Not that we should expect intentions to the contrary, but CBS Sports officials said on Monday that the network isn’t planning to cover LIV Golf League members who compete in next week’s Masters Tournament any differently than the rest of the field of competitors. At least that’s the party line. What else would you expect them to say?

While the final two men’s majors of 2022 had LIV golf participants, this will be the first Masters with members of the rival circuit to the PGA Tour competing at Augusta National Golf Club. That 18-player contingent might surely produce some legitimate contenders, including past champions Dustin Johnson, Patrick Reed and Sergio Garcia, four-time major winner Brooks Koepka, who tied for second behind Tiger Woods in 2019, and reigning Open champion Cameron Smith.

“The Masters Tournament and Augusta National is bigger than any player that has come before, any player that’s around now and any player that will come in the years ahead,” said Trevor Immelman, the 2008 champion who replaces Nick Faldo as the lead analyst in the 18th tower beside anchor Jim Nantz, during a Zoom conference call on Monday. “That’s what we are focused on is giving the tournament justice and crowning a great champion, putting a Green Jacket on a great champion that Sunday afternoon.”

Augusta National chairman Fred Ridley announced in December that the Masters would invite LIV Golf members who are eligible “under our current criteria,” including, of course, the tournament’s past champions, who earn a lifetime exemption. LIV Golf naturally was a curiosity during Monday’s 45-minute call that included reporter Dottie Pepper, producer Sellers Shy and CBS Sports chairman Sean McManus.

“We’re not gonna cover up or hide anything,” McManus said. “As I’ve said so often, our job is to cover the golf tournament. We’re not gonna show any different treatment for the golfers who have played on the LIV tour than we do the other golfers. And if there’s a pertinent point or something that we need to, or we feel that we should bring up in our coverage on Saturday and Sunday, or on our other coverage throughout the week, you know, we’re not gonna put our heads in the sand.

“Having said that, unless it really affects the story that’s taking place on the golf course, we’re not gonna go out of our way to cover it. I’m not sure there’s anything that we could add to the story as it already exists. We’ll cover it as, as is suitable.”

“We’re not cheerleaders here,” Shy responded when asked if CBS might root for some LIV players to contend to juice ratings that already are annually the highest in golf broadcasting. “We just want to cover the golf tournament. So whoever is on that leaderboard, we’re covering ’em because they’re invited to the Masters.”

CBS is broadcasting coverage of the Masters for the 68th consecutive year and will provide more than 100 hours across all its platforms. That coverage also includes the first two rounds on ESPN beginning next Thursday.

Another first for the network — and for the contestants, for that matter — is a new approach to the par-5 13th hole that features a new back tee that has lengthened the hole 35 yards to 545 yards. Shy wouldn’t get into all the specifics of what CBS is planning, but viewers will notice a few new wrinkles.

“Without showing our hand, we have some enhancements around that tee box that I think the viewers will enjoy. One is we have a nice monopole in the back that’s a little bit a higher to be able to show the shape of the shot. Other than that, I’ll just tell you that we have hopefully tried to match the enhancements that the club put forward with lengthening the hole and we hope that the viewer enjoys it.”

The post CBS officials outline approach to covering LIV Golf story during Masters broadcast appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

While Faldo had roughly two months to prepare for his last goodbye since revealing he would be ending his TV career after nearly two decades, the emotions of the moment on Sunday still got the best of the 65-year-old.

"I'm a single child and I've found, at 65, three brothers."

The end of an era.@NickFaldo006 signs off for the final time. pic.twitter.com/nXm8mRMPnz

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) August 7, 2022

“I blew it,” the Englishman said amid heavy tears. Once finally composed enough to speak, he recalled the day he was offered the job at CBS. “I was in a boat in Ireland, and they gave me a call and said, ‘How would you like to sit next to Jim Nantz?’ and I literally fell out the boat, I really did. That was 2006, and here we are 16 years later.”

Throughout Sunday’s broadcast — the last golf tournament on CBS’ 2022 calendar — the crew took time to salute Faldo for his years of work.

