The news, first reported in December by multiple outlets, comes after long-time voices Roger Maltbie and Gary Koch saw their extended runs with the NBC Sports come to an end.

Faxon, 61, is an eight-time winner on the PGA Tour and known as one of the best putters in the history of the game, serving as a short-game whisperer to a number of pros, including Rory McIlroy. He briefly worked for NBC Sports last decade and was the lead golf analyst for Fox Sports’ US Open coverage for five years. Faxon has also been an on-air contributor to Sky Sports’ golf coverage in Europe and made a number of appearances last year on Golf Channel’s “Live From” show during its major coverage. Faxon will take over a hole announcement during the broadcast and continue to be a part of “Live From”.

Kaufman, 31, won the 2015 Shriners Open and is perhaps best known for playing in the final group at the 2016 Masters. The LSU product has transitioned into broadcasting and worked for ESPN, Golf Channel and NBC’s Peacock channel last season, earning rave reviews for his on-course reporting. Kaufman is expected to be an on-course reporter in his new role.

“We have the deepest roster in the game and are excited to showcase our new voices in Brad and Smylie as well as familiar faces in new roles as we start the 2023 PGA Tour season this week at Kapalua,” said Molly Solomon, executive producer at Golf Channel.

NBC also announced that Golf Channel contributors Damon Hack and Cara Banks will serve as interviewers for the upcoming season. They will replace Kathryn Tappen, who is not expected to return to NBC Sports’ golf coverage in 2023. Dan Hicks and Paul Azinger are back for their fifth consecutive year as play-by-play commentator and lead analyst.

Kaufman is expected to work this week’s Sentry Tournament of Champions in Maui, while Faxon will make his debut next month at the Honda Classic.

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In interviews with Golf Digest recently, they both described being “hurt” by the way they’re going out — unable to say proper farewells to the many people they’ve become associated with at USGA and PGA Tour events around the country.

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But to NBC’s credit, it is not letting the two walk into the sunset without proper recognition. Following the conclusion of the first round of the PNC on Saturday, the network devoted 13 minutes to Maltbie and Koch, including a six-minute montage of some of their most memorable calls, as well as having the likes of Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods speak about what the announcers have meant to the game.

Maltbie and Koch sat in the booth with lead anchor Dan Hicks watching the tributes and were clearly touched by the recognition.

“You look back on some of those things, and in the heat of the moment you forget how much fun you’re having, and how great it is to be a part of those magical moments,” Koch, 70, said. “I have to say that 26 years has gone by very quickly.”

Said Maltbie, 73: “It’s been a thrill ride for 31 years. And I still get a kick out of watching them, I really do. As a golf nut, to watch the very best players in the world play their best is still exciting for me. And I’m going to miss it desperately. I’m going to miss it.”

The videotaped kudos covered the spectrum of both golfers with whom Koch and Maltbie competed, as well as those younger players whose careers the two have documented while being behind the mic. Maltbie is known for trouping with the lead groups at every event he covered — most memorably in US Opens. Koch worked in the booth and produced some memorable calls, including his “better than most” nugget when Tiger Woods made his snaking putt on the island 17th green in the 2001 Players Championship.

Here is what some of those paying tribute said:
Jack Nicklaus: “You both have been at NBC Sports for over 25 years. You both have done a great job and called it like it is. If a guy did something wrong, both of you would tell them that. If they did things right, you praised them. You’ve contributed a tremendous amount to the game of golf. You’ve been goo friends to the game, and more than that, you’ve been a good friend to me.”

Lee Trevino: “I’m sorry to see them leave. I tell you, Gary was a hell of a player. … Roger, what can I tell you about Roger? The moustache man. I love him to death. We’re going to miss you guys.”

Webb Simpson: “I still remember the first time you came and followed my group, and I realized I was in a good position if Roger Maltbie is coming to follow me. You made me nervous. … But it’s been great to work with you over the years.”

Billy Horschel: “You guys have been so great to me in my 14 years, the way you covered me. You guys have been fair. You guys are well prepared. You guys come out to the range and talk to the players, so you guys have information. I appreciate that as a player.”

Davis Love III: “Gary, you’ve had a long career. We’re going to miss your voice on the PGA Tour. You’ve been so supportive of me and so many tour players in our career. You were especially nice to me as a rookie … you and Vinny Giles taking me under your wing. I’m going to look forward to playing a lot of golf with you guys at Seminole. … Roger, congratulations on an incredible career. I always knew I was playing well when you would show up. You always made me feel comfortable. You always had a great joke when I was out there grinding it out.”

Justin Thomas: “Y’all are unbelievable people. You’ve put so much time and hard work and effort into the incredible careers you’ve had. I’m going to miss you dearly. I’m going to miss hearing your voice and being able to mess around and hang out with you guys.”

