Veteran golf broadcaster Roger Maltbie just can’t get enough.
Maltbie, 74, is returning to television for five PGA Tour events for Golf Channel this season, according to Dave Shedloski of Golf Digest. The former NBC Sports golf analyst will work this week’s AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, the Arnold Palmer Invitational, The Players, the Cadillac Championship, and the Memorial Tournament this season.
“I’m excited that they still want me to do this, and I guess they feel like I am still someone viewers want to listen to,” Maltbie told Golf Digest.
Maltbie has been contributing here and there on golf broadcasts ever since NBC opted not to renew his contract for the 2023 season. NBC has brought Maltbie and fellow longtime analyst Gary Koch back for each of the last two Players.
“The bottom line is that I want to keep going because I’m a fan of the game. I watch a good bit of it from home, and I look forward to getting up close and seeing all these new guys and how they play,” Maltbie said.
“Having the familiar tone of Roger Maltbie on the call for Golf Channel as our lead on-course reporter at these iconic venues is going to be tremendous,” Golf Channel EVP Tom Knapp told Golf Digest. “Roger is one of the most recognizable figures in golf and set the standard for on-course golf reporting for 35 years. He is an institution, and we’re pumped to have him.”
Unlike the last couple of years, where Maltbie appeared on both the Golf Channel and NBC coverage of the same tournament, this year he’ll call the five tournaments listed above only for Golf Channel, which separated from NBC in January as part of the Versant spinoff. Maltbie has reportedly signed a separate agreement with NBC to contribute coverage for the U.S. Open, U.S. Senior Open, Senior PGA Championship, and the American Century Championship.
About Drew Lerner
Drew Lerner is a staff writer for Awful Announcing and an aspiring cable subscriber. He previously covered sports media for Sports Media Watch. Future beat writer for the Oasis reunion tour.