“I think it’s fair to say that you let us see as a broadcaster what’s in your heart, much more than we did with your stoic manner as a player,” Nantz said. “May the sands of time be very kind to you, my friend.”

Earlier in the week, Faldo’s connection to Greensboro only grew stronger. Tournament officials honoured him with a spot on Sedgefield Country Club’s Wall of Fame, joining Charlie Sifford and Arnold Palmer.

16 seasons of smiles and laughter.

The best and funniest moments of @NickFaldo006’s broadcasting career in honor of his retirement. pic.twitter.com/BpAQ1O2aAU

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) August 7, 2022

Faldo will spend his retirement in Montana, where he and his wife Lindsey are renovating a farm.

“To the crew, as I affectionately and respectfully call you the workers. They put the pictures out, we do all the rattling, the easy job,” Faldo said at the broadcast’s end. “Thank you all. I’m a single [inaudible], but I’ve found these three brothers. Thank you. Thank you. I’m ready.”

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The post PGA Tour: Watch an emotional Nick Faldo struggle through tears as he signs off after 16 years as CBS’ lead golf analyst appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Dave Shedloski
The Masters will send the leaders off well before noon in the final round for the second year in a row, only this time it’s not weather dictating the decision. Rather, and this could only happen in the year of coronavirus, it’s the CBS Sports television schedule.

Sean McManus, chairman of CBS Sports, told Golf Digest that the final round coverage of the 84th Masters on Sunday, Nov. 15, is scheduled to conclude at 2:30 p.m. EST before the network’s obligation to broadcast afternoon NFL games that begin at 4:05. (Ed’s note:  The United Arab Emirates is 8 hours ahead of Augusta, GA, USA).

“This gives us time for a playoff if there is one, and also, obviously, we want time for the green jacket ceremony and Butler Cabin interviews,” said McManus, who added that Saturday’s third-round coverage will conclude “around 4 or 5” as it leads into the scheduled 6 p.m. kickoff of the SEC showdown between traditional college football powerhouses LSU, the defending national champions, and Alabama.

Granted, given that the U.S. will have reverted to standard time on Nov. 1, the final round of the Masters would have ended earlier than its traditional 7 p.m. target time in April, probably no later than 4:30, allowing time for a sudden-death playoff before sunset in Augusta, Ga., at 5:25 p.m.

Daylight considerations also have affected next week’s U.S. Open at Winged Foot in Mamaroneck, N.Y. The field has been trimmed from 156 players to 144. Both the U.S. Open and the Masters shifted to the fall as part of a reconfigured golf schedule because of the COVID-19 pandemic that has impacted all sports.

Tiger Woods won his fifth green jacket last year when the Masters for the first time in its history moved up tee times because of the threat of severe weather. He will defend during a time of year when the weather could be drastically different than it is in April and when Augusta National Golf Club will be eerily quiet without the presence of fans.

“It’s still the Masters, with all the beauty and drama, and in some ways viewers might find it more interesting, as they will be able to see the course in a new perspective without all the fans, which I think heightens the curiosity factor,” McManus said. “The look of the course will be different, but the tournament will still have the same feel and tradition.

“It’s going to be a great weekend for the Masters and a great weekend for CBS.”

The post Masters 2020: Set your final-round viewing plans accordingly as early Sunday finish is expected in November appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

My pledge is to do the same. I’m proud to work for a company, Discovery, that faded to black for eight minutes and 46 seconds—the same amount of time a former police officer kneeled on George Floyd’s neck—across all 19 of its U.S. brands on Tuesday night. But I’m also well aware that we need to keep the conversation going if we are ever to promote real change. Whether its peaceful protests, donating money or having serious conversations, let’s all try to do better. And with that, let’s try to talk about some golf.

WE’RE BUYING

Mic’d up players: The European Tour announced its restart will begin with a six-tournament UK Swing beginning July 22. Also beginning then will be a new policy in which players in featured TV groups will be mic’d up. “It really comes down to how open you are, how creative you are and how your players want to embrace change,” Euro tour chief executive Keith Pelley told BBC Sport. “This is the time for us to do some things completely differently.” Couldn’t agree more. Well done. Just please make sure to put a mic on Eddie Pepperell at all times.

