SAN DIEGO — Trevor Immelman was on the South Course at Torrey Pines early Thursday morning as the Santa Ana wind blow tumbleweed across greens, and cardboard recycling bins tumbled down the hills.
It’s a great day for fans, but it’s not for players. Immelman stated, “I just watched Patrick Rodgers rinse in the water on 18.” “This week, I was happy just to be in the tower.
Immelman, who has won two times on the PGA Tour, including 2008 Masters, will be at CBS Sports’ “super tower.” He will begin Friday as the fifth “The Eye” lead analyst. This follows in the footsteps Ken Venturi, Lanny Wadekins, and most recently Nick Faldo who resigned in August after 16 years of service.
Sean McManus (chairman of CBS Sports) was a little surprised by Faldo’s departure. He said that he didn’t intend to replace Faldo until last February’s AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. Faldo announced his retirement plans and built a Montana ranch.
McManus stated that Trevor was the first name that came to mind during a Zoom interview with Golfweek. “And I thought, yea, who can get into that booth seamlessly? He’s done television. He’s shown how great he can be at TV. It was a good experience for me. We also discussed other candidates and possible people to fill that slot. Trevor was the only one who reached Trevor’s level. He was so engaging and funny that I found myself thinking, “Boy, full-time role with Jim Nantz at most of our tournaments, Andrew Catalon at the other ones, that’s it, Trevor, I choose!”
Nantz is celebrating his 38th th year of CBS. He has previously partnered with new partners, but he said, “We’re not having the training wheels put on here.”
Nantz added: “I’m not bringing in another partner. I have a partner with a lot of experience. He is extremely skilled in this area. I have worked with him many times. He is an excellent communicator and carries himself with class and integrity. He has a very high level of warmth and I believe he will be a great addition to any living room.
It’s an exciting day!
Let me join you in wishing my brother @TrevorImmelman all the best for his first show as Lead Analyst for @GolfonCBS.
Let’s shine Trev #soproud #TorreyPines @FarmersInsOpen pic.twitter.com/K8kpEDLgtk
— Mark Immelman (@mark_immelman) January 27, 2023
After sustaining multiple injuries, Immelman stopped thinking about TV. His game was on the verge of collapse. A Golf Channel producer convinced Immelman to try the Wyndham Championship. It was a great opportunity.
He said, “I love golf so much that I was trying to figure out ways that I could still be involved and remain a major part of it. Fortunately, that’s when the opportunity presented itself to me to dip my toe into the water for TV.” It was a great experience. I could feel the energy. The excitement and adrenaline rush of trying out to describe the action to viewers at the tournament was palpable.
Nantz distinctly recalls that Immelman, who was working as a hole analyst for CBS, would call Immelman seeking constructive criticism about how he could improve his new craft.
Nantz stated, “He was so eager to be great at it, and I was flabbergasted at how good he was immediately.” He would call me all the time. I was at a complete loss of words. I was unable to communicate with him. He was there. He thought I was passing it off and didn’t want the hard truth. This is what you should do. I was honest with him. You are doing very well. Keep getting more reps. He’s going to brilliant.” (Immelman pointed out that Brian Anderson, a broadcaster, has been a mentor to him and that Carminita is his harshest critic. “My wife is straight-to-the-point, always has been,” said he.
Immelman will be calling their debut at Farmers Insurance Open this week from faraway locations, while Nantz is in Kansas City for the NFL’s AFC Championship match. Immelman stated that he expected at Pebble Beach next week when they will be sitting side-by-side, “I’ll think, Whoa, this guy is – I don’t want to sound negativist – but he’s the voice from my youth.”
South African native Immelman recalled when he was six years old, staying up until midnight to see his first Masters, 1986, and hearing Nantz refer to Jack Nicklaus’s heroics.
“That moment is like etched into my memory,” Immelman said. He was 22 years old when he sat beside Nantz in Butler Cabin as champion and received his green jacket.
Immelman was the captain of the International team in the 2022 Presidents Cup. He is well-known among current players that he will be covering. Immelman was also an analyst for Golf Channel this autumn. He also traveled to Cincinnati to observe how Tony Romo and Nantz called a football game (Bengals against Chiefs) and to sit in their production meetings.
Nantz stated that Immelman was “his idea.” It’s typical for Trevor to seek every possible way to improve himself.
Immelman makes his Torrey Pines debut. He first visited these shores in 13-14 years ago to play in the World Juniors. He also won the 1998 U.S. Juniors. Amateur Public Links here. Immelman has experienced many highs and lows in professional golf over the years. He believes this will be a great asset to his new role.
“I was not an elite player, but I was a nice player. I won the Masters which is, you’ll know, huge. So I know what it takes, and what it takes, to reach that level. He said that he wanted to “mix it up with the best.” But then, I also have the experience of being on the opposite side. It’s hard to keep your cards in the game, and it’s not going your way. It’s two worlds. I promise it. However, once you are in it, the fine line between them is not obvious. So that’s what I bring to the table. I believe I can understand both sides of this spectrum. I love the game with a passion. So I hope to be able to tell these stories with enough energy and enthusiasm that people can enjoy them at home.
Immelman was a strong leader in his Presidents Cup role. Will he still be able to speak out in the 18 th tower?
“I will be me, authentic and honest. If I see something happening on the air that I disagree with or have an opinion about, it’s my job to say so. He said that this is what he was assigned to do. “And if that’s not the case, there’ll be millions of people watching at home who will see me and call me out. It’s my responsibility to be truthful and authentic.
