Keep an eye out for flying golf balls, sure, but no one warned Dan Hicks and Kevin Kisner about flying bats at the Open Championship.
During USA and NBC’s coverage of the Open Championship on Friday afternoon, Mike Tirico put the golf commentary on hold for a moment to bring the audience to an equally important action that occurred in the booth. Dan Hicks and Kevin Kisner dodging, ducking, dipping, and diving to avoid a flying bat during the broadcast.
A bat interrupts the USA/NBC broadcast booth at The Open Championship.
Dan Hicks and Kevin Kisner were scared for their lives. Mike Tirico with the commentary. ⛳️🦇🎙️🤣pic.twitter.com/IA4xFAwkNp
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) July 18, 2025
“Apparently, a bat of some sort is flying around,” Tirico said as USA Network shared video of the incident. “Kevin Kisner! This is a man who is a proud hunter. He’s under his jacket! He is spooked by this bat. Dan Hicks trying to keep it away from him. You never know what you’re gonna get at a major championship, you’re on the air for eight, nine hours.”
Yes, you never know what you’re going to get. Sometimes it’s a hot mic, other times it’s a giant fart, today it was an unruly bat. After Tirico’s play-by-play, Hicks and Kisner rejoined the broadcast to describe their bout with a bat at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland
“Just when you think you’ve seen it all,” Hicks told Tirico about the identified flying object. “This bat did 20 laps around this tower!”
Let’s be honest, Hicks was just about everyone in this scenario. If a bat is circling a small area, who among us wouldn’t be flailing our arms in desperate self-defense? Kisner is the wild one for thinking a suit jacket was a worthy shield. If a bat is on the attack, I want to see it.
About Brandon Contes
Brandon Contes is a staff writer for Awful Announcing and The Comeback. He previously helped carve the sports vertical for Mediaite and spent more than three years with Barrett Sports Media. Send tips/comments/complaints to bcontes@thecomeback.com