1 CBS Masters change could have big Sunday ramifications

AUGUSTA, Ga. — CBS Golf is a Masters tradition in itself, but as the network readies for its 70th year of Sunday telecasts at Augusta National, a considerable change is lurking in the wings.

Former pro golfer and longtime CBS broadcaster Frank Nobilo will step into the booth at the 16th hole at Augusta National — becoming just the third broadcaster to fill the position on the par-3 in the last 40 years.

Last week, CBS Sports chairman David Berson announced that Nobilo would fill in the void opened by the retirement of legendary broadcaster Verne Lundquist.

“We’re excited that Frank Nobilo will be in the tower at 16 this year,” Berson said on a press call ahead of the Masters. “This will be Frank’s 11th Masters as an integral part of our team, and you can look forward to his typical great insight and analysis now also at the famed 16th hole.”

Nobilo has been a key figure for CBS’s broadcast over the last several years, ascending into a critical role in the booth alongside lead play-by-play man Jim Nantz and analyst Trevor Immelman. Now, at the Masters, he is taking on duties at the famed 16th hole, which has been the site of many a Masters Sunday memory over the last several decades — from Nantz’s “The Bear has come out of hibernation” in ’86 to Lundquist’s pair of “Oh … my … goodness” calls at Tiger Woods’ Masters victories in ’05 and ’19.

“Yeah, there’s no one more experienced with both, not only in golf as a broadcaster but also as a former player,” CBS Sports producer Sellers Shy said. “He’s in the New Zealand Hall of Fame. He was right there in 1995 or ’96, he finished fourth, and he has an incredible balance, and he’s earned that right to be on that hole, and there’s now a real nice, nice balance that I think everyone is going to be very, very happy with.”

The par-3 16th is undergoing a change of its own on this Masters Sunday, shifting the pin position away from the traditional Sunday “funnel” pin on the lower lefthand side toward a position on the upper righthand portion of the green that was last used for Jack Nicklaus’ victory in 1975.

Nobilo will be responsible for calling the action from that new location. He will also serve as a so-called “tower announcer” above the 11th hole, though he will sacrifice his position at the par-3 12th.

“The rest of our team is intact, so there’s not much change, but there will be some movement of things,” Berson said. “Frank will still be doing 11 and you’ll hear Mr. Nantz and Mr. Immelman at 12.”

It was tough to pull Nobilo off the 12th tower, Berson said, but he was a natural fit in the booth on 16.

“Frank is an incredible analyst, a huge part of our team. He deserves this opportunity,” Berson said. “Frank has been doing Amen Corner for a long time. I’m thrilled that he gets to be a much more integral part of the latter portion of our coverage now. He deserves it. We’re thrilled for him.”