U.S. Open lands in prime time

SAN DIEGO - This year, the U.S. Open will be televised in prime time.

Because the Open is on the West Coast, making for an extra three hours of daylight, the U.S. Golf Association and NBC decided to take the national championship to millions more viewers in the evening on Saturday and Sunday, which is Father's Day.

On Saturday, NBC 10 will air the third round of the Open from 4 to 10 p.m. Sunday's final round will air from 3 to 9 p.m.

"What a great way to spend Father's Day weekend, with the best golfers in the world playing America's championship in prime time," Dick Ebersol, chairman of NBC Universal Sports, said in the announcement of the weekend move to prime time. Because of the larger audience, NBC can charge a 10 percent premium to advertisers.

Television times for the first two rounds will remain the same as in years past: Today and tomorrow, ESPN will carry first- and second-round coverage from 1 to 3 p.m. NBC will pick up the coverage each day from 3 to 5 p.m., then ESPN will resume coverage from 5 to 10 p.m.