Who could replace Paul Azinger at NBC?

NBC will not retain lead golf analyst Paul Azinger for the upcoming golf season, which of course begs the question: Who will replace him?

Initially embraced by the golf community, Azinger faced growing criticism in recent years. In two of NBC’s highest profile events of 2023 — the U.S. Open and Ryder Cup — Azinger was widely chastised by golf viewers for butchering crucial calls and his repeated use of clichés that substituted for actual analysis. Fairly or unfairly, his ouster has generally been warmly received by golf fans online.

Interestingly enough considering NBC’s ownership of Golf Channel, there’s no clear-cut candidate to fill Azinger’s seat in the lead chair. Let’s take a look at some of the possible candidates.

Brad Faxon

Faxon currently serves as a hole announcer for NBC Sports and has bounced around various outlets including Fox Sports and Sky Sports to cover major championships. He also contributes to Golf Channel’s flagship studio programs Golf Central and Live From during key events on the golf calendar. If NBC chooses to go in-house with the hire, Faxon needs to be considered a frontrunner. However, there are a couple red flags on his resume that could prevent him from claiming the lead analyst seat.

One such reason is his coaching relationship with Rory McIlroy. This is something that comes up somewhat often in individual sports like tennis and golf — broadcasters that have close personal relationships with the players. While it’s not necessarily a deal breaker to coach a high profile athlete while also broadcasting their sport (see: Brad Gilbert), it’s surely something a network will consider, especially when selecting someone for a lead role.

The second concern with Faxon is age. It’s no secret that NBC wants their golf broadcast to feel younger. Last year, NBC did not renew the contracts of veteran on-course analysts Roger Maltbie and Gary Koch and are now relying on the more youthful Smylie Kaufman, Aaron Oberholser, and John Wood to fill their spots. Faxon is 62, and NBC’s media rights deals with the PGA Tour, Open Championship, and Ryder Cup go through 2030 which would make Faxon 69 when those deals come up. That isn’t necessarily old by broadcasting standards, but it’s rare for a broadcaster to improve as they get later into their 60s. NBC may look to develop a longer term solution than Faxon for its broadcast booth.

Brandel Chamblee

Another in-house choice for NBC, Chamblee would prove a buzzworthy and controversial pick. Chamblee currently serves as a studio analyst for Golf Channel’s flagship shows Golf Central and Live From and has also served as a lead tournament analyst from time to time.

Chamblee is known for his outspoken, often divisive, opinions and is not afraid to criticize a player’s performance if he feels it’s warranted. Perhaps most notably in recent years, Chamblee has been in the center of a public spat with Phil Mickelson over the state of men’s professional golf.

His strong opinions against the existence of the Saudi-funded LIV Golf league and its players may preclude him from consideration for such a high-profile role, as the PGA Tour continues to explore investment options that include Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund. However, if NBC chose to tap Chamblee, they’d certainly receive praise from the anti-LIV crowd.

Paul McGinley

McGinley may find himself right in NBC’s sweet spot. A legendary Ryder Cup player and captain, McGinley has spent much of his post-playing career broadcasting for Sky Sports and has contributed as a studio analyst for Golf Channel’s Live From series. At 56, McGinley has more years left in his prime than a candidate like Faxon, but enough broadcast experience where he would not be a huge risk for NBC.

One rub on McGinley is that, outside of Ryder Cups, he did not have a prolific playing career, finishing top-10 in a major only once. In the past, networks have had the tendency to put a major championship winner as their lead analyst. That may not be a prerequisite for the job anymore, but it certainly helps with name recognition.

Another knock for McGinley is that he played primarily on the European Tour during his career and may lack some historical context on PGA Tour tournaments and venues that would be second nature to a former PGA Tour player. This shouldn’t preclude him from the job, but is something to consider.

On the positive side, McGinley is very well regarded by golf viewers and consistently provides well thought out analysis in the studio. He might not be the splashy hire for NBC, but he is a safe bet to perform well in the role if selected.

