The head professional for Oakmont (Pa.) Country Club and Seminole Golf Club in Juno Beach, Fla., will focus on amateur golf and showcase the country’s best non-professional players on the show, which debuts in January.
SiriusXM has signed Bob Ford to host a new show on SiriusXM PGA TOUR Radio (XM channel 93, Sirius channel 208) that will focus on the highly competitive ranks of amateur golf and showcase some of the best non-professional players in the country.
Ford, who is the head professional at Oakmont (Pa.) Country Club and Seminole Golf Club in Juno Beach, Fla., will make his debut in January and host monthly throughout the year. On the show he will interview some of the most successful amateur golfers from around the U.S. These are players with careers away from the golf course who have maintained the skill required to compete and win local and national amateur competitions, and have also qualified to play in select tournaments against the world’s best pros.
Ford and his guests will discuss amateur competitions and their approach to the game. Ford will also offer advice to those highly skilled recreational players who aspire to raise their game and play more competitively.
“I’m really excited to be involved with SiriusXM and to have the opportunity to bring the game closer to fans and players,” said Ford. “To speak with some of our great amateurs in the game about their experiences and how they managed to walk amongst the great players of the game, and still work and raise a family at the same time, will be fun and informative for a lot of our listeners.”
“Bob is one of the most highly regarded people in the game of golf and he has helped countless players—from pros to weekend players—raise the level of their play,” said Scott Greenstein, SiriusXM’s President and Chief Content Officer. “On SiriusXM PGA TOUR Radio, Bob and his guests will have a nationwide platform to share their knowledge and insight into great amateur play, and in the process inspire those dedicated golfers from all walks of life.”
Ford was hired as an assistant at Oakmont in 1975 and four years later took over the head pro position after his mentor, Lew Worsham, retired. He has remained at Oakmont for the duration of his career and took on the additional role of head pro at Seminole, where he works every winter, in 1999. He has seen five major championship tournaments and a U.S. Amateur event played at Oakmont during his time there as head pro, and he will be the director of golf when the U.S. Open returns to the course in 2016.
The PGA of America has honored him with several awards including National Player of the Year (1988), National Professional of the Year (1987), National Merchandiser of the Year (1985, 1997), and he was inducted into the PGA National Hall of Fame in 2005. Ford has competed in 10 PGA Championships and three U.S. Opens and finished 26th in the 1983 U.S. Open at Oakmont.
SiriusXM PGA TOUR Radio offers live golf play-by-play of PGA TOUR events and major championships. This year the channel unveiled an expanded programming lineup that offers the best daily golf talk, news, analysis and instruction on radio. In addition to Ford, hosts on the channel include World Golf Hall of Fame members Ben Crenshaw, Fred Couples and Hubert Green, Henrik Stenson, Ian Poulter, Annika Sorenstam, Chris DiMarco, Rich Beem, Hank Haney, David Leadbetter, Jim McLean, Mark Carnevale, John Maginnes, Carl Paulson, Dennis Paulson, Matt Adams, Brian Katrek, Sandy McIlree, Larry Rinker, Lorne Rubenstein, Ben Shear, John Swantek, Jeff Warne, Greg Warmoth and Taylor Zarzour. Listeners can also hear Golf Channel programming.
Visit www.SiriusXM.com/SiriusXMPGATOURRadio for a daily schedule.
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