Severe weather alerts might be annoying but they’re necessary. If bad weather is bad enough that it could cause potential injuries or fatalities, it’s important for local news affiliates to keep the public alert and safe even if some people may complain that they can’t watch what they wanted to.
Having said that, an Iowa NBC affiliate picked one of the most pivotal moments of the U.S. Open to cut in with a severe weather alert.
As Louis Oosthuizen approached his par putt on 17, he needed to sink the putt to remain a stroke behind clubhouse leader Jon Rahm. Oosthuizen made contact, the ball rolled toward the hole, and as the ball reached a few feet from the hole, WHO 13 in Des Moines interrupted with their weather report.
This might’ve been hilarious for those of us who don’t live in Iowa but I’m sure this resulted in some upset golf fans. In fairness to the station, with a tornado touching down nearby and causing damage, it’s for the best that people might miss the end of a golf tournament to better ensure public safety. Though in this instance, they probably could’ve waited just one more second so viewers could see Oosthuizen miss his putt.
With the missed putt, Oosthuizen fell two shots behind and despite hitting a birdie on 18, Rahm won his first major by a single stroke.
About Phillip Bupp
Producer/editor of the Awful Announcing Podcast and Short and to the Point. News editor for The Comeback and Awful Announcing. Highlight consultant for Major League Soccer as well as a freelance writer for hire. Opinions are my own but feel free to agree with them.
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