Less than two months before the US Open, NBC is still scrambling for the lead analyst. After Paul Azinger’s departure in November, NBC has rotated men from their roster and PGA Tour players for that role. Apparently, the ‘audition’ is still going on, and no suitable long-term replacement is available.

Men’s professional golf has battled with coverage issues this season. The TV rating for the Masters, arguably the biggest event of the year, has dropped. Fans have lambasted broadcasters for prioritizing commercials over golf. Now, NBC only has a handful of options to fill the seat and less than seven weeks’s time to take the final call. A misstep here will mean more bad news in an already fractured landscape.

Who will be the lead analyst at the US Open? 

Since Azinger’s departure, NBC has flirted with a number of current and former PGA Tour pros on the hot seat. Kevin Kisner and Luke Donald have all warmed the chair. Both Kisner and Donald are still in their playing days, and neither look to switch their careers anytime soon.

On the other hand, Notah Begay III has cut down on his broadcasting stint to focus more on his PGA Tour Champions career. Brandel Chamblee, who has served as the lead analyst twice before at the American Express and the Texas Children’s Houston Open, is likely to be at Golf Channel’s ‘Live From’ program. As will Paul McGinley. Brad Faxon and Smylie Kaufman might be NBC’s last resort.

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Another option is Jim ‘Bones’ Mackay, who has parted ways with Justin Thomas. However, there is no certainty in that regard as well. Allegedly, due to constant budget cuts, NBC is reluctant to fill Azinger’s seat for good. “Pretty soon, we’re going to just do artist’s renditions of coverage as opposed to showing actual shots with a camera,” Dave Shedloski of Golf Digest quoted an NBC staffer as saying.

Azinger had already hinted at the true cost of budget cuts. The veteran golfer revealed that, from sitting on different towers, they were all clubbed together in the same booth. The number of cameras and drones was reduced as well. In fact, Azinger blasted NBC for working on his contract in a cavalier manner.

Paul Azinger hinted at the budget-cut horrors

Azinger was let go last November when his agent counteroffered. Azinger revealed that the NBC team didn’t sit at the negotiation table. Rather, it was a straight ‘take it or leave it’ from them. The 64-year-old hinted that it was part of a larger cost-cutting measure.

“Well, there was no plan going forward except to make the broadcast less expensive. I think they’re going to settle on whatever is less expensive. Everything since I got there has been just budget cut after budget cut. Everything was to make the broadcast cost less money,” Paul Azinger told Golfweek in March. Before the Ryder Cup, winning captains Roger Maltbie and Gary Koch’s contracts were not renewed. David Feherty also jumped ship to join LIV Golf sometime before that.