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ESPN will televise golf's British Open beginning in 2010, putting all four rounds of the sport's oldest event entirely on cable for the first time in the U.S.

Walt Disney Co.'s ESPN replaces Turner Sports for the tournament's first two rounds. Turner announced yesterday that it wouldn't extend its seven-year agreement with the Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews beyond 2009 for economic reasons.

ESPN signed an eight-year agreement, including ``broad and comprehensive'' digital and international rights with same-day weekend highlights coverage on Walt Disney's ABC network.

``One of the most venerable of all sporting events has embraced the 21st century worldwide media landscape,'' ESPN President George Bodenheimer said in a statement.

About 16.1 million of the 114.5 million U.S. homes with televisions won't be able to watch the tournament, based on 2007 subscriber data from the cable industry and current subscription figures from satellite TV providers.

Bodenheimer said the agreement will showcase the tournament ``like never before.''

``The scope of this deal and the enhancements we obtained offer us tremendous opportunities to serve the R&A; and golf fans around the world through any device,'' he said.

ESPN didn't disclose financial terms of the agreement, which also includes the Senior British Open and the next two Walker Cup amateur competitions in the U.S. in 2011 and 2015.

In all, there will be 90-plus hours of TV coverage and 40- plus hours of live coverage on ESPN360.com and ESPN Mobile TV, Bodenheimer said.

Sports Business Daily, citing people it didn't identify, reported yesterday that ESPN will pay the R&A; $25 million a year for six or seven years to put all four rounds on cable. The R&A; has had a 50-year partnership for over-the-air broadcast rights with ABC, which currently shows the final two rounds.

Masters, U.S. Open

ESPN also has cable rights to the Masters Tournament and the U.S. Open, with CBS and NBC holding network rights.

The British Open, which airs during the early morning in the U.S., typically draws the lowest ratings of golf's four major tournaments.

Turner will continue to telecast the first two rounds of the PGA Championship, golf's final major, in 2009 at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minnesota. CBS has that tournament's network rights.

(Source: Bloomberg)