European Tour announce new TV deal.

Sky Sports and the BBC have secured the rights to tournaments on the European Tour International Schedule in an agreement that runs from 2009 to 2012.

In a new collaboration Sky Sports and BBC Sport will join forces to jointly broadcast four top European Tour events. Both broadcasters will cover the BMW PGA Championship, The Barclays Scottish Open, The Quinn Direct British Masters and the HSBC World Match Play Championship. Live coverage of Thursday and Friday of each event will be shown live on Sky Sports and highlights will be broadcast on the BBC. While Saturday and Sunday will be shown live on the BBC with highlights on Sky Sports.

The new contract will see The Ryder Cup broadcast exclusively live on Sky Sports at The Celtic Manor Resort, South Wales, in 2010 and Medinah Country Club, Illinois, in 2012 with highlights on both occasions on the BBC. The Sky Sports team including Ewen Murray and David Livingstone (pictured) will be live at the events as Europe take on the United States.

George O?Grady, Chief Executive of The European Tour, said: ?We have been impressed with the level of interest and quality of the presentations during the tender process. This four year agreement with Sky Sports and the BBC reinforces the Tour?s strong, long-term relationship with our existing broadcast partners."

Sky Sports will also show 32 European-based events, three World Golf Championship events and coverage of the Asian and Sunshine Tours.