The 2025 U.S. Senior Open has seen no shortage of drama. The thrilling contest is a closely fought affair between several top senior golfers on the PGA Tour Champions circuit. Padraig Harrington and Stewart Cink are neck-and-neck, while Miguel Angel Jimenez is right behind to capitalize on any moments of weakness by the two in front. Harrington is also involved in a hefty feud with an on-course analyst after a particular incident on day 1.

“Never on a golf course stand and look at somebody looking for a golf ball,”. Padraig Harrington stated vehemently as Roger Maltbie stood by on the side, as everyone in Harrington’s group was desperately searching for a ball on Thursday at the 15th hole of the Broadmoor Golf Course. The ball landed on the rough after Harrington’s drive skewed away from the intended path. This was the start of a chain of incidents that have thrust the U.S. Senior Open into the spotlight.

Roger Maltbie who was the NBC analyst had decided against entering the rough as he was instructed by his producer to remain in position for the on-air report. This ticked off the Irish senior golfer, as generally everyone, including broadcasters, helps search for the ball, because a delay in getting the ball could mean a violation of Rule 18.2, which allows three minutes for a ball to be found.

Harrington was incensed, and this carried on to the ninth fairway after Harrington finished his second round on Friday. Maltbie talked to the Irish golfer outside the scoring trailer to explain his side of things. “So, I should have disobeyed my producer?” he asked. But Harrington was not willing to let go.

“You’ve played golf all your life. You understand,” Harrington stated again, reiterating that when help was needed, people don’t turn away. However, Maltbie refused to relent, stating that at least then he was not in the capacity of a golfer but rather a broadcaster. “I’m not a player”, Maltbie explained, which did nothing to ease the tension.

In the end, Harrington’s caddie, Ronan Flood, had to intervene and cool the simmering heads. Golf commentator Mark Rolfing stated that since the incident on the ninth fairway, Harrington has issued an apology to Roger Maltbie, which the on-course analyst had accepted. Things seem to be headed to normalcy after what was a tense situation!

It would have been an awkward Saturday round for NBC, especially considering that Maltbie was supposed to be walking with Padraig Harrington’s group again. Reporters and golfers have clashed numerous times off the field, but there seems to be a certain Irish tinge to the on-field clashes.

Reporters and golfers clash on the field

At the recently concluded PGA Championship, Irish golfer Shane Lowry had a similar situation with an on-course reporter who had worked for ESPN. The reporter stepped in uninvited during a rules deliberation on the eighth hole at Quail Hollow. This was during a discussion that was happening between a rules official and Lowry, after Lowry’s ball landed in a pitch-mark.

However, before a decision was reached, the reporter came into the picture. He told the official, “That’s not your pitch mark.” A visibly irritated Lowry immediately replied, “That’s not for you to talk about,” later stating the interference “annoyed me a lot,” and stressing that only the player and the referee should be involved in such deliberations.

The two situations are completely different, but it also begs the question – how involved should on-course reporters be with regards to the action?