Shaw to air Masters golf in 3-D

Shaw Communications will air the upcoming Masters golf tournament in 3-D, beating other Canadian cable and satellite distributors to the punch in the new technology.

"[We] are proud to be the first to provide this ground-breaking technology so our customers can experience the excitement of the Masters in a completely new format," said Shaw president Peter Bissonnette in a statement onWednesday.

The Calgary-based company said two hours of commercial-free 3-D television will be available each afternoon starting on April 7, running until the 11th. The 3-D will be limited to the back nine holes of Augusta National Golf Club, but will feature special camera angles specifically for the new format, Shaw said.

All Shaw high-definition customers will be able to access the feature for free, although they will require a 3-D-capable television and glasses. Viewership will be limited, given that 3-D televisions only went on sale in Canada last week, with only Samsung selling them.

The 2010 Masters will also have the added attraction of the return of Tiger Woods, who has been out of action since revelations of his marital infidelity emergedlate last year.