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The 2022 AIG Womens Open Flag AIG Womens Open Muirfield, Scotland August 2022 The 2022 AIG Womens Open was held from 4 7 August 2022 at Muirfield, East Lothian, Scotland. This historic event marked the first time the Women s Open was contested at Muirfield, a venue renowned for its rich golfing heritage. Copyright: xMarkxNewcombex
Imago
The 2022 AIG Womens Open Flag AIG Womens Open Muirfield, Scotland August 2022 The 2022 AIG Womens Open was held from 4 7 August 2022 at Muirfield, East Lothian, Scotland. This historic event marked the first time the Women s Open was contested at Muirfield, a venue renowned for its rich golfing heritage. Copyright: xMarkxNewcombex
NBC is on golf fans’ nerves once again, this time for interrupting a 2024 Paris Summer Olympics runner-up’s win with ads. In the final round of the AIG Women’s Open, Esther Henseleit sank an incredible 40-foot birdie putt to force a playoff with Shiho Kuwaki. The dramatic moment sparked wild celebrations, with Henseleit’s husband and caddie, Reece Phillips, jumping up and down and punching the air in delight. But while the pair celebrated on the course, fans watching from home grew frustrated with the event’s poor television coverage.
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“3 minutes of golf between commercial breaks for @NBCSports,” No Laying Up wrote on X. ‘They just do not care at allllll.”
NBC broadcasts the AIG Women’s Open on Golf Channel, USA Network, and NBC with no commercial-free option. Streaming requires Peacock Premium ($10.99/month) plus a cable/live TV subscription.
NBC’s commercial load has drawn repeated criticism: U.S. Open (Shinnecock Hills), The Open, and now the Women’s Open. Golf Digest’s Joel Beall noted Sky Sports’ European feed runs continuously while NBC cuts to advertisements.
“The TV feeds in media center underline how onerous the American commercial load is. In last 15 mins the European Sky Sports coverage has been continuous while NBC/USA Network has gone to ads three times.”
The criticism extends beyond advertisements. Viewers have also complained about mid-shot interview interruptions, delayed returns from commercial breaks, and missed recaps. Broadcasters have repeatedly faced similar scrutiny in recent years. During the 2026 PGA Championship, fans objected to excessive graphics and studio segments replacing live golf.
Frustration over commercial-heavy broadcasts also peaked during the 2022 U.S. Open, prompting USGA CEO Mike Whan to publicly promise improvements, writing on X that he was “on it” and would “work with our partner to do better!” Four years later, complaints persist, suggesting improvements never materialized.
NBC has held the U.S. media rights to the AIG Women’s Open since signing a landmark 12-year agreement with The R&A in 2015, with exclusive broadcast coverage beginning in the 2017 season. With the 2026 AIG Women’s Open under scrutiny, fans quickly took to social media to complain.
One user wrote, “@LPGA @AIGWomensOpen if @NBCSports was TRYING to hurt the sport, the telecast wouldn’t be worse than it already is. Back 9 of a major, and we see ~4 shots between commercials.”
Another remarked, “No it’s insanely terrible coverage on @GolfChannel. They literally just went to a full commercial break in the middle of Thorbjornsen putting for a birdie 😂😂”
The next fan wrote, “The worst coverage of any sport by a mile.”
Meanwhile, this user complained, “Incredible golf course. Players choking. Anyone can win. And somehow NBC makes it almost unwatchable.”
The AIG Women’s Open came to an unpleasant end. Despite the exciting action on the course, NBC’s frequent on-screen commercials left several fans unsatisfied.
Written by
Edited by
Abhimanyu Gupta