[PHOTO: Scott Halleran]
NBC has finalised its roster for next month’s US Open coverage and it will be a familiar face – and voice – sliding into one of the big chairs.
Long-time Golf Channel analyst Brandel Chamblee will serve as one of two lead analysts for NBC at the 2024 US Open at Pinehurst, as first reported by Sports Business Journal‘s Josh Carpenter on Monday.
The network will go with a four-man booth during its “prime hours” in which Chamblee will be the analyst on even-numbered holes with play-by-play man Dan Hicks. Mike Tirico and 1993 Australian Open champion Brad Faxon will work the odd-numbered holes.
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“There was an unbelievable amount of preparation that he put into this,” NBC lead golf producer Tommy Roy told SBJ of Chamblee. “Watching old Johnny Miller tapes to learn how he did it and then putting his own twist on it… He’s earned the right.”
NBC is yet to find a full-time replacement for Paul Azinger, whose contract wasn’t extended last November. Chamblee, Faxon, Kevin Kisner, Notah Begay III, Luke Donald and Jim “Bones” Mackay have all taken turns filling in. Kisner, who has no plans on retiring as a player right now, recently said on US Golf Digest‘s The Loop podcast that he is unavailable to work that week due to a friend’s 50th birthday party.
We also reported that NBC’s US Open plans hadn’t been set as of two weeks ago. NBC executive producer and president of production Sam Flood told SBJ the network had decided on this crew ahead of the Masters.
“This year we began utilising an odd/even system of hole assignments for our commentator pairings,” Flood said in a statement. “Our new approach lets our play-by-play announcers give more context for what’s happening, while creating more opportunities for our analysts and on-course reporters to engage with each other and break down the ‘why’ and the ‘how’ before and after each moment.”
NBC also announced that Roger Maltbie and Gary Koch will be part of the tournament coverage like they were at the Players Championship in March.
Chamblee has become a staple during major-championship weeks on Golf Channel’s “Live From” show. He recently told Golfweek‘s Adam Schupak that he would be willing to do that in addition to lead analyst duties during the tournament.
In total, NBC Sports is scheduled to air more than 200-plus hours of event coverage. The 2024 US Open will be held from June 13-16 at Pinehurst No.2.
