Kevin Kisner to be lead analyst for NBC’s golf coverage
Kevin Kisner wouldn’t have guessed that his stock began to rise as his golf game began to age.
A year ago, he had finished outside the top 200 on the PGA Tour for the first time in 10 years as he struggled to regain his form when NBC called him and asked if he would like to try his hand in The Sentinel’s broadcast booth in Kapalua.
On Wednesday, NBC Sports announced that Kisner would be the lead analyst for its golf coverage portfolio that includes two major tournaments and the Ryder Cup.
What makes Kisner, with his homespun outlook and South Carolina drawl, a good choice to follow Paul Azinger and Johnny Miller?
“I wondered that myself,” Kisner said. “I think I offer a different, more player-centric perspective. I’m not going to tell you stories because I have a job as an analyst. I’ll say it like it is. I’m not going to hinder my relationship with the players, but I will tell you if you hit a bad shot or make a bad decision.
NBC has had what amounted to a game of musical chairs since parting ways with Azinger after the 2023 Ryder Cup outside Rome. Kisner, Golf Channel’s Brandel Chamblee, Luke Donald, Paul McGinley and Brad Faxon all served as president alongside lead announcer Dan Hicks. The network didn’t want to rush into filling that role permanently.
The music stopped on Kisner.
“Kevin has always shared frank and honest opinions about golf in our various conversations over the years,” said Tommy Roy, senior golf producer for NBC. “Those kinds of opinions and his engaging personality make Kiz a great fit for our broadcast team. He knows these players, he knows this game, and audiences will get to hear more of those opinions and personality this season.”
Kisner isn’t done with his own game. With just over $29 million in career earnings, he’s using a one-time exemption from the PGA Tour’s career money list to be exempt for 2025.
He is a four-time winner, including a World Golf Match Play title and two other championship match appearances. He played in the Presidents Cup in 2017 and 2022 and was an assistant this year at Royal Montreal.
The plan is for him to play in 10 tournaments, including the US Open and British Open, the FedEx Cup playoffs and the Players Championship. He is likely to play at least two events during the Florida swing broadcast by NBC.
He still considers himself a player and has seen signs that his swing is getting to where it has been.
“They were so supportive of it, and that’s why I was willing to negotiate with them,” Kisner said. “They want me to be there for the big events that I’m not exempt for, and they’ve been accommodating if I attend. This is a good deal for me. NBC loves the idea that the weeks CBS covers golf I’m playing and, hopefully, playing well.
He likes to say about golf: “It’s not a hobby.” Even so, he’ll likely play a much bigger role in the NBC booth than on the ropes next year.
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