2017 Masters on the BBC

The BBC will have all the action from the 2017 Masters, with comprehensive coverage on TV, radio and online.

Published: 29 March 2017
I have loved working with my brilliant friends and colleagues on the BBC golf team and look forward to being in Augusta to see Danny Willett defend his title and to savouring the unique atmosphere of the Masters one more time.
— Hazel Irvine
  • Live TV coverage from Saturday and Sunday play, plus Thursday and Friday highlights
  • Live commentary from all four days on Radio 5 live and 5 live sports extra
  • 2017 Masters to be Hazel Irvine’s final event as face of BBC golf
  • Special BBC Two documentary looks back at Danny Willett’s 2016 win
  • Additional four live streams available online

From Augusta, the BBC will be bringing golf fans live TV coverage on the Saturday and Sunday on BBC Two with an extra four live streams on the BBC Sport website and extended coverage on the BBC Red Button. There will be extensive highlights from Thursday and Friday’s play (see full TV schedule below) plus action from all four days will be live on Radio 5 live.

Hazel Irvine will front the BBC’s TV coverage alongside expert commentary from Peter Alliss, Ken Brown, Andrew Cotter and Paul Azinger. Rishi Persad will be reporting.

Masters week on the BBC begins with insightful documentary When Danny Won The Masters (April 2), which tells the extraordinary story of Danny Willett, the Sheffield golfer who last year became the first Briton to win the Championship since 1996.

A special Masters preview show (April 5) looks ahead to the 2017 event which sees the world’s greatest golfers battling it out for arguably the sport’s biggest prize – the illustrious green jacket.

Hazel, who has been a key figure in BBC golf presentation for 25 years and the lead anchor of the sport since 2009 will say farewell to viewers as this year’s event draws to a close. She will continue to present snooker and major events for BBC Sport and will be back on screens fronting the World Snooker Championships later this month.

On her decision to leave the sport Hazel said: “I was pleased to be offered another long-term contract with BBC Sport to continue presenting snooker, golf and Major Events. However, after much thought, I have decided that in what is my 30th year in broadcast sport, I want to re-align my on-air commitments around the changing needs of my family. I have loved working with my brilliant friends and colleagues on the BBC golf team and look forward to being in Augusta to see Danny Willett defend his title and to savouring the unique atmosphere of the Masters one more time.”

Eilidh Barbour will take over as the BBC’s golf TV presenter, making her debut at the BMW PGA Championships in May. Eilidh has presented and reported on a range of BBC Football output - including FA Cup, Football Focus, MOTD2 Extra, Final Score and Euros 2016. She also fronts the BBC’s women's football and women's 6 nations output as well as working on the radio coverage for golf and rugby.

Barbara Slater, Director of BBC Sport said: "It is with a heavy heart that we say goodbye to Hazel having been the familiar face of the sport for 25 years. However, we respect her decision and look forward to her continuing to front our snooker and major events coverage for many more years to come”

Radio 5 live and 5 live sports extra will have commentary on all four days of competition. Mark Chapman will host coverage alongside the award winning 5 live golf team led by BBC’s golf correspondent Iain Carter, with John Murray and Alistair Bruce-Ball. Analysis comes from 5 live’s regular US expert Jay Townsend and previous PGA Championship winner Shaun Micheel.

Radio 5 live’s Tiger’s Masterclass looks back to 1997 when a 21 year old Eldrick 'Tiger' Woods stunned the golfing world and became the youngest player to win the US Masters, eight months after turning pro. The network’s Masters preview show follows immediately after.
The live TV and radio coverage will also be available on the BBC Sport website with an additional four live streams alongside the uninterrupted BBC TV coverage on Saturday and Sunday. The site will also feature the popular live text commentary service, highlight clips throughout the tournament, news, reports and reaction from the team in Augusta.

GS

Full statement from Hazel Irvine

On standing down from her role as presenter of BBC golf:
“In 2016 I was pleased to be offered another long-term contract with BBC Sport to continue presenting snooker, golf and Major Events in 2017 and beyond.

"However, after much thought, I have decided that in what is my 30th year in broadcast sport, I want to re-align my on-air commitments around the changing needs of my family.

"So, I agreed to continue with my anchor roles on snooker and Major Events. I also decided that after 25 years of golf presentation with BBC Sport, I would now like to pass this baton on to someone else.

"I have loved working with my brilliant friends and colleagues on the BBC golf team. But for the time being, this decision will work better for my family and me.

"I’m looking forward to being in Augusta to see Danny Willett defend his title and to savouring the unique atmosphere of the Masters one more time."

On Eilidh Barbour becoming BBC’s new golf presenter:

"I am delighted that a fellow Scot, Eilidh Barbour, will be given this chance. Eilidh wrote to me when she was a teenager asking for advice about how to get into broadcasting. Happily I wrote back! Many years later we met when she appeared as an assistant producer on the snooker production team with IMG Scotland. We’ve worked together often since then. She is a lovely, unaffected person and an extremely capable broadcaster. Over the last few weeks I have been working with her to help prepare Eilidh for her new role. I'm sure that she will enjoy it as much as I have."

BBC TV schedule

Sunday 2 April

  • When Danny Won The Masters, 3-3.30pm, BBC Two

Tuesday 4 April

  • Masters 2016 Review, 1.45-2.45pm, BBC Two

Wednesday 5 April

  • Masters Preview, 11.15-11.45pm, BBC Two

Friday 7 April

  • Masters Highlights, 7-8pm, BBC Two, (first shown 9.15-10.15am on BBC Red Button)

Saturday 8 April

  • Masters Highlights, 1-2pm, BBC Two (first shown 9.30-10.30am on BBC Red Button)
  • The Masters Extra Coverage, 4.30pm-12midnight, BBC Red Button
  • The Masters, 7.30pm-12midnight, BBC Two

Sunday 9 April

  • The Masters Extra Coverage, 3.15-6.30pm and 9pm-12midnight, BBC Red Button
  • The Masters 6.30pm-12midnight, BBC Two

BBC radio schedule

Wednesday 29 March

  • Tiger’s Masterclass, 9-10pm, BBC Radio 5 live
  • 2017 Masters Preview, 10-11pm, BBC Radio 5 live

Thursday 6 April

  • The Masters, live coverage, 9-10pm, BBC Radio 5 live

Friday 7 April

  • The Masters, live updates, 9-10pm, BBC Radio 5 live
  • The Masters, live coverage, 10pm-1am, BBC Radio 5 live sports extra

Saturday 8 April

  • The Masters, live coverage, 9pm-1am, BBC Radio 5 live

Sunday 9 April

  • The Masters, live coverage, 8pm-1am, BBC Radio 5 live

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