Jim Mackay was "smart to play it safe" in his debut as an on-course analyst during Golf Channel's first-round coverage of the Open Championship, according to GOLF.com's Josh Sens. He "mostly favored straightforward facts over probing analysis and Tour gossip," and he "made the switch seem natural." The net also "wisely avoided the tempting but contrived option" of having Mackay follow Phil Mickelson's group. Mackay caddied for Mickelson for 25 years before parting last month (GOLF.com, 7/20). Mackay said, "Hopefully I can shed a little light on some of these players and the dynamic that goes on between them and their caddies. I've gotten to know them pretty well, and the courses also" ("The Open," Golf Channel, 7/20). Meanwhile, GOLFWEEK's Martin Kaufmann noted Golf Channel introduced Mackay "about 10 hours into the coverage -- mid-morning on the East Coast." NBC/Golf Channel is "making a splash with Mackay," but some "expected the network to get him involved early in the coverage." Having him begin with early-round action, which aired in the overnight hours on the East Coast, would have "allowed him to get acclimated with a smaller audience watching" (GOLFWEEK.com, 7/20).
PLAYING PARTNERS: GOLFWEEK's Kaufmann noted NBC's “Playing Through” feature that provides "side-by-side coverage of the tournament during some commercial breaks" is back for the Open. He wrote he found himself during the first round "paying more attention than usual to the commercials, probably because the continuing golf coverage keeps me focused on the TV as opposed to pushing the mute button." However, the coverage "gets squeezed" as a mini-leaderboard "stays on the screen" (GOLFWEEK.com, 7/20).
FOLLOW THE SHOT: In N.Y., Phil Mushnick writes Thursday’s first-round coverage "included some live golf, some that appeared to have been dishonestly presented as live, and lots of needless interruptions." Mushnick: "Golf? What golf? Where? ... Why didn’t NBC advertise its plan to minimize live coverage with such interruptions?" (N.Y. POST, 7/21).
