HAVEN, Wis. — It’s one of the biggest Wisconsin sports weekends of all time, when you consider the Ryder Cup trophy will be awarded in Sheboygan County, just hours before the Packers kick off on Sunday Night Football.
“And we haven't even talked about Wisconsin vs. Notre Dame playing just down the lakeshore in Chicago,” beamed NBC Sports’ Mike Tirico. “This is an all time, all time great weekend.”
Sports reporter Vince Vitrano caught up with Tirico on the 18th fairway of Whistling Straits Wednesday. The NBC host has Golf Channel duties on Friday and NBC broadcasting on Saturday from the 43rd Ryder Cup on the shores of Lake Michigan. “I got down here this morning. Just walk the golf course. It's as spectacular and difficult as ever. It's a day you are very happy to hold a microphone and not a golf club for a living.”
Tirico lives in Michigan, and his Midwest pride was certainly on display as he raved about the Wisconsin golf course hosting this global event. “Man, you just, have to stop on a lot of these tees and a lot of the greens and just take it in,” Tirico said. “It's as beautiful of a location as you'll ever find.”
Because he hosts Football Night in America, the Sunday Night Football pregame show, Tirico will jet off to New York after his Saturday golf duties. He’ll be keeping an eye on the action, however, out at Whistling Straits. “I have to be honest, it's one day on Football Night in America that I'm not as dialed in to all the games because Ryder Cup gets a screen along with the other games.”
As for NBC bringing viewers all this action, Tirico said, “It's such a fun day." People can turn on NBC, "put the remote down and kick your feet up for just 11 hours,” he said.
Ryder Cup coverage from NBC sports on NBC 26 runs from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, while Sunday coverage begins at 11 a.m. NBC 26 will host a Packers Pregame Show following that, which flows directly into Football Night in America at 6 p.m. and then Sunday Night Football, the Packers at the San Francisco 49ers.
