{"id":569214,"date":"2026-04-07T05:28:10","date_gmt":"2026-04-07T05:28:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/569214\/"},"modified":"2026-04-07T05:28:10","modified_gmt":"2026-04-07T05:28:10","slug":"jim-nantz-responds-to-criticism-over-bryson-dechambeau-comments","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/569214\/","title":{"rendered":"Jim Nantz responds to criticism over Bryson DeChambeau comments"},"content":{"rendered":"

CBS Sports\u2019 lead golf announcer Jim Nantz was in the headlines last week over comments he made during a Masters preview press call about LIV Golf star Bryson DeChambeau.<\/p>\n

On the call, Nantz mentioned that he had not seen DeChambeau play at all this season<\/a>, citing his own commitments covering the PGA Tour for CBS. In context, however, Nantz\u2019s comments were complimentary towards DeChambeau.<\/p>\n

\u201cScottie [Scheffler], since he won in January, has been that strange kind of un-Scottie-like starts to tournaments where he rallies late. But I think if you had to pick one guy, that would be the guy, and probably right behind him would be Bryson,\u201d Nantz responded to a question about who he sees as a contender to slip on the green jacket on Sunday. \u201cJust given his recent track record. I have to confess, I have not seen Bryson hit a single shot this year. I have not seen him, so for me to say what his form looks like, all I can go off is the YouTube videos I\u2019ve watched with my son. That\u2019s all I\u2019ve seen. Busy doing our own coverage, so I haven\u2019t seen him play. But I know his desire to win there. I know Bryson quite well through the years, and it wouldn\u2019t surprise me at all to see him in a Green Jacket one day.\u201d<\/p>\n

Many outlets ran with the comments, omitting context, which made it seem as though Nantz was taking a shot at the LIV Golf league.<\/p>\n

On Monday, Nantz appeared on\u00a0The Pat McAfee Show and addressed how his words were misconstrued.<\/p>\n

\u201cJon Rahm is coming in playing well too..<\/p>\n

I would love to see him and Bryson DeChambeau on the leaderboard\u201d ~ Jim Nantz #PMSLive<\/a> https:\/\/t.co\/anLFglX1h2<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/UwOPJGDY1g<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) April 6, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cI was on a press conference call last week, and a lot of people took exception to a statement I made about how Bryson, I haven\u2019t watched a shot so far this year,\u201d Nantz began. \u201cOf course, he\u2019s been winning on the LIV tour; he\u2019s won a couple of starts. And I just want to say that was extracted from a quote where I had him as the favorite behind Scottie, number one. And then Bryson, I happened to mention, I have a long relationship with Bryson. He\u2019s been to my home, my son was almost named after him. I mean, there\u2019s a great friendship and respect there. And I said this too, I think he\u2019s going to win in August. Maybe it\u2019s this year, he\u2019s certainly coming in hot.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve got my own stuff going on,\u201d Nantz continued. \u201cWe\u2019re broadcasting. The point is, I read everything. I don\u2019t have to sit down and watch the DP World Tour to be prepared for those players, or the LIV Golf. But I give them their due, and I expect Jon Rahm\u2019s coming in playing well too, I expect both Jon and Bryson will be right there, both great guys, and I would love to have them on the leaderboard.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pat McAfee, true to form, then interjected with a joke about how he thought it was only his show that had quotes taken out of context.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ve got all these bots, and LIV has a pretty strong force of a social media team from what I hear, because I\u2019m not on social media,\u201d Nantz explained. \u201cBut if you say anything that could be loosely interpreted as negative, they come after you. And that\u2019s fine. I stood by my comments. I wasn\u2019t trying to take a shot at Bryson. I have, like I said, I have a great regard for him. I consider him a friend and I consider him a favorite for this week.\u201d<\/p>\n

It wouldn\u2019t be the first time the media turned a nothing-burger comment into a something-burger. Though it is certainly reasonable to expect Nantz had at least watched DeChambeau play some professional golf prior to the Masters, especially considering he\u2019s one of the favorites this week, both in Nantz\u2019s eyes and the eyes of the Las Vegas bookkeepers.<\/p>\n

In any case, Nantz clearly wasn\u2019t trying to cast aspersions upon Bryson DeChambeau or LIV Golf. He was just being candid. And that\u2019s certainly better than lying and claiming to have watched extensive DeChambeau tape when he hasn\u2019t.<\/p>\n

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