NBC Sports will replace Paul in the booth with another Paul for at least one week.
The former European Ryder Cup Captain Paul McGinley is the new lead analyst for NBC at the Hero World Challenge which starts on Thursday, in Nassau, Bahamas. The news was confirmed by a spokesperson from the network to Golfweek, after the Irish Independent broke the story.
A spokesperson for NBC confirmed that Paul McGinley will take over the role of lead analyst formerly held by Paul Azinger when the network broadcasts the Hero World Challenge which starts on Thursday in Nassau, Bahamas.
Azinger’s contract had just one event left to run at the end the year. But negotiations to extend it stalled after Azinger countered, and NBC reportedly withdrew its offer.
McGinley is a 56 year old Irishman, who has won four times on DP World Tour, and was the Ryder Cup winning captain for Europe in 2014. McGinley is well known to American golfers and the Golf Channel/NBC staff. He has been a TV commentator in Europe for Sky Sports for many years and has also contributed to Golf Channel’s “Live From” show at the majors over the last two years.
McGinley is working in the booth alongside NBC’s lead anchor Dan Hicks, and will also be teamed with analyst Curt byrum in a 3-man booth. It has the feeling of a “tryout.”
The Independent reported that “McGinley’s [TV] future is likely to depend on his performance in the Bahamas, and other events occurring over the next several months.”
McGinley said to Golf Digest. “That’s all. “No more than that.”
Azinger has been NBC Sports lead analyst following Johnny Miller’s retirement in 2019.
