NBC Sports is replacing one Paul with another in the booth – at least for one week.
Former European Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley will be in the chair formerly occupied by Paul Azinger as the lead analyst for NBC during the Hero World Challenge, which begins on Thursday in Nassau, Bahamas. A spokesperson for the network confirmed the news to Golfweek after the Irish Independent was first to report.
Azinger had one event remaining on his contract that was up at the end of the year, but negotiations to renew stalled when Azinger countered and NBC reportedly pulled its offer and parted ways with the 12-time PGA Tour winner.
McGinley, a 56-year-old Irishman who won four times on the DP World Tour and served as winning Ryder Cup captain for Europe in 2014, is no stranger to American golf fans and to the Golf Channel/NBC team. He’s a longtime TV commentator for Sky Sports in Europe and has contributed to Golf Channel’s “Live From” show from the majors for the past two years.
McGinley will work in the booth with NBC lead anchor Dan Hicks and also team with analyst Curt Byrum in a three-man booth in what has the feel of a tryout.
The Independent noted, “McGinley’s [TV] future will likely depend on how he does in the Bahamas and future events over the next few months.”
“They obviously need a fill-in this week and as I’ve done some work with them this year and am part of the Comcast Group I’m filling in,” McGinley told Golf Digest. “That’s all. No more than that.”
Azinger had been NBC Sports’ lead analyst since 2019 following the retirement of Johnny Miller.