Annika Sorenstam: Arguably the GOAT of the women’s game, Sorenstam stepped up by pledging $50,000 to struggling Symetra Tour players. Well done. The 10-time major champ was also named as a U.S. Women’s Open ambassador for the 75th anniversary of the tournament, which was to be played this week, but will take place in December instead. Oh yeah, she also was this week’s guest on the Golf Digest Podcast, where I enjoyed talking to her about her career and pickleball. Please have a listen:

PGA Tour University: The tour unveiled a new program that will reward the top college golfers (in their fourth or fifth years) by guaranteeing the top five ranked players status on the Korn Ferry Tour for the remainder of the season once the college season ends. This will give young golfers a better chance of playing their way onto the PGA Tour or Korn Ferry Tour for the following season. It also incentivizes staying in school, which will make parents everywhere happy. And speaking of college golf. . .

The Wake Forest team bus: Yes, I’m a Wake alum, but even the most objective observer would say this bad boy is sweet:

New week, new month, NEW VAN ?#GoDeacs pic.twitter.com/wHwc03q7JU

— Wake Forest Men's Golf (@WakeMGolf) June 1, 2020

Imagine going on a golf trip in that thing? Hmm. . . My golf trip is in Pinehurst this August and the college golf season will be on a break. . . Guys, did I mention I went to Wake?

WE’RE SELLING

Vijay Singh’s WD: It turns out, the three-time major champ and fourth all-time money earner in PGA Tour history won’t play in a Korn Ferry Tour event after all. Good. But we’re not giving Singh much credit for having a change of heart, because it appears he would not have gotten a spot in the field by the time the tournament started. In any event, the 57-year-old will not be taking someone else’s spot on the PGA Tour’s developmental circuit.

Cancelled John Deere Classic: The PGA Tour restart will sadly not include this major of the Midwest, informally known as the Steve Stricker, Zach Johnson and friends Invitational. It’s too bad it won’t be played this year, but it’s also understandable. In the meantime, the tour is looking to replace the event by holding back-to-back tournaments at Muirfield Village with the Memorial scheduled for the week after. We’re guessing golfers won’t be too upset about spending two week’s at Jack’s place considering that golf course—and those glorious-looking milkshakes.

Rory’s Peloton prowess: McIlroy’s cycling reputation took a bit of a hit when he finished fourth out of eight in ESPN’s first Peloton Pro-Athlete All-Star Race. And while getting dusted by an Olympic medal-winning swimmer (Matt Grevers) is nothing to be ashamed of, McIlroy got beat by former NFL player and former Monday Night Football analyst Booger McFarland. “Since I can’t beat Rory McIlroy on the golf course,” Booger said before the race, “my one goal for today is to prove that golfers aren’t athletes.” While we wouldn’t go that far, it wasn’t a great showing by our guys.

Bubba Watson was sixth and Justin Thomas finished in last place. JT! Pick up the pace! You’re a young man! Props to Morgan Pressel, though, for finishing second on the women’s side. See? Golfers are athletes!

ON TAP

CBS will air the final round of the 2012 Memorial on Sunday. Unfortunately, I missed the end because I was boarding a flight back from a wedding in New Orleans after drinking a few too many hurricanes, but that was a good one. Two words: Flop shot. Sorry, four words: Tiger Woods flop shot.

My word.

Random tournament fact: This will be the last weekend (hopefully) without live golf for a while. Thank goodness.

RANDOM PROP BETS OF THE WEEK

—I would survive drinking that many hurricanes now: 1 MILLION-to-1 odds
—Michael Jordan/Steph Curry will be play in the next The Match: 2-to-3 odds
—Larry David would be a more entertaining choice: LOCK

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

Two golfers broke 70 on Streamsong Black—and lost by a combined 19 shots to European Tour pro Sam Horsefield, who shot 59 on the par 73:

A 59 to brighten your Sundays, courtesy of @hr59sam ? pic.twitter.com/jfanDCkUrw

— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) May 31, 2020

These guys are good. Hey, if the European Tour is looking for a new motto while it revamps, that one is available.

