Sep 25, 2022; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; International Team captain Trevor Immelman speaks during the singles match play of the Presidents Cup golf tournament at Quail Hollow Club. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports
CBSBy Jessica Kleinschmidt on

Trevor Immelman faced the tall task of being named CBS Sports’ lead golf analyst in January, replacing Nick Faldo in the 18th tower, but he soared into this weekend’s coverage of the Masters.

With the eyes of the golfing world on Augusta and Immelman sitting next to Jim Nantz for the first time in Butler Cabin and the 18th tower, he filled the seat extremely well.

The Masters crowned Jon Rahm champion as the sun set in Augusta, Ga. on Sunday.

It was a setting that Immelman knew all too well. He won the 2008 Masters and two PGA Tour events. His replacement of Faldo, who stepped down in August after 16 years, was an easy play for CBS Sports as Immelman has been a part of CBS’s coverage since 2019.

Immelman worked alongside Jim Nantz on the broadcast, who said he knew he wouldn’t have to train Immelman too much — Immelman is a naturally good communicator.

The world embraced the former green jacket holder as he took on his new role.

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Nantz and Immelman — Golf’s Kobe and Shaq?

Immelman’s voice could make even the most boring scenarios enjoyable.

Immelman is also able to give the viewer a sense of what could be going on in the minds of the players as they play in the rigorous tournament.

Immelman’s role into the broadcasting chair appeared to be a seamless one. His prep remained similar as he walked the course, paying attention to the soft spots it possesses, or the tricky areas the golfers have to deal with.

He appeared to be excited to talk to Awful Announcing in January about the prep work as a commentator and how it compared to his time on the PGA Tour:

I would say when I’m walking the course, I go through the same structure, the same routine as what I did when I was playing. I’m trying to pay attention to the soft spots on the golf course. What I mean by that is where players can be attacking, where they can be aggressive, and they can try and maybe push the envelope a little bit more without getting in too much trouble. I try and notice the spots that they’ve got to be careful of, the different hole locations that could catch them out. Where are the easy spots for them to be able to get up and down if they are out of position around the greens. So the golf course prep is the same.

And then I’m paying attention to stats and trends on paper, so I’ll spend a decent amount of time going down that rabbit hole, getting lost in some of the numbers, seeing what kind of patterns I can find. But at the end of the day, the most important thing is you have to get out on the driving range. You have to get out on the golf course and see how these players are playing for yourself. What is the strike sounding like? How is the ball flying? What shots are they leaning towards, which means they’re more comfortable with them at the time? What shots are they steering away from? You can just start to see the ebbs and flows that players go through week in and week out with their games. This sport is so damn difficult.

All of that preparation showed as Immelman made it look rather easy as he transitioned to the central role in CBS’s golf coverage, a spot he may fill for a long time.

About Jessica Kleinschmidt

Jess is a baseball fan with Reno, Nev. roots residing in the Bay Area. She is the host of "Short and to the Point" and is also a broadcaster with the Oakland A's Radio Network. She previously worked for MLB.com and NBC Sports Bay Area.

View all posts by Jessica Kleinschmidt