REPORT: FORMER RYDER CUP CAPTAIN LINED UP TO REPLACE PAUL AZINGER AT NBC

According to a report by The Irish Independent, Paul McGinley is being lined up to replace Paul Azinger as lead golf analyst for NBC

Former Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley is reportedly being lined up to replace Paul Azinger as NBC’s lead analyst.

Azinger’s contract with the broadcasting company wasn’t renewed much to the American’s surprise.

The 63-year-old said he was supposed to cover Tiger Woods’ PGA Tour return next week in Albany.

It turns out that Azinger’s last event as an NBC correspondent was the 2023 Ryder Cup in Italy.

It is believed that his dismissal from the role is a component of a more extensive redesign of NBC’s coverage of golf.

In 2019, he started working at NBC after Johnny Miller retired. That followed my tenure as ABC’s chief golf analyst from 2006 to 2015.
Azinger has never been shy of voicing what some consider controversial opinions.

He previously called for Brooks Koepka to relinquish his spot on the 2021 Ryder Cup side after the American raised eyebrows with some comments about how he viewed the biennial contest.

Koepka described the week as ‘hectic and odd’ but later stressed he was just trying to illustrate that Ryder Cups are just ‘different’.

Azinger also referred to the European Tour as ‘that Tour’ in March 2020, prompting outrage from the likes of Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood.

The Irish Independent have reported McGinley will work alongside Dan Hicks and Curt Bryum at the Hero World Challenge next week.

Woods, 47, will play competitively for the first time since hobbling out of the 47th Masters.

McGinley’s “Live At” segments with Rich Lerner and Brandel Chamblee have proven to be extremely well-liked.

Some say McGinley, who is also renowned for having strong opinions, is a worthy opponent of Chamblee.

Before a decision is made, it is understood that the 56-year-old Irishman will cover a number of PGA Tour events for NBC.