THIS WEEK IN TOUR PRO PUBLIC DISPLAYS OF AFFECTION SOLIDARITY

Perhaps more than any other time ever, pro golfers spoke out about social injustice amid national protests following the tragic killing of George Floyd. Players like Tiger Woods and Harold Varner III released statements:

pic.twitter.com/Wn7EoTInzU

— Tiger Woods (@TigerWoods) June 2, 2020

There is a lot of of beauty and love in this world. I pray for equality & social justice as we all so desperately deserve that in this day and age. I pray for humanity even more because regardless of color, WE need each other to make that change. Stay safe. Love you guys ??? pic.twitter.com/LrFEff94IF

— Harold Varner III (@HV3_Golf) June 1, 2020

And others like Phil Mickelson, Brooks Koepka, and Justin Thomas joined the social media #BlackoutTuesday campaign:

As awful as these recent events have been, it’s nice to see the game’s stars taking a stance and spreading awareness. Let’s hope they keep it up.

THIS WEEK IN CELEBRITY GOLFERS

Congrats to Fox Sports’ Joel Klatt on making his first-ever hole-in-one. I guess. Kidding. Sort of.

Finally happened today…my first ACE!!!!

Shady Canyon Golf Club
17th 145 yd PW pic.twitter.com/K6cSxyJIyb

— Joel Klatt (@joelklatt) May 27, 2020

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“I don’t know the avenue to fix this. But I do know that calling someone an idiot, saying they’re stupid, making fun of them for their belief or their vision or how they feel, that’s mean. That’s it. It’s so simple. That’s just mean. So don’t be mean. Think, maybe take a step back. Process, empathize, do something to at least see their—and if you don’t agree, don’t agree, go away. I literally think I leaned 75 percent of all this in pre-school. Treat people the way you want to be treated. If you don’t have something nice to say, don’t say it.” —Max Homa. Well said.

I’m a 29 year old white dude who has played golf his entire life and knows nearly nothing about what it feels like to be oppressed, discriminated against, or unsafe. So I spoke on what I do know and that’s being a nice and respectful person. pic.twitter.com/CEHKscIlEQ

— max homa (@maxhoma23) June 1, 2020

THIS AND THAT

Sahith Theegala, who won the Fred Haskins Award as the nation’s top collegiate golfer last month, fired a 62 in his first round as a pro—on the Outlaw Tour. Not exactly how other past POYs like Tiger and Phil started their pro careers, but 2020 is not exactly your normal year, either. . . . Speaking of 62s, Tiger Woods moved up from No. 11 to No. 8 in Forbes’ annual highest-paid athletes list with earnings of $62.3 million. Of course, when you’ve been ranked No. 1 a dozen(!) times, this isn’t all that exciting. . . . And finally, it’s been a tough couple months, but I recently got a nice pick-me-up when my favourite artist gave a shout-out to my daughter, who I have already trained well when it comes to music.

Awwwww !! https://t.co/lqHhDSpeen

— benjamin folds (@BenFolds) May 24, 2020

Thanks, Ben. You’re the GOAT.

RANDOM QUESTIONS TO PONDER

Why isn’t Ben Folds more famous?
What would Tiger’s career earnings be on the Outlaw Tour?
What would Tiger say about my golf swing?

The post PGA Tour pros speak out, Rory McIlroy’s cycling rep stalls, and Tiger takes on the role of swing coach appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Ryan Herrington
Had the coronavirus not put a halt to professional golf, officials with the PGA of America would be putting the finishing touches on TPC Harding Park in anticipation of holding the PGA Championship this week in San Francisco. Instead, golf fans, like with the Masters a month ago, will once more be left to fill the major championship void.

The good news: ESPN and CBS will be there to help. The official broadcasters for the 2020 PGA, which has been rescheduled for Aug. 6-9, will be re-airing past telecasts of that PGA Championship throughout the week in much the same way they did a month ago during the Masters.

