Paul Azinger is making a comeback to the Golf Channel, stepping in as the lead analyst for the PGA Tour Champions.
After leaving NBC a year ago, Azinger will take over from Lanny Wadkins for around 10 to 12 tournaments on a one-year deal.
Azinger shared his thoughts about this new role, expressing excitement about working part-time and being candid during broadcasts.
New Role and Reflections:
Last November, Azinger’s time with NBC ended on a sour note after five years. He felt both let down and surprised when they decided not to renew his contract due to planned changes in their golf coverage. In March, he mentioned feeling relieved that it was over and wasn’t rushing to find new work; he joked about having plenty of things like washing car wheels to keep him busy.
Despite this, Azinger had been prepared to stay longer at NBC, hoping for another five years or at least one more year before signing a longer deal. Fans might think it’s interesting how plans can change so quickly.
Although his upcoming position doesn’t provide long-term stability, Azinger seems more interested in focusing on the PGA Tour Champions than the regular PGA Tour now. He even said he’d rather call games for the Senior Tour because he’s “over” the regular tour.
In this new setup, he’ll be working under PGA Tour Entertainment instead of directly with the Golf Channel. This means they’ll decide which events he covers while Peter Jacobsen and John Cook will fill in when he’s unavailable.
NBC hasn’t found someone permanent to replace Azinger yet. They’ve been using Curt Byrum and others like Kevin Kisner as temporary replacements during various events since Tiger Woods’ return from surgery.
What do you think about all these changes?
