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Justin Thomas is skipping the PGA Tour’s Mexico Open this week however his caddie, Jim “Bones” Mackay, will probably be busy doing a primary for TV.
Mackay will function the lead analyst for NBC Sports activities on the telecast of the Tour occasion South of the border, the primary time an energetic caddie has ever crammed that function.
NBC Sports activities parted methods with Paul Azinger late final yr as his contract was set to run out on the finish of the season and the community has been rotating voices ever since. PGA Tour professional Kevin Kisner, who dealt with duties at The Sentry and WM Phoenix Open, former European Ryder Cup captain and SkySports/Golf Channel commentator Paul McGinley did so on the Hero World Problem, Curt Byrum took a spin on the Sony Open in Hawaii, and Golf Channel’s Brandel Chamblee labored The American Categorical, all taking turns because the lead analyst throughout NBC telecasts.
Mackay, although, isn’t within the full-time job and made it clear, by way of an NBC spokesman, that his upcoming TV look shouldn’t be interpreted as him throwing his hat within the ring for the job. (Efforts to succeed in Mackay for remark have been unsuccessful earlier than publication of this story.) With Thomas taking the week off after enjoying 4 of the final 5 occasions on Tour, Mackay is on the market however he’s dedicated to caddying for Thomas, who he has labored for since returning to caddying full-time in 2022. He was on the bag for Thomas when he gained the 2022 PGA Championship and most lately this week on the Genesis Championship, the place Thomas missed the reduce.
Caddie Jim Mackay on the 2024 Genesis Invitational at Riviera Nation Membership in Pacific Palisades, California. (Photograph: Harry How/Getty Photographs)
Mackay spent a stretch of 25 years as caddie for Phil Mickelson earlier than becoming a member of NBC in 2017 as an on-course reporter and rapidly turning into probably the greatest within the enterprise in that function. Mackay has continued to dabble in doing TV for NBC when Thomas has been off, together with for the Augusta Nationwide Girls’s Novice and the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship final yr.
A spokesman for NBC Sports activities mentioned that Mackay will stroll as an on-course reporter on Thursday and be a part of a three-man sales space for the remaining three rounds with veteran professional Brad Faxon, and Steve Sands and Dan Hicks rotating as host.
The Mexico Open marks the primary of seven straight weeks that NBC will broadcast PGA Tour occasions, together with the Gamers Championship. NBC is mum about who else may get a chance because it tries out completely different voices and take time in choosing a everlasting alternative. Tune in subsequent week to search out out who will probably be subsequent to get a spin within the massive chair.
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