Web adds coverage; TV adds Faldo
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Two new faces in the CBS broadcast booth and a new wrinkle in Internet coverage are among the changes in this year's broadcast of the Masters Tournament.
Nick Faldo makes his Masters debut as lead analyst for CBS, and Ian Baker-Finch will call the action at the 11th and 12th holes this week.
Faldo, a three-time winner at Augusta National Golf Club, joined CBS and The Golf Channel earlier this year after working for ABC the past few years. He's still eligible to play in the Masters as a former champion but opted to focus on his broadcast duties.
Baker-Finch, the winner of the 1991 British Open, also made the switch from ABC to CBS this year.
The traditional TV broadcast begins today and Friday at 4 p.m. on USA, but golf fans with an Internet connection will be able to see the action an hour earlier thanks to Masters Extra. It will be shown from 3 to 4 p.m. today and Friday on www.masters.org and cbs.sportsline.com.
On the weekend, CBS will show the tournament beginning at 3:30 p.m. Saturday and 2:30 p.m. Sunday. The Internet broadcast will be one hour earlier on those days as well.
"The Internet complements our broadcast, and it fulfills one of our principal objectives of exposing as many people as possible to this great sport of golf," Billy Payne, Augusta National and Masters chairman, said in a statement.
In addition, Amen Corner live will return for the second year. All shots at Augusta National's most famous stretch of holes - Nos. 11-13 - will be shown via the Internet on www.masters.org and cbs.sportsline.com.
XM Radio (Channel 146) is also back for its second year and will provide tournament coverage from noon to 7 p.m. each day.