NBC Sports jettisoned two of its longtime golf voices after the end of the 2022 season in Roger Maltbie and Gary Koch. It’s been part of a continued transformation across the televised golf world as coverage is revamped and a new voices are brought in.
CBS made a similar move in parting ways with Peter Kostis and Gary McCord in recent years while welcoming Trevor Immelman as lead analyst. NBC has also yet to name a full-time replacement for Paul Azinger, instead choosing a mix of current and former golfers in the 18th tower.
But at least for one week, what’s old will be new again. In celebration of the 50th anniversary of The Players Championship, what has long been a flagship event for NBC and the PGA Tour as the unofficial fifth major of the season, the peacock will welcome back Maltbie and Koch for tournament coverage. The network will also welcome back Kevin Kisner to the lead analyst chair for the Players Championship after a stint from Luke Donald.
Via NBC Sports:
NBC Sports has announced that Kevin Kisner, Roger Maltbie and Gary Koch will join NBC Sports’ broadcast team as part of its celebration of the 50th anniversary of The PLAYERS Championship at The Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla, with coverage airing across NBC, GOLF Channel and Peacock March 14-17.
Kisner will serve as an analyst for weekend coverage of The PLAYERS with play-by-play commentator Dan Hicks. Additionally, Kisner and Smylie Kaufman will team up to call “Friday Happy Hour” coverage from alongside the iconic 17th hole on Friday afternoon on GOLF Channel and Peacock.
Maltbie will serve as an on-course reporter during Thursday and Friday coverage, while Koch will join Mike Tirico in the broadcast booth during Thursday and Friday coverage.
It’s good to see a reunion of sorts between NBC and two longtime favorites. When Maltbie and Koch found out their contracts were not renewed in 2022, Koch called it “disheartening” that he was not able to say a proper goodbye. Maltbie was even stronger in his criticism of his departure, saying it was “pretty $—ty” the way it was handled. Their appearances hopefully mean that some fences have been mended.
Nevertheless, it is somewhat disappointing that Maltbie and Koch are only going to be featured in early round coverage on Thursday and Friday and not get a chance to be a part of the telecast on the weekend. Koch anchored coverage at the famed 17th hole at TPC Sawgrass for decades and had one of the most iconic calls in PGA history with this monster Tiger Woods birdie putt in 2001.
As far as the other news from NBC, Kisner’s assignment for the network’s most watched tournament in the first part of the PGA Tour calendar might be a sign that he’s the early clubhouse favorite to land the permanent role, whenever NBC gets around to actually making that decision.