GOLF LIVE ON SKY SPORTS

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SKY SPORTS has secured exclusive live rights to The PGA European Tour and Ryder Cup for a further four years.

The new agreement means Sky Sports will show live coverage of The Ryder Cup in 2008, 2010 and 2012 as well as 32 events from The European Tour until the end of 2012. 

The new deal also includes live coverage on Sky Sports of The Barclays Scottish Open, BMW PGA Championship, Quinn Direct British Masters at The de Vere Belfry, and The HSBC World Matchplay from Wentworth in partnership with The BBC. 

The new contracts give Sky Sports live coverage of:

RYDER CUP - The 2008 Ryder Cup at Valhalla in Kentucky, The 2010 Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor in Wales and The 2012 Ryder Cup at Medinah in Illinois.

MAJORS - The US Open until 2008 and The US PGA Championship until 2010.

WORLD GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP - All Three World Golf Championship events: The Accenture Matchplay, The CA Championship and The Bridgestone Invitational plus The Omega Mission Hills World Cup.

EUROPEAN TOUR - Year round coverage of a minimum of 32 live events each season including The Smurfit Kappa European Open from The K Club, The Wales Open from Celtic Manor, The Dubai Desert Classic, and The Alfred Dunhill Links Championship

OTHER EVENTS - The Solheim Cup, and events from The Champions Tour, The LPGA Tour, and Amateur Tours.

Vic Wakeling, Managing Director of Sky Sports, said:  "We have a marvelous relationship with the European Tour and are delighted it will continue for at least another four years.

"The European Tour has grown so much over the last decade whilst the incredible growth of the Ryder Cup has made it one of sport's biggest success stories.

"With over 30 live Tour events on Sky Sports each year our viewers can see Ryder Cup contenders and the rising stars for the future, throughout each season. And the World Golf Championship events - each shown live on Sky Sports - add competition from the major US stars.

"There is huge excitement generated by the Ryder Cup and it's great to be part of it. Now we are involved until 2012, taking viewers to Valhalla Golf Club next year, then home to Celtic Manor, and on to our 9th Ryder Cup at Medina Country Club."

The Ryder Cup agreement follows Sky's exclusive live coverage of the last six events; Oak Hill [1995], Valderrama [1997], Brookline [1999] and The De Vere Belfry [2002], Oakland Hills [2004], The K Club [2006].  The 2006 Ryder Cup was the first to be shown exclusively live on five platforms: in standard and high definition, on Sky Interactive, Sky Mobile and Sky Broadband.

The four year agreement with The European Tour renews Sky's live rights until the end of 2012.  Each year 32 events will be broadcast live including The Smurfit Kappa European Open from The K Club, The Wales Open from Celtic Manor, The Dubai Desert Classic, and The Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. 

In addition four events will be shown in partnership with The BBC: The Barclays Scottish Open, BMW PGA Championship, Quinn Direct British Masters at The de Vere Belfry, and The HSBC World Matchplay where Sky Sports will show live coverage of Days One and Two and highlights of Days Three and Four.

There is golf programming scheduled during every week of the year on Sky Sports.  In 2007 Sky Sports will show more than 60 live tournaments from across the European Tour, the World Golf Championships, the Majors, and Seniors Tours plus the Solheim Cup and Walker Cup.