NBC’s Paul Azinger Infuriated Golf Fans During U.S. Open’s Final Round

This was hard to listen to.

The 2023 U.S. Open had a thrilling finish, with an emotional Wyndham Clark tapping in for par on the 72nd hole to beat Rory McIlroy by one stroke at Los Angeles Country Club. 

Although the final round had a number of intense moments, it also was marred by some pretty annoying calls by NBC’s lead analyst, Paul Azinger. 

The former PGA Tour player has been crushing the will of golf fans for years with his endless mentions of pressure and how it can affect a player in big moments. He also gets a lot of things wrong during broadcasts, like on Sunday when he said Clark’s green-side bunker shot on the ninth hole would never get near the hole, only to then watch it catch the hill and roll down close to the hole. 

That didn’t go unnoticed by golf fans: 

Azinger kept saying that slope wasn’t gonna move that ball back regardless of what he was seeing. The ball was rolling back and he legitimately said it will not continue to roll. What’s wrong with this guy

— Frankie Borrelli (@FrankieBorrelli) June 18, 2023

Paul Azinger: “that’s not gonna catch the hill.”

*catches the hill*

Azinger: “that’s not gonna do much more.”

*runs down near hole*

Maybe Paul should go out on the course. #USOpen

— CHRIS TORELLO 𝕏 (@TorelloSports) June 18, 2023

The complaints about Azinger didn’t stop there: 

Today's worst US Open performances.

5. Scheffler
4. English
3. Schauffele
2. Fowler
.
.
.
1. Azinger

— Drew Forrester (@itsahooded4iron) June 19, 2023

Has any announcer in the history of any sport been more wrong about random little things than Azinger today?

— Tour Junkies (@Tour_Junkies) June 19, 2023

No matter how many times Paul Azinger says it, closing out a major championship is not, in fact, the hardest thing in the world to do.

— Joe Posnanski (@JPosnanski) June 19, 2023

That is something the lead analyst should say, not an on course reporter. NBC needs a new lead analyst. Azinger just isn't it.#AwfulAnnouncing https://t.co/zxCBCybuXe

— chimp_caray (@CarayChimp) June 19, 2023

Azinger having a bad day. Just so wrong on every call

— Steve Swinger (@Steve_Swinger1) June 19, 2023

Paul Azinger STINKS

— Riley (@rileyhamel_) June 18, 2023

Azinger already tossing out stats w/ absolutly no basis

"Ricky is by far the most popular player on tour..."

Popular? Yes. Absolutely. And if McGinely said it, I'd probably believe it.

But Azinger just throws spaghetti at walls with reckless abandon.

— Chris Nickel (@GolfSpyC) June 18, 2023

Despite Paul Azinger insisting for two hours that Wyndham Clark has no chance of winning, Wyndham Clark still has a chance to win.

— Don Van Natta Jr. (@DVNJr) June 19, 2023

#USOpen2023 takeaways:

-LACC is a GREAT course, but bad as host of a major

-Loved 6th hole

-Rickie played great & felt more for him than I did for Rory

-Rory didnt hole a single putt of any consequence & missed a couple of significant shorties

-Paul Azinger had a BAD weekend

— Shaun Starr (@ShaunStarr78) June 19, 2023

By Sunday of these majors I’m so exhausted from listening to Azinger, I kind of just want them to end.

— Ronny Elliott (@FantasyGolfRep) June 19, 2023

Azinger makes me long for Johnny Miller and even FALDO

— Lucas Jackson (@CoolHand_Lucas) June 19, 2023

How is Azinger wrong on every call?!

— Alex Myers (@AlexMyers3) June 18, 2023

There’s a few holes left so it’s definitely possible Azinger will be right about something. I wouldn’t get my hopes up though.

— Matt Heydt (@MatthewHeydt) June 19, 2023