14 July 2010, St Andrews, Scotland: The Open will be broadcast on the BBC up to and including the 2016 Championship, following a new deal announced today by The R&A and BBC Sport. The new deal extends BBC Sport's current contract as exclusive live television broadcaster, and also covers radio, online, interactive and iPlayer.

This year's event, the 150th Anniversary of The Open Championship, will be the first ever to be broadcast in High Definition (HD). Over 40 hours of coverage will be broadcast over the four day competition on BBC One, BBC Two and the BBC HD Channel, presented by Hazel Irvine and starting at 9am on Thursday 15 July.  There will be approximately 40 hours of content available on the red button.
Peter Dawson, Chief Executive of The R&A said: "The R&A has enjoyed a special relationship with the BBC for more than 50 years.  On the occasion of the 150th Anniversary of The Open Championship, we are very pleased to have ensured the continuation of that relationship.

"It is very important to The R&A that The Open remains accessible to as many people as possible and the BBC is an ideal partner in fulfilling this ambition across the United Kingdom."

BBC Director of Sport, Barbara Slater said: "We are delighted to have extended our partnership with The R&A to broadcast The Open, one of our most important crown-jewel events. We look forward to continuing to bring top-class golf coverage to the widest possible audiences through to 2016."
 
ENDS
 
Note to Editors
 
The R&A
Based in St Andrews, The R&A is golf's governing body and organiser of The Open Championship.  The R&A is committed to working for golf and operates with the consent of 141 organisations from the amateur and professional game and on behalf of over 30 million golfers in 126 countries.
 
Further information:
 
Peter Dawson
Chief Executive 
 
Malcolm Booth
Assistant Director - Head of Communications
 
The R&A
Tel: +44 1334 460000