On Thursday (May 14), ESPN will show from noon to 2:30 p.m. on ESPN2, the final round of the 2017 PGA, where Justin Thomas won his first major title at Quail Hollow Club. Immediately after, ESPN2 with air the final round of the 2014 PGA at Valhalla, where Rory McIlroy raced darkness to win his second PGA title and fourth career major.

ESPN comes back on ESPN2 with two more PGA rebroadcast on Friday (May 15). At 7 p.m., is the re-airing of the 1999 PGA Championship at Medinah and the infamous clash between a 23-year-old Tiger Woods and a 19-year-old Sergio Garcia. At 9:30 p.m., fans can see the 2019 PGA, with Brooks Koepka holding on to win at Bethpage Black.

Over the weekend, CBS picks up with coverage. On Saturday, (May 16), the network will show from 2:30-6 p.m. EDT the final round of the 2018 PGA, where Brooks Koepka outlasted Tiger Woods among others to win the Wanamaker Trophy at the Bellerive in St. Louis. Then on Sunday (May 17), CBS will re-broadcast from 3-6 p.m. EDT the final round of the 2000 PGA, in which Woods held off journeyman Bob May in a playoff at Valhalla Golf Club to win his third straight major title.

If the re-airing of final rounds doesn’t satisfy fans’ hunger for PGA Championship coverage, CBS Sports Network and the Golf Channel will the PGA Championship official highlight videos throughout the week. Each channel will show several of the recent. On Wednesday (May 13), Golf Channel will air the highlight videos from 1945, 1962, 1969, 1972 culminating with a rebroadcast of the final round of the 1974 PGA, where Lee Trevino beats Jack Nicklaus at Tanglewood Park in Clemmons, N.C.

On Thursday (May 14) you can see rare highlights of the 1974, 1975 1976 and 1980 championships.

The post To fill the PGA Championship viewing void, CBS and ESPN will rely on Tiger, Brooks and Rory appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

Golf fans found out the latter during CBS’ Sunday re-airing of Woods’ 2019 Masters win. Throughout the broadcast, Tiger talked to Jim Nantz, providing fascinating insight and plenty of emotion. But while discussing Woods’ memorable tee shot on No. 16 last year, the 15-time major winner also let viewers know he’s a 20-time(!) ace maker. His total just happens to have an unexpected twist.

"The best part of my playing days, not one [ace]." @TigerWoods has 20 career hole-in-ones, but when he hit them may surprise you. #MastersRewind pic.twitter.com/z8M27cPQQg

— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) April 12, 2020

That is just bizarre, but it’s actually something Tiger has mentioned before. In November 2018, he told reporters about his 20th career hole-in-one that was 20 years in the making. The details? A 5-iron from 210 yards at the Madison Club’s second hole. Not too shabby. And pretty cool to do it in front of his son.

Woods’ previous hole-in-one came during the International, a former PGA Tour event, in 1998. He also made aces at the 1996 Greater Milwaukee Open—his pro debut—and the 1997 Waste Management Phoenix Open on TPC Scottsdale’s famed 16th hole. But after three in his first three years on tour, Tiger hasn’t had one since in competition. Pretty wild.

Anyway, if you thought Tiger’s 14-year drought between Masters titles was long, that had nothing on his two-decade wait for his most recent hole-in-one. Something to keep in mind if you’re waiting for one of your own.

The post You won’t believe how long Tiger Woods’ hole-in-one drought lasted, but you will believe his ace total appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

But the world isn’t perfect of late and Nantz instead is spending Wednesday like many Americans, sheltered in place at his home at Pebble Beach, Calif. He ventures out for walks and he has an idyllic one, a 4½-mile route that takes him near Pebble Beach, Cypress Point, Spyglass Hill, Monterrey Peninsula and along 17 Mile Drive. But even with six family members in tow, it’s not the same.

“Pebble Beach feels like a ghost town because the centrepiece of it—the resort and golf course—are closed for the first time in its 101-year history,” he says via phone from his home near the course. “They’ve closed 17 Mile Drive except to residents and essential business people. We took a 45-minute walk the other day and in that time, one car drove by. Pebble is normally populated with many second-home owners but it appears they are staying at their primary residences rather than coming here.”

