As December 17 rolls in, the Optum Golf Channel games have promised to change the way fans watch the sport. With the likes of Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler coming in as captains, they will be leading two different teams. But the tournament will not follow any traditional rules. Instead, it will bring in fresh new ideas as the golfers take the field at the Trump National Golf Club Jupiter in Florida.

In addition to that, they have an exciting panel of commentators, which even features Donald Trump’s granddaughter, Kai. Let us take a look at some of the major details of the event. 

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What Are Optum Golf Channel Games? 

The Optum Golf Channel Games will witness two teams competing in five different tasks. The biggest catch is that each of these tasks will be designed to push the athletes beyond their comfort zones. Another interesting aspect of these games is that the tasks will require speed and agility, as most of them will have a time limit. 

Players of each team will be stepping up to hit drives onto a scoring grid, where the distance as well as the precision will come into play. Thus, each team will be accumulating points following the events. And finally, the team with the most points will be awarded the victory. 

Now, coming to the teams, Team Scheffler will have Team USA’s 2025 Ryder Cup skipper, Keegan Bradley, 5x PGA Tour winner Sam Burns, and the young phenom, Luke Clanton. On the flip side, McIlroy’s squad will feature the likes of Shane Lowry, Luke Donald, and China’s Li Haotong. 

Who Are The NBC Golf Commentators?

The Optum Golf Channel games are scheduled to be played under the lights. This is done in order to make the tournament interesting and to garner the maximum number of eyeballs possible. However, for the fans sitting back, they can watch the extravaganza from the comfort of their home. The event will be broadcast live on the USA Network as well as the Golf Channel at 7:30 pm EST. In addition to that, the fans will also have the luxury of watching the pre-show programs with full analysis ahead of the start of each event.

American sports commentator Steve Sands will handle play-by-play, with PGA Tour player Keith Mitchell, who will be analysing the match play. Mitchell will also be offering detailed in-event analysis to break down strategy and execution during the challenges.

Smylie Kaufman, Brad Faxon, and Johnson Wagner would reportedly be headlining the on-course reporting team. And University of Miami commit Kai Trump would join the squad as a guest commentator.

Who are the main studio hosts and anchors for the Optum Golf Channel Games?

NBC sports commentator Anna Jackson (Whiteley) has been announced to be the main studio anchor for the Optum Golf Channel Games. Jackson would be leading the pre- and post-event coverage from on-site at the Trump National Golf Club Jupiter. 

Is Kai Trump joining the Golf Channel broadcast crew next weekend?

POTUS’ granddaughter, Kai Trump, will be joining the Optum Golf Channel Games this upcoming weekend. Kai would be a special guest contributor, and the event is scheduled to air on December 17, 2025.

The event is designed specifically for a primetime television audience as it’s a made-for-TV golf exhibition. Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler are positioned as the headliners, each captaining a four-man team made up of fellow PGA Tour players and international stars. 

The event is scheduled to unfold at Trump National Golf Club in Jupiter, Florida. And such a setting has raised expectations regarding Donald Trump making a surprise guest appearance.

18-year-old Kai Trump will appear in pre-event challenge tutorials with on-air analyst Johnson Wagner and take part in the trophy presentation. She also recently appeared at the ANNIKA Driven by Gainbridge, where she missed the cut at the end of round 2. Overall, the event blends star power, unconventional competition, and TV-driven storytelling, prioritizing entertainment while increasing the visibility of the sport. 

Lastly, for the ones who want to witness the gala event in person, the tickets are already on sale. However, fans outside of the US are advised to check local listings.