Tiger Woods: “Gary, probably the call of all calls, right, at 17? ‘Better than most.’ You’ve had an amazing career, not only as a player but as a commentator. You understood us players. You understand how hard certain shots were and couldn‘t have been more descriptive of shots. … We’re going to miss that side of your commentating, your ability to understand us. You get it. Not too many commentators really, truly get it, but you do.
“Well, Rog. I’m going to miss you, especially those shortcuts you used to take in carts. … I do remember a call in 2000 [in the U.S Open at Pebble Beach] — it ‘wasn’t a fair fight’ — with that little 6-iron up the hill at No. 6. … You’ve been awesome. The needling I used to get from you here and there on a shot I would hit. I’m going to miss you out there, big guy.”

While Koch has no plans to continue in broadcasting, Maltbie is expected to work a handful of events for Golf Channel in 2023. And they do have the one final round together on Sunday at the PNC Championship. Given their connection to Woods, it would be quite the fitting farewell if Tiger and his son Charlie could pull off a win. One thing is certain: There will be no shortage of appreciation, or tears.

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By Alex Myers
From winning some of golf’s biggest events to talking about them, Johnny Miller has carved out a special place in golf history. But after five decades of making a living off the game he loves, Miller is walking away.

“It just seemed like a nice round number,” Miller told GolfDigest.com on Monday. “I’ve been on for 50 years with no break. I had my 24th grandchild yesterday. All my friends were retiring, and it got to the point where I was like, ‘Hey, how come I’m not retiring?’ It’s been a great run. I’ve done everything I can do announcing wise.”

Miller has spent the past 29 years working for NBC/Golf Channel, the last of which was a one-year deal that took him through 2018. He had been toying with retirement for the past few years, though, and gave serious thought to making his final event the 2017 Open Championship at Royal Birkdale, where Miller won his second and final major in 1976. So news of the World Golf Hall of Famer calling it quits wasn’t a total shock, but his voice will certainly be missed by golf fans.

And although Miller leaves open the possibility that he “might poke his head in” from time to time, he’s decided his last official (and only remaining) event will be next year’s Waste Management Phoenix Open, which will be broadcast on NBC with CBS having the rights to Super Bowl LIII.

“It was my idea,” Miller said of making Phoenix, where he had so many great memories as a player, his final tournament. “I was not going to announce this during the playoff events or the Ryder Cup, because it would have been selfish to do that and take away from those events. I was always known as the ‘Desert Fox.’ My best golf, besides final round at Oakmont, came in the desert, especially in 1975 when I won by 14 shots in Phoenix and by nine shots in Tucson. I was playing at a level of golf those two weeks as good or better than I’ve ever seen anyone hit the ball.”

While the Johnny Miller Era on NBC is coming to an end, the network appears to have found a worthy replacement in the booth. Sources confirmed to GolfDigest.com that Miller will be replaced by Paul Azinger, something that was first reported by Golfweek.

Miller, however, couldn’t confirm the Azinger hire. While he said “I’d like to tell you I had a say in my successor,” he believed NBC/Golf Channel was still “kicking around some names.” The network is expected to make an announcement shortly.

Azinger, 59, is the current lead analyst for Fox Sports’ coverage of the U.S. Open and U.S. Women’s Open. According to Golfweek, Azinger is expected to remain in that position while working for NBC/Golf Channel.

If Azinger is the man for the job, he’ll inherit some big shoes—and a seasoned squad to which Miller will have a hard time saying goodbye.

“I’m going to miss them a lot, especially when I see them doing the tournaments I did. That’s going to be the hardest part,” Miller said. “Dan [Hicks] and I have gotten really close. He’s such a good guy and really good and what he does. Dan and Gil Capps [NBC/Golf Channel’s head of editorial research] make it like a safety net. Dan is so good that even if I have a brain cramp, he can fill in for me. The team is so good. All the guys out there, Gary Koch, Roger Maltbie, they’re just a super team.”

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Johnny Miller was not in the 18th tower for NBC Sports, his chair alongside Dan Hicks being filled instead by Gary Koch. So there was no “chunk-and-run” talk for Woods’ chip in on No. 9 and no talk about “green-light specials” as Tiger attacked Innisbrook’s par 5s. Too bad.

But don’t fret, there’s a good reason for Miller’s absence while Tigermania grabbed hold of the golf world again. Simply put, he was never supposed to be in Tampa this week.   

Miller, who is in his 29th year working for NBC, has long kept a somewhat limited schedule. And the plan was always for him to begin his season in the booth at Bay Hill next week for the Arnold Palmer Invitational after skipping last week’s WGC-Mexico Championship and this week’s Valspar Championship. Also, Koch, with his Tampa ties, has traditionally held down the role as main analyst at Innisbrook.

Miller, who turns 71 next month, thought about retiring last year, specifically, with NBC broadcasting the Open Championship at Royal Birkdale, where he won the second of his two majors. However, shortly before that tournament, Miller re-upped with NBC Sports on a one-year extension that will take him to the end of 2018.

So we’ll see—and more importantly, hear—Johnny soon. Good for us and good for him, because he’s been missing a lot of entertaining golf these past two weeks.

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