Jerry Foltz of LIV Golf claims that famed commentator Jim Nantz ‘tarnished his career’ by making a sarcastic remark regarding the breakaway tour during coverage of the 88th Masters.
Foltz made the announcement in the most recent edition of LIV’s podcast, ‘Fairway to Heaven’.
The commentator was upset with Nantz for mentioning during Sunday’s coverage on CBS that the top five players on the leaderboard were PGA Tour members.
Foltz told the program, “It made me sad to see what Jim Nantz did when the players headed to the 16th tee.
“A great announcer who will most likely be remembered as one of the best ever ruined his own career by pointing out that the top five on the leaderboard that they were showing were all PGA Tour players.
“Unfortunately, the remarks on social media did not flatter Jim Nantz. The Masters are above that. I’ve always held Jim Nantz in high respect, well beyond such trivial matters.”
Foltz went on to say that Nantz delivered the’most poignant’ farewell to departing Sean McManus.
McManus, CBS Sports chairman, followed in the footsteps of his father, Jim McKay.
McKay, a sports broadcasting legend, died in 2008 at the age of 86.
“Jim McKay would have never stooped to Jim Nantz doing what he did to try and point out his loyalty to the PGA Tour,” Foltz said.
“It really put a dampener on the whole day.”
The opening major of the year saw 13 LIV players on the field.
Jon Rahm, the defending champion, barely made the cut.
However, the Spaniard was not a factor this weekend.
Instead, LIV’s chase of the green jacket was mostly led by Bryson DeChambeau.
DeChambeau led after 18 holes but fell behind when the course firmed up and the weather worsened.
Cameron Smith, despite being unwell, managed to get into contention after 54 holes.
England’s Tyrrell Hatton finished in the top ten.
Former LIV winners Sergio Garcia, Bubba Watson, Charl Schwartzel, and Dustin Johnson all missed the cut.
Adrian Meronk of Poland, making his Masters debut, also missed the cut.
Nantz has already made comments about LIV players who compete at Augusta National.
During the 2023 Masters, Nantz made fun of LIV after Brooks Koepka was forced to lay up on the par-5 15th during the third round.
As the American neared his ball, Nantz cracked a subtle joke. “There it is right on the CW… the crosswalk!”
The joke was about LIV’s broadcast on the CW Network.
Nantz later stated that he was’shocked’ that anyone had responded to his comment.
“I was just, maybe being a little cheeky,” he told me. “I certainly did not intend it to be a shot. It wasn’t a shot at all.”
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