The PGA TOUR and its media partners, CBS Sports, ESPN, Golf Channel and NBC, have unveiled a new feature for coverage of its tournaments, with ‘Rapid Rounds’ providing viewers with a chance to catch up on all the shots played by some of the featured groups and big-name players in an edited highlights package.
Starting at last week’s 3M Open, ESPN, Golf Channel, CBS Sports and the PGA TOUR released select rapid-fire versions of full player rounds featured within each day’s telecasts and streams, available to fans in the hours after play has been completed for the day.
A Rapid Rounds package of 3M Open winner Kurt Kityama’s final round covered every shot in a 14-minute video, while the feature was available for other marquee players and those in contention, alongside a full highlights package.
Norb Gambuzza, the PGA TOUR’s executive vice president of media, said: “With more cameras and streams covering PGA TOUR tournaments than ever before, ‘Rapid Rounds’ will offer an additional way for fans to watch each drive, approach and putt from select players showcased across all our media platforms.
“Whether reliving an incredible round, catching up on the game’s biggest names or if they missed that day’s action, ‘Rapid Rounds’ offers a fast, easy way for fans to engage with their favorite stars and get excited for the next day’s live coverage.”
Rapid Rounds, which is in a test phase through the remainder of 2025, is the most recent example of the PGA TOUR’s Fan Forward initiative, which launched last year in an effort to accelerate innovations that increase fan connections with the PGA TOUR.
Fan Forward collected insights from more than 50,000 respondents, with more than 40% of fans saying that they wanted to see more highlights packages and round recaps.
PGA TOUR winner Justin Thomas, who is on the PGA TOUR’s Fans, Tournaments and Sponsors Player Advisory Council Subcommittee, said: “It’s incredibly rewarding to see ‘Rapid Rounds’ come to life. Fan Forward has provided us with important direction on what PGA TOUR fans are craving, and we’ve worked hard to deliver an innovative way for our fans to engage with our players and tournaments. We are grateful for the TOUR’s media partners for embracing and supporting this new series.”