Nantz’s last CBS golf broadcast was at the Genesis Invitational at Riviera on Feb. 16. He’s been at home since that time—save for a college basketball broadcast in Houston—along with his wife, Courtney, oldest daughter, Caroline, children Finley, 6 and Jameson, 4, and Courtney’s father and step-mother. Usually he’s very gabby about the goings-on in the world of golf, but the isolation has given him less to share and inquire about.

Courtesy of Jim Nantz
The time off from broadcasting has given Nantz the chance to play more golf in his back yard at Pebble Beach with his daughter, Finley, and son, Jameson.

“I miss the game so much, but what can you do?” he says. “We’re adhering to the rules. I’ve needed to go into Carmel a couple of times, and it’s surreal, again virtually empty, with everyone staying six feet from each other.”

Nantz, 60, is filled with very ordinary concerns. “They say the coronavirus is supposed to surge in California sometime in late April,” he says. “How do they know that? We’ve been locked down for three weeks. Nobody’s travelling, so how can it spread? I don’t get it.” He pauses. “I guess we’re all doing the same thing, watching the news, talking with our friends on who’s saying what, it’s human nature to do that. I’m a compulsive news viewer to begin with, but now it’s all I watch. My heart aches for all the victims and their families around the world.”

The walks near his home feature some encouraging moments. “I’ve enjoyed strolling by the old Peter Hay course with our puppy, Ramsey, and watch it transform into the new par-3 course designed by Tiger Woods,” he says. “It’s uplifting seeing people out working, watching them move dirt around. It’s shaping up to be a beautiful sight.”

Work-wise, Nantz has been busier than one might think. There are Zoom tapings with CBS, updates with his associates at Vineyard Vines and his wine brand, The Calling. His greatest priority always is CBS, and there’s much to do there. This weekend there will be two encore presentations—the 2004 Masters on Saturday—with Sunday bringing a rebroadcast of last year’s “Return to Glory.” Nantz spent the early part of this week taping interviews via his computer at home with Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods for the weekend shows. “We want the presentations to be as stimulating as possible and having Phil and Tiger talk about their wins as they watch the old broadcasts is pure gold for the viewers.”

Nantz is in huge demand in other ways during what would have been Masters week. Although the tournament has been rescheduled for the week of Nov. 9, print, podcast and radio outlets have come calling. “They all have roughly the same angle: What is Jim Nantz up to this week in lieu of calling the NCAA Championship game Monday, followed by his annual visit to the Masters?” he says. “They’re looking for comparisons between normal versus abnormal, and talking about where I normally would be at this given time. It makes the present situation even more sobering.”

Nantz points to a silver lining amid the health crisis. “I’ve never been at home for such an extended period of time and I’m loving the family time,” he says. “March 14 was Finley’s 6th birthday, and I was scheduled to be in Indianapolis for the Big Ten Championship. Instead I was here watching her blow out candles on her cake. That was special. So has the home-schooling of the kids we’ve been doing. Perhaps best of all, Jameson has taken to golf. We hit balls in the backyard and to watch the joy across his face when he flushes a 7-iron and the ball flies 50 yards. It’s a beautiful thing.”

To signal the world is inching back to normal, Nantz has established a personal, if not unusual, threshold. “There’s a little halfway house at Monterey Peninsula’s Shore Course that we ride past on our two-seat bicycle, with Jameson riding in back,” Nantz says. “We always stop there and our friend Chef Ray makes a hot dog for Jameson. I’ve had to explain to Jameson that our ‘secret hiding spot’ is closed for now. It’s hard to explain to a 4-year-old. But when Chef Ray is back making those hot dogs, he’ll believe it’s a perfect world again.”

The post Jim Nantz is just like you—a disappointed golf fan missing this week’s Masters appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Alex Myers
Golf fans will see—and hear—Davis Love III a lot more in 2020 thanks to his new role with CBS. In a weird way, though, the World Golf Hall of Famer has gotten a good amount of airtime of late. Or maybe “good” is the wrong term from Love’s perspective.

