The Loop

European Tour announcers drop an F-word on air, viewers mistake it for F-bomb

August 18, 2018

Bashing TV coverage teams has become common practice for fans, no matter the sport in question. That includes golf, which is coming off a particularly brutal showing at the PGA Championship, one that featured mistaken names, an excessive amount of commercials and missed action.

However, the viewer is usually in good hands when it comes to the presentation of the European Tour. No matter your side of the pond, the respective networks employ knowledgeable commentators and a spartan game plan that eliminates the bells and whistles to focus on, you know, golf. The European Tour knows its audience and caters to it as such.

So viewers were caught off guard when the F-word—at least, what was perceived as the F-word—was dropped during the Nordea Masters when a Soren Kjeldsen tee shot came up short.

Well, European Tour CEO Keith Pelley does like to think outside the box. The first rule in broadcast journalism is to tell the people what they don't know, and in a colorful light. On that front, mission accomplished.

UPDATE -- Except, the announcer in question, Englishman Graeme Storm, might have actually said "foxed." Which, considering the context, does make sense.

Granted, you would think the nation that developed the language would know how to properly enunciate it so such confusion wouldn't take place. We can all agree, however, that Kjeldsen got F'd.