NBC Swipes British Open from ESPN

NBC is back in the Major golf game, winning a contract to begin broadcasting the Open Championship in 2017.

The network signed a 12-year deal with the R&A on Monday. The Open just finished an eight-year contract with ESPN.

Since NBC owns the Golf Channel, it marks the first time that specialty station will air part of a men’s Major live in progress.

It’s a huge win for NBC, which lost the US Open rights to Fox in 2013. The first Open Championship broadcast by NBC will be at Royal Birkdale, a fitting start for broadcaster Johnny Miller, who won the Claret Jug there in 1976.