Love’s longtime friend, Tiger Woods, recently tied the PGA Tour record for wins with his 82nd career victory at the Zozo Championship. And as it unfolded, the clip of Love losing to him in a playoff at the 1996 Las Vegas Invitational played over and over again.

“Yeah, well, I’ve seen it enough,” the good-natured Love said when asked about being Tiger’s first PGA Tour victim. “Tiger and I have joked about that for years. It’s amazing. He remembers everything about that whole day.”

Of course, you don’t make the World Golf Hall of Fame without plenty of wins and Love has 21 of his own, including a major at the PGA Championship the following year. But as the 55-year-old begins another season in golf, he’s excited to take on a new schedule that will revolve around his TV gig and more appearances on the PGA Tour Champions. Love joined this week’s Golf Digest Podcast presented by WHOOP to talk about how he plans to prepare for life behind the camera, his busy week on tap as host of the RSM Classic, and yes, that playoff loss to Tiger.

Plus, Sam Weinman and Daniel Rapaport joined me to talk about Brendon Todd’s remarkable turnaround, an honourable self-penalty on the PGA Tour, and a somewhat heated debate over “Seinfeld” vs. “Friends.” Please have a listen:

https://soundcloud.com/user-96678684/brendon-todds-unbelievable-run-the-worst-golf-penalties-davis-love-iii

The post Davis Love III on joining CBS, playing more on the senior tour, and being Tiger Woods’ first PGA Tour victim appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

RELATED: Jim Nantz calls Tiger Woods’ Masters win the “best event I’ve ever covered”

In an interview with Sports Business Journal’s John Ourand, Nantz said he was already in Butler Cabin for Tiger’s winning tap-in on the final hole. Meanwhile, booth partner Nick Faldo remained in the TV tower above the 18th green.

“After that putt dropped on 18, there wasn’t a chance in the world that I was going to say anything,” Nantz said. “Lance Barrow’s a great producer and we work together exceptionally well. He’s in the truck half a mile away. I’m in Butler Cabin already. And Nick [Faldo] is 300 yards away from me in the tower on the 18th green.”

Nantz said on a recent episode of the Golf Digest Podcast that former CBS boss Frank Chirkinian taught him early in his career to “use silence as a weapon.” He certainly wielded it in this case for the majority of an incredible four minutes of TV.

“As soon as the ball dropped, I said to Lance on the talk-back switch, ‘I’m not saying anything for a long time.’ Lance and I wanted to make sure since that none of us were together, the next time somebody spoke it was going to be me,” Nantz told Sports Business Journal. “We were going ride this thing out and sit back and enjoy it. I never would have jumped on a moment that was that big. It was just so big. There was nothing you could do to add to it. You could only ruin it.”

When Nantz, working his 34th Masters for CBS, did finally speak again, this was the back-and-forth with Faldo, which is even more impressive considering they weren’t sitting next to each other as originally thought:

NANTZ: “I never thought we’d see anything that could rival the hug with his father in 1997, but we just did.”

FALDO: “That will be the greatest scene in golf forever, Jim Nantz.”

NANTZ: “That hug with his children, if that doesn’t bring a tear to your eye if you’re a parent, you’re not human.”

Watch and listen to the four-minute clip below:

Roaring back.#themasters pic.twitter.com/nlTwxWJW8X

— The Masters (@TheMasters) April 14, 2019

Nantz, of course, was in Butler Cabin for the green jacket presentation with Augusta National chairman Fred Ridley. However, there was more of a sense of urgency to the proceedings than usual with an approaching storm cell that had caused final-round tee times to be moved up by more than five hours. Nantz wound up conducting the brief ceremony before eventually doing a longer interview with Woods (and Faldo) more than an hour later when Woods returned to the building after his winning press conference in the media centre.

Since Woods’ fifth Masters win, Nantz has called it “the best event I’ve ever covered.” And given all the circumstances, one could argue it was also the legendary broadcaster’s best-ever call.

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