I definitely think this week is going to be fun regardless of how we play,” Champ said. “Whenever you can play golf stress-free with your partner it makes things a lot easier and obviously a lot more fun too.”

Morikawa, who defends his title in next month’s PGA Championship, makes his event debut alongside compatriot Matthew Wolff.

“Matt’s an awesome guy. We feed off each other’s energy,” Morikawa said. “That’s what’s great. You got to have good chemistry out here and I think we really do.”

Irish golfer Seamus Power withdrew after testing positive for Covid-19 and was replaced by Zack Sucher as the partner of Canada’s David Hearn.

MultiChoice Kenya Managing Director, Nancy Matimu said: “No rival can compete with SuperSport’s coverage. Our viewers on DStv can see all their favourite golf stars dominating courses across the world. Visit www.dstv.com to subscribe or upgrade, and join in on the excitement. And while you’re on the move, you can stream matches on the DStv App.

ZURICH CLASSIC SCHEDULE:

Thursday April 22: 10.30pm-1.30am

Friday April 23: 10.30pm-1.30am

Saturday April 24: 8pm-1am

Sunday April 25: 8pm-1am