Jim Nantz loves the idea. His bosses at CBS do, too. The fans are also in overwhelming support.
But how do PGA Tour players feel about wearing a live microphone during tournament play?
That group isn’t as unanimously in favor of the concept.
A number of players spoke with media members in Fort Worth, Texas, on Tuesday, with golf’s big return looming at Colonial Country Club this week. And while all understood that the experiment was a hit when carried out at “The Match II” with Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Peyton Manning and Tom Brady, the idea didn’t exactly stir excitement.
For example, Justin Thomas was magnificent on “The Match II” as a sideline reporter, but he said Tuesday he has little interest in wearing a hot mic during a live round.
“I would not wear a mic, no. That’s not me,” Thomas said. “What I talk about with (caddie) Jimmy (Johnson) and what I talk about with the guys in my group is none of anybody else’s business, no offense. I mean, as close as those mics are on the tees and the greens and as close as I get to boom mics during competition anyway, I basically feel like I am mic’d up.”
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CBS Sports chairman Sean McManus said on a conference call Monday that a few players have agreed to be mic’d up beginning Thursday as the PGA Tour holds its first event in nearly three months. The players who will be mic’d up are expected to be announced later in the week.
Thomas is scheduled to play the first two rounds of the event with Rickie Fowler and Jordan Spieth. During Tuesday’s interviews, Spieth inadvertently let one of the cats out of the bag — Fowler must be one of the players who will wear a mic — when he discussed how he’s interested in the concept, but not ready to dive in.
“I am aware of players being mic’d up. I am aware that there is a player in my group that’s mic’d up this week. Am I open to it? Sure, I’m open to it, but I think I would kind of want to see how things are going first personally with it before. … and just kind of getting back into the routine before throwing that on there, because it is something that I don’t necessarily see as — I think if anything, could be a distraction personally to your play, ” Spieth said. “But I also see what an advantage it could have for the game if you’re able to mic some guys up, especially given there’s no crowd noise, so you get a little extra commentary from the players.”
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Having microphones on players for special events like “The Match II” isn’t logistically complicated — the setting was controlled and while the competition was fierce, it was all for charity. Adding a similar dynamic to a PGA Tour event, with a crowded field and golfers playing for their livelihood, could get more challenging.
“You’re asking me?” joked Jon Rahm, known for his sometimes spicy on-course behavior. “Honestly, I see the point, and I think people expect us to talk about much more interesting things than what we really do, so I don’t think it would be as entertaining as people think. Now, selfishly, because of who I am and I know how I am on the golf course, I wouldn’t support it just because they might need a 20-, 30-second difference from live, might be a little bit delayed. And I’m not the only one; a lot of people swear or something comes up where you can hear it. I don’t think it would be the best thing to do.”
Thomas agreed that there’s a time and a place for discussion, and while many have already insisted he’d make a great TV commentator when his career is over, he said he’d prefer to offer his thoughts in a more controlled setting.
“I can’t say some stuff that I usually say anyway, and it is not that it’s bad, but no, if I want somebody to know what I say, I’ll say it in a press conference, I’ll say it in an interview or put it out on social media, whatever it is,” Thomas said. “But I personally am not one that would care to get mic’d out there.”
“I don’t think there’s any reason why we should be mic’d up from shot to shot. really. But again, it all depends. If somebody decides to do it and it really works out and they think it’s really fun, cool, go ahead. I can tell you I’m not speaking about many interesting things on the golf course. There’s just a lot of golf, if I speak at all,” Rahm said.
“It would be something that needs to be tested, and if people like it, it might be something we could get used to. Right now, I don’t see it really happening or being as interesting as people think.”
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