The final stretch at Augusta National Golf Club will sound a bit different at this year’s Masters Tournament. CBS Sports president David Berson announced on Tuesday that CBS golf analyst Frank Nobilo is the new voice of the famous par-3 16th hole, taking over from the longtime voice, Verne Lundquist, who called his final Masters Tournament last season. “He deserves this opportunity…I’m thrilled that he gets to be a much more integral part of the latter part of our coverage,” Berson noted during a pre-tournament press call.
As a result, Nobilo will leave his usual spot on Amen Corner, where lead play-by-play announcer Jim Nantz and lead booth analyst Trevor Immelman will lead coverage on some of golf’s most iconic holes. CBS lead golf producer Sellers Shy remarked, “There’s no one more experienced,” as both a broadcaster and golfer than Nobilo. He further explained that moving Nobilo off Amen Corner allows for Nantz and Immelman to have more involvement, indicating a “real nice balance that I think everyone’s going to be very very happy with.”
Last year, Lundquist called his 40th and final Masters Tournament, and his calls on the 16th hole have been synonymous with the CBS presentation of the tournament for as long as most can remember. One of his most famous moments came in 2005 when he exclaimed, “In your life have you ever seen anything like that?” in reference to Tiger Woods’ incredible chip-in.
No doubt, this year’s Masters will have a new feel without Lundquist, but Frank Nobilo certainly brings the experience to honorably take the reins from Uncle Verne.
