Popular golf commentator Gary McCord reflects on career-changing moment at Augusta National

Gary McCord opens up about his firing from CBS's Masters coverage and criticizes LIV Golf's inclusion at the tournament in a recent interview with Hot Mic.

Popular golf commentator Gary McCord reflects on career-changing moment at Augusta National

Gary McCord ( Image via Golf Digest )

Gary McCord is a name that has been synonymous with golf broadcasting for several decades now. The American commentator has covered some of the biggest events in golf, including the Masters.

However, it was his stint with CBS’s Masters’ coverage that proved to be a double-edged sword for him. McCord was famously fired from the job for a crude joke he made on air. Despite this, he looks back on the experience with no regrets, saying that it ultimately helped make his career.

YouTube video

In a recent interview with Hot Mic, McCord opened up about his experiences at the Masters and his firing from CBS. He also had some choice words for LIV Golf, the new streaming service that is set to be included in this year’s Masters coverage. McCord’s outspoken nature and willingness to speak his mind have endeared him to many golf fans over the years.

FS Video

McCord’s candid nature has often landed him in hot water, but it has also won him a legion of fans who appreciate his willingness to speak his mind. He has never shied away from calling out the powers that be in golf, and his comments on LIV Golf’s inclusion at this year’s Masters are no exception.

In the interview, McCord pulled no punches, calling the new streaming service a “steaming hot s— mess.” But for McCord, speaking his truth has always been more important than playing it safe, and that’s just one of the many reasons why he remains one of the most respected figures in golf broadcasting today.

Related: Veteran golfer and winner of nine majors Gary Player supports Rory Mcllroy to win the Masters

Gary McCord’s seminal moment and firing, calls out LIV Golf

Gary McCord
Gary McCord ( Image via Golf Digest )

Gary McCord’s seminal moment came during the 1994 Masters when he made a joke about the greens being so fast that they had been “bikini waxed”. This comment did not go down well with Augusta National officials, who promptly fired McCord from the CBS broadcast team.

In hindsight, McCord admits that his Masters’ experience was doomed from the beginning, thanks in part to a crude joke he made to Augusta National chairman Hord Hardin on his first day at the course.

McCord also had some strong words for LIV Golf, the new streaming service that is set to be included in this year’s Masters coverage. He called the service a “steaming hot s— mess” and questioned its relevance to the tournament. McCord’s comments echo those of many golf fans, who have expressed frustration at the proliferation of new streaming services and the fragmentation of coverage.

Gary McCord’s career in golf broadcasting has been defined by his willingness to speak his mind and his irreverent sense of humor. While his firing from CBS’s Masters coverage was undoubtedly a low point, it ultimately helped propel him to greater fame and success.

As he watches this year’s Masters from home, McCord remains an outspoken critic of the sport’s current landscape, calling out LIV Golf and other new streaming services for their lack of relevance to the tournament.

In case you missed it:

Hideki Matsuyama withdraws from Match Play Event with neck injury, Golf Twitter reacts

Matt Kuchar ties Tiger Woods’ record for most match wins in WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play tournament