Jim Nantz will call CBS’ opening PGA Tour event from site of AFC title game

Jim Nantz (right) and Nick Faldo won’t be together to call the Farmers Insurance Open next weekend. Faldo will be at Torrey Pines, and Nantz will be at the site of the AFC Championship Game. | CBS Sports

It can’t be easy for Jim Nantz to give up a visit to Torrey Pines. But when it conflicts with his biggest NFL broadcast of the season, he’ll do what he must.

Next weekend, CBS’ golf anchor will call the third and fourth rounds of the Farmers Insurance Open in San Diego from the site of the AFC Championship Game. The PGA Tour moved up the first round to next Wednesday, preventing the final round from conflicting with both NFL conference title games Jan. 30.

The change allows Nantz to call the opener of CBS’ 65^th year of Tour coverage, as well as what will be its most-watched show of the year.

“I’m thrilled about it,” Nantz said on a conference call Wednesday with reporters. “San Diego falls victim to the elongated NFL season. We will not compromise anything I’m doing on the football side. I will get to see both teams. And it’ll feel like I’m right behind the 18^th tower. It will sound like we’re very much all there together.”

CBS also pushed the end of the third and fourth rounds into prime time, around 7 p.m. Central, barring weather delays or a playoff. Nantz said he probably will call the tournament from a production truck inside the stadium, not the broadcast booth he’ll be in for the game.

Nantz has quite a week ahead of him, beginning Sunday with the AFC divisional playoff between the Bills and Chiefs in Kansas City. On Monday, he’ll be in New York shooting a Capital One commercial with Spike Lee. He’ll spend Tuesday with family at his home in Nashville, which could be the site of the AFC title game if the Titans beat the Bengals on Saturday.

Wherever the game is held, Nantz will be there next Wednesday and watch coverage of the Farmers Insurance Open through Thursday. Somewhere along the way, he’ll have production meetings with the AFC teams and connect with CBS’ lead golf producer, Sellers Shy.

Though Nantz will be splitting his focus next week, he’s keenly aware of what awaits Jan. 30.

“The AFC championship will be the most-watched show on CBS’ calendar for 2022 by a lot,” he said. “It’s a hugely important broadcast. I’ll be ready.”