Live sports broadcasting is supposed to be the gold standard of seamless professionalism, isn’t it? Technical crews work their magic invisibly. Announcers deliver polished commentary that enhances the experience. Viewers get to witness golf’s biggest moments without any ridiculous interruptions. Well, somebody forgot to tell NBC about these basic requirements during their recent major championship coverage.

Recent incidents at The Open Championship have exposed the fragile nature of live golf broadcasting. Friday’s coverage from Royal Portrush became a masterclass in Murphy’s Law.

Smylie Kaufman found himself issuing a public apology that no broadcaster ever wants to make. “Hey yall! I made a double bogey at 15 today with a bizarre audio situation,” the NBC on-course reporter posted on social media. “Sorry about that as I clearly didn’t know I was on air! Apologies and a lesson learned!”

So what exactly forced Kaufman into damage control mode? The incident unfolded during his coverage of Jon Rahm‘s group at the 14th hole. Kaufman began describing the challenging hole location as Rahm lined up a 48-foot birdie putt. Then disaster struck. “This is one of the more difficult holes today, this hole location…” Kaufman said before pausing. A hushed but audible “what the f**?”* followed moments later.

Kaufman didn’t realize his microphone remained hot. The expletive broadcast live across the USA Network reached American households nationwide.

Technical difficulties plagued the broadcast team throughout the day. Kaufman heard a pop in his ear and went radio-silent. This usually indicates that his microphone is not working. Clearly, it wasn’t.

Mike Tirico issued an on-air apology fifteen minutes later. “Earlier, we had some technical issues with our microphones,” Tirico explained. “When we come over here, our on-course reporters, sometimes the headsets don’t work the same way they do back home. Because of that, led to some language getting through on the air that shouldn’t have gotten through.”

NBC blamed foreign headsets at Royal Portrush. These apparently don’t function like American equipment.

The golf broadcasting community rallied around Kaufman. Brandel Chamblee offered supportive words: “You’ve made so many birdies in broadcasting, Smylie, you can handle the odd double! Have a great call on the weekend.” While Kaufman’s microphone mishap dominated headlines, it was far from NBC’s only broadcasting blunder that day.

NBC’s Open Championship Broadcasting Problems Continue Pattern of Major Issues

Friday’s chaos extended beyond Kaufman’s microphone malfunction. A bat invaded the NBC broadcast booth earlier that day. Dan Hicks frantically waved his arms, trying to shoo the creature away. Meanwhile, Kevin Kisner dove under his sports coat for protection. Tirico later described the scene with amusement. “Kevin Kisner, this is a man who is a proud hunter — he’s under his jacket. He is spooked by this bat.”

Yet NBC’s problems run deeper than wildlife invasions and technical glitches. American viewers missed one crucial Rory McIlroy putt on the 13th hole due to an ill-timed commercial break. This moment highlighted the golf world’s eagerness to see Rory perform in his home country, where he shot a course-record 61 as an amateur twenty years ago.

Josh Carpenter captured fan frustration perfectly. “A big moment in Rory’s round on 13, and USA viewers miss it completely,” he tweeted.

This pattern of coverage issues spans multiple major championships. The 2025 U.S. Open faced fierce backlash over excessive commercials and technical failures. Similarly, the 2024 Open Championship drew criticism for prioritizing advertisements over actual golf coverage.

Fans increasingly express their displeasure on social media. Comments range from “Coverage is so terrible” to demands for NBC to improve its major championship broadcasts.

Looking ahead, NBC faces mounting pressure to address these recurring issues. Golf fans deserve better coverage of the sport’s most prestigious events. The network’s technical problems and poor timing have become a distraction from the competition itself. Will NBC learn from these mistakes? Only future major championships will tell.