Nick Faldo

While likely a complete longshot, it would be unwise if NBC didn’t at least give Faldo a call to gauge interest. Faldo retired from lead analyst at CBS in 2022 after 16 years with the network, having called every Masters since he joined in 2006. Of note, Faldo did briefly return to broadcasting last year to serve as an analyst for NBC’s coverage of the Open Championship.

The one selling point NBC may have to pull Faldo out of retirement is a lighter schedule. Along with rights to The Masters, CBS holds the majority of high-profile PGA Tour events. Conversely, NBC holds rights to less important events, which they often assign to a different broadcast team. In other words, the Dan Hicks crew on NBC is doing fewer events than the Jim Nantz crew on CBS.

The lighter PGA Tour schedule (that primarily involves warm weather vacation destinations in the winter), along with the opportunity to call Open Championships and Ryder Cups in his home country, could be enough to woo Faldo out of retirement.

However, any potential Faldo return would come with the baggage of his advanced age. Faldo is 66 and would likely force NBC to fill the lead analyst role again sooner rather than later.

Ian Baker-Finch

Baker-Finch checks a lot of boxes NBC may be looking for in a lead analyst. He is the 1991 Open Champion and has been an analyst for CBS since 2007. After his playing career, Baker-Finch served as a hole analyst for ABC and ESPN from 1998 to 2006, though he often filled in as a lead analyst.

This is one of the safer and more realistic picks NBC could make. Baker-Finch is a proven commodity, one that is well-liked and familiar to golf viewers. He also has experience as a lead analyst already.

The drawback on a possible Baker-Finch hire is that he’s 63 years old (are you sensing a theme?). A role at NBC could be appealing to Baker-Finch, who would be able to step into a more high-profile role, but the length of his potential tenure could be an issue.

Dottie Pepper

A fixture of CBS’s on-course coverage since 2016, Pepper is a beloved figure among golf viewers. Pepper began her broadcasting career at Golf Channel in 2005 and signed a contract at ESPN in 2013 prior to landing at CBS.

The question with Pepper is whether she wants to leave arguably the best on-course analyst job in golf. As the lead on-course analyst for CBS, Pepper gets to follow the tournament leaders week after week on the PGA Tour, and at the Masters and PGA Championship every year. Would she trade that for a tower position at U.S. Opens, Open Championships, and Ryder Cups?

There’s no question Pepper would prove a popular hire for NBC, but she’d be leaving a lot on the table at CBS.

Shane Bacon

Bacon is the rare personality that has crossed between so-called “new media” and traditional media rather seamlessly with equal amounts of success. As host of the Get A Grip podcast with PGA Tour golfer Max Homa, Bacon appeals to a younger demographic of golf fans. He also has experience in traditional television that could make him an interesting candidate for NBC, having done work for Golf Channel and on Fox Sports’ U.S. Open coverage.

At 43 years old, Bacon would be a slam dunk hire for NBC if he panned out. If the network is truly looking to go for a younger appeal, they should take a long hard look at Bacon.

Frank Nobilo

Nobilo currently serves behind Trevor Immelman as the second-team analyst on CBS’s golf coverage and has 20 years of television experience under his belt. Given his longevity in the industry, he should at least be given a look, although Nobilo certainly wouldn’t constitute an exciting hire for NBC.

Nobilo is 63, and thus wouldn’t be a long term solution for NBC. However, if the network is looking for someone that already has experience in a similar role and won’t ruffle any feathers, Nobilo is an option.

The Young Guns

These guys are getting lumped together because they’re worthy of inclusion as young stars in golf media, though are likely too unproven to land a lead job.

Smylie Kaufmann has been a bit of a revelation for golf viewers since joining NBC last season. He offers a refreshing perspective from his on-course analysis, and is of the same generation as many of the Tour’s current stars. However, with only one year of full time broadcast experience, Kaufman is a longshot at best.

Colt Knost joined CBS as an on-course analyst in 2019 and has a personality that livens up a golf broadcast. The rapport he’s established with his fellow CBS crew in just four years on the air is impressive, however he is likely seen as too unserious to be a contender for a lead role.