Love still wants to play the PGA Tour and Champions Tour when possible but will work full-time for CBSGETTY IMAGES
Davis Love III said that his new full-time role as a golf announcer for CBS was a "long time in the making," according to Geoff Shackelford of GOLFWEEK. With the "non-renewals of veterans Gary McCord and Peter Kostis, the natural inclination is to assume Love's negotiation was a rush job to impact a news cycle surprised by the abrupt send-off to a pair of CBS stalwarts." However, Love said that there have been "two years of talks since he served stints with the Masters digital team, conversing on occasion" with CBS Sports Chair Sean McManus about a possible role. Love plans to be "all-in on CBS golf's 23-event schedule, including at the PGA Championship, where he is an exempt former champion." He said, "I do want to play the PGA Tour and Champions Tour when possible. ... I'm not going to get out of the playing side. But I wanted to be on the number one team so I'll be full-time with CBS" (GOLFWEEK.com, 10/29).
FRESHENING THINGS UP: In California, Larry Bohannan wonders if the news of CBS moving on from McCord and Kostis was "really a surprise." It "certainly seems that CBS is trying to get younger among its announcers," but there "may be more to it than just age." If McManus thinks CBS' golf broadcasts are "too predictable, too comfortable and too familiar, well, he could be right." But when "push comes to shove," it is likely that the "people who watched CBS golf before with Kostis and McCord will watch" in '20 as well. Meanwhile, moving forward, fans should not expect McCord to "go away quietly." There is a "chance he could show up for Fox's limited schedule of golf events, or maybe for some events for NBC or Golf Channel." Kostis said that he "wants to focus on teaching, but that he'll still do some broadcasting" (Palm Springs DESERT SUN, 10/30).
