Legendary CBS Sports announcer Jim Nantz has sparked debate ahead of The Masters after admitting he has not watched Bryson DeChambeau hit a single shot in 2026.
Speaking during CBS Sports’ Masters preview call on Monday 30 March, Nantz was asked about DeChambeau’s form that has seen him register back to back wins on the LIV Golf League leading into golf’s first major of the season at Augusta National.
The 66-year-old’s answer was refreshingly honest but controversial at the same time.
“I have to confess, I have not seen Bryson hit a single shot this year,” said Nantz, who has called every Masters since 1989.
“All I can go off of is the YouTube videos I’ve watched with my son.”
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Nantz’s comments have sparked debate online, with numerous LIV Golf fans venting into their keypads.
How can the man who will guide millions through the season’s first major not be watching one of the sport’s most talked-about players?
Nantz’s latest comments on DeChambeau
“Proof that some of the mainstream media is not professional in the slightest,” wrote one DeChambeau fan. “He should make it his mission to watch at the very least the highlights of LIV Golf events.”
Another wrote on X: “Haha what a joke!”
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A third added: “Imagine if Nantz took the same approach to the NFL and says in week 9 this year, ‘I haven’t seen Mahomes throw a pass all year.’”
The above reactions highlight the disconnect some viewers feel between DeChambeau’s recent form and Nantz’s preparation.
DeChambeau has been on fire in recent weeks, claiming back-to-back victories in Singapore and South Africa, with both of his wins coming in tense playoffs against Richard T. Lee and Jon Rahm.
But Nantz, loyal to CBS and its longstanding PGA Tour coverage, seems to have missed the LIV Golf circus entirely — an admission that has left many fans scratching their heads.
DeChambeau has won his last two LIV events
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For DeChambeau, nicknamed the ‘Mad Scientist’, Augusta National has long been a proving ground.
The two-time US Open champion has come agonisingly close to a green jacket in recent years, finishing tied sixth in 2024 and tied fifth in 2025 — the latter when Rory McIlroy secured a career grand slam.
Before the 2020 Masters, DeChambeau infamously claimed he viewed Augusta National as a “par 67” rather than the traditional par 72. He reasoned that because he could reach all four par-fives in two shots, a comment he later admitted was a mistake, “misinterpreted,” and humbling. DeChambeau went on to finish tied 34th that week, and he then returned for tied 46th in 2021 and missed cuts in both 2022 and 2023.
But DeChambeau has learned from his mistakes and appears a different man these days, arguably now one of the most popular players in the sport, largely a result of his new-found YouTube fame.
The Crushers captain has a whopping 2.6 million subscribers on his channel, which is one of the biggest in the business.
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Even Nantz has tuned in to that.
DeChambeau celebrates in South Africa
Nantz might not have been paying much attention to DeChambeau’s form of late, but the bookmakers most certainly have.
DeChambeau’s odds have tumbled in recent weeks and he is now a 10/1 joint-second favourite for a first Masters title.
McIlroy is at the same odds as he looks to defend his jacket, while world number one Scottie Scheffler is the 5/1 favourite, chasing a third Masters win in five years.
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DeChambeau is now 10/1 to win The Masters
DeChambeau’s hot streak on LIV Golf means he cannot be ignored — even if the legendary voice of Augusta hasn’t caught a single live shot.
Whether Nantz’s candidness will impact viewers’ expectations is up for debate.
What do you make of Nantz’s comments? Sad, funny or a bit of both? Share your thoughts in the comments below, or come and join the debate on our social media channels – @GolfMagic.
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