Royal Portrush Golf Club, 2019: As Rory McIlroy looked at the crowd, the hometown hero realized it was a moment he’d remember forever. In many ways this coastal course—complete with its deep bunkers, crosswind-inducing unpredictable winds, thick roughs and fescues—was as familiar to McIlroy as the back of his hand. Located just 61 miles north of his hometown of Holywood, it was a place the golfer had started visiting first as a young boy, watching his father Gerry compete in the North of Ireland Championship. Then, on his tenth birthday, he got to experience firsthand what the hype was all about. Bewildered, McIlroy came back again.

At age 16, the golfer famously set the course record after shooting 61 in the 2005 North of Ireland. So, naturally, when he returned to the Royal Portrush twenty years later, albeit to play the new course, confidence radiated like an armor. Eyeing redemption after what was an unceremonious missed cut that saw McIlroy’s first tee shot sail out of bounds—and a quadruple-bogey 8 on the first hole at that—six years ago, the veteran is far from done. It certainly helps being the local favorite. Rory McIlroy single-handedly makes for one of the most dominating storylines this 153rd edition, but don’t think this was on NBC’s radar.

A few hours ago, it was an X fan page that initially raised the complaint, writing, “Missed it. Damn. Made one putt of significance today -1 thru 13 | -2”. Sharing the tweet, Sports Business Journal‘s golf reporter Josh Carpenter further elaborated more on the brutal reality. “A big moment in Rory’s round on 13, and USA viewers miss it completely. USA comes back from a full commercial break to JT putting form shorter distance and there’s no mention of what Rory (or Tommy for that matter) scored on the hole,” the update read.

Notably, these complaints are not new. On Thursday, after USA Network and Peacock provided 12 hours of intense coverage of the event, viewers informed how it was too excessive due to the uneventful first round and numerous commercial breaks. It didn’t stop there. On Friday, too, NBC’s second-round coverage was again marred by frequent breaks, as informed by Carpenter.

Even during the 2024 event at Royal Troon, the NBC broadcast for the American audience hosted back-to-back commercials rather than back-to-back shots. The result? Various fans’ complaints, including one sharing, “The coverage of the open is terrible! These hacks couldn’t cover a 3rd grade sack race!!”

This time, too, fans were hardly quiet.

NBC’s coverage of The Open doesn’t receive much love

Ever been close to getting something you want, but then it slips right through your fingers? Fried Egg Golf shared a similar feeling, describing it with a meme. It showed a man with a yellow balloon, representing “watching golf shots at The Open,” while a pink blob, symbolizing NBC or the balloon that stays out of reach and floats away. Another golf fan wasn’t as forgiving, however, and commented, “Coverage is so terrible.” 

In a moment of respite for NBC, one fan commented, “Sky Sports is worse.” Notably, in 2023, for the Solheim Cup, Sky Sports faced criticism for poor broadcast quality for a viral, and painfully blurry image of Georgia Hall’s tee placement.

Having said that, talking about this year’s NBC coverage, one social media user commented, “I was looking at my tv like the entire time wondering how I missed it,” while another wrote, “It is what it is, I’m used to it. I used to be pissed and be all angry about it until I realized I can’t do anything about it besides make myself miserable & that only hurts myself.” But, hey, if last year’s The Open is any indication, then we are likely to face broadcast issues during the Sunday round as well.

Perhaps we should take a page of that one fan’s book who learned how to ignore it for his own peace of mind. What do you think?