Media
Popular voices Roger Maltbie and Gary Koch out at NBC Sports' golf coverage
David Cannon
Popular sportscasters Roger Maltbie and Gary Koch will not be a part of NBC Sports and Golf Channel broadcasts next season.
According to Golfweek, which first broke the story, NBC Sports officials said the move was made to “refresh” the team for the future.
“Roger and Gary have been synonymous with NBC Sports’ golf coverage for decades, having educated and entertained multiple generations of viewers and having made some of the most memorable calls in the history of the game,” Golf Channel executive producer Molly Solomon told Golfweek. “Their professionalism and prowess is only exceeded by their character as they have been great teammates and friends to so many of us here. We will be honoring their careers during our coverage of the PNC Championship in December.”
As of writing it is unclear who will fill the departed roles for NBC Sports.
Maltbie’s exit is not unexpected. In an interview with Golf Digest last year Maltbie had originally believed 2021 would be his final season with the network. However, when Jim “Bones’ Mackay left NBC to work for Justin Thomas, the network gave Maltbie another year on his contract. “I might have another one-year contract next year. I don’t know. Let’s see how this year goes,” Maltbie said this past February. “However, it is accurate that I thought my announcing days were over.”
Maltbie, 71, was a five-time winner on the PGA Tour whose career was derailed by injuries. He worked over 30 years as a broadcaster for the network. Koch, who turns 70 later this month, had been with NBC since 1997 following a tour career that garnered six victories.