Fox' third year of U.S. Open coverage begins today at Erin Hills, and lead announcer Joe Buck said that the "vibe has changed dramatically" since the net's first Open two years ago at Chambers Bay, according to Neil Best of NEWSDAY. Buck said, "Last year felt really good. It felt like we had a bit more of a handle on it. ... This year I sense no scrambling. I feel like the last two years, certainly the first year, poor (coordinating producer) Mark Loomis, everybody was asking him how to tie their shoes. And now it’s to the point where it’s, ‘OK, I know what I need to do.'" Buck said that Fox has "benefitted from a team with extensive TV experience." Buck said, "Everybody knows how to do TV. Now with this extra level of comfort, you can A, be yourself and B, have a little more fun and know you’re going to cover it" (NEWSDAY, 6/15). Loomis said the net "tried to do 15 to 20 things with technology" the first year it covered the tournament, but they "tried to narrow the focus the second year." GOLF.com's Josh Sens noted the net "made some changes in the broadcast team" as well, including Paul Azinger replacing Greg Norman in the lead analyst chair. Loomis: "After the first year, we felt like our announce team needed to get better. ... We needed to go out and find some people who had experience." Sens noted most fans "know little about" Erin Hills with it being a first-time host of the tournament. Loomis said it is the net's job to "remind people over and over, what Erin Hills is all about." Loomis: "You show people the first hole. It's a 600-yard par five. Do you show them an aerial view? A 3D-model. People don't have that historical knowledge, so it's on us that they get to know the course" (GOLF.com, 6/6).
