The PGA Tour is making a concerted effort to do more in connecting fans to star players. And Max Homa and Wyndham Clark are going to do just that by being a part of the ESPN broadcast for the Masters Par 3 contest.
The Par 3 contest at Augusta is a highlight on the golf calendar because it shows players and families in a bit of a more relaxed environment and provides a day of entertainment before the pressure cooker of The Masters begins the day after.
But now the tournament, the golfers, and ESPN are trying to connect with fans in a new way with a pair of active stars being a part of the broadcast team.
In an ESPN announcement, the network says that former US Open winner Wyndham Clark and six-time PGA Tour winner Max Homa will serve as analysts. The pair will alternate working with Scott Van Pelt, who will serve as the lead announcer. In addition, the entire event will be streamed on ESPN+ and Disney+ for the first time.
ESPN’s live coverage of the fun and popular Masters Par 3 Contest at Augusta National Golf Club is changing and expanding for this year’s event and for the first time, two current players will be part of the coverage as analysts.
Golfers Wyndham Clark and Max Homa are joining ESPN’s commentary team for the Wednesday, April 9, event and will work with lead announcer Scott Van Pelt at separate times during the four-hour presentation.
“We look forward to having Wyndham and Max as part of our coverage of the Masters Par 3 Contest,” said Mike McQuade, ESPN Executive Vice President, Sports Production. “Having them interacting with Scott Van Pelt in the booth and bringing their perspective to the telecast will help us serve and entertain sports fans during this fun event.”
The PGA Tour recognizes that it needs its star players to get out in the public more and show more personality. Justin Thomas wrote a letter to the tour’s players saying they needed to be more outgoing and friendly to broadcasters and media so that fans can better connect. And while Wyndham Clark and Max Homa being guest analysts at a Par 3 contest isn’t going to immediately transform the landscape, it’s a positive next step for that effort. At least it’s better than Collin Morikawa skipping press conferences.
The connective tissue here is also that both Wyndham Clark and Max Homa were part of the successful TGL season on ESPN, which just wrapped up this week. The sim golf league was built on players developing their personalities to make it engaging and it was a big hit in that regard. If TGL can be a springboard to more players taking more opportunities like this at the Masters Par 3 contest and beyond, it would be a net win for golf in the short and long run.
