U.S. Open: NBC Sports adds controversial voice for its coverage at Pinehurst No. 2.
Brandel Chamblee at the 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open.
NBC Sports has decided who will serve as the lead analyst for the U.S. Open, its most significant golf production of the year.
Brandel Chamblee, the Golf Channel commentator who is better prepared and more opinionated than most, will sit alongside Dan Hicks, Mike Tirico, and Brad Faxon in a four-man booth.
Chamblee and Hicks will call the action on even-numbered holes, while Tirico and Faxon will handle the duties on the odd-numbered holes, according to Josh Carpenter of Sports Business Journal. That indicates that Chamblee, who stars on Golf Channel’s Live From telecasts and has drawn the ire of golf fans for his stances on LIV Golf, will analyze what unfolds on the final hole at Pinehurst No. 2.
Other important tidbits related to NBC’s telecast of the 2024 U.S. Open include the return of Jim “Bones” Mackay and Roger Maltbie as on-course reporters. Gary Koch will also return as a hole analyst.
Maltbie and Koch did not have their contracts renewed after the 2022 golf season, following a long and memorable career with the network.
Roger Maltbie.
Mackay, meanwhile, recently parted ways with Justin Thomas, but before that, worked as a reporter for NBC and Golf Channel. He joined NBC in 2017 after leaving Phil Mickelson’s loop and remained with the network through 2021 when he announced his commitment to Thomas.
Mackay also helped NBC at this year’s Mexico Open at Vidanta, sitting in as lead analyst. Numerous individuals—including Chamblee, Luke Donald, Kevin Kisner, and Smylie Kauffman—have rotated in and out of this seat in 2024, following the ouster of Paul Azinger following last year’s Ryder Cup. Donald will serve as the lead analyst at Royal Troon for The Open Championship in July.
As for Maltbie and Koch, they helped NBC Sports celebrate the 50th anniversary of The Players Championship by calling action for the first two rounds of play. But their presence at TPC Sawgrass was so well-received that the Peacock network decided to bring them back for all four days at this year’s U.S. Open.
Carpenter also reports that NBC will have a commercial-free final hour of its Sunday telecast, sponsored by Rolex. Golf fans everywhere will welcome that, but surely, some will applaud Chamblee’s inclusion while others will dismiss it.
Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThrough for more golf coverage. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko as well.