With the retirement of Ian Baker-Finch, CBS Sports announced a promotion for Colt Knost from his role as on-course reporter to the television tower to replace him. Now that a spot has opened up in the reporting role, CBS has named a new addition to their team – Golf Channel analyst Johnson Wagner.
According to Josh Carpenter at Sports Business Journal, Wagner will be CBS’s newest on-course reporter joining Dottie Pepper and Mark Immelman.
The 45 year-old Wagner is a three-time PGA Tour winner and has served as a Golf Channel analyst for the past few years. He has made a name for himself in the industry thanks to his viral shot recreations that often provide some of the best entertainment in televised golf.
Wagner looks to be joining CBS full-time as it’s not expected that he will continue his Golf Channel duties after making the switch.
CBS is building quite the roster with some of the best voices from across the sport for their PGA Tour coverage. Like Colt Knost, Wagner is well-liked and provides a fresh perspective as a more recent tour alum.
CBS has done a lot of work in recent times to modernize and improve their golf coverage. That includes a greater use of technology and innovations like the walk-and-talk interviews with players during their rounds. It’s also taken on a lighter fare at times with Knost and Amanda Balionis being on-site at the 16th hole at Phoenix.
If Johnson Wagner is able to bring his reenactments over to CBS, let alone his on-course reporting work, it could only make their telecasts that much more fun.