U.S. Senior Open: NBC Sports activities’ Gary Koch returning to competitors

Legendary NBC Sports activities golf broadcaster Gary Koch, who performed within the U.S. Open 17 occasions as a professional and known as 22 extra on tv, will tee it up on the U.S. Senior Open this week at Newport Nation Membership.

He made it to Rhode Island by way of sectional qualifying in what is going to mark his U.S. Senior Open debut.

“One of many causes I obtained into tv in my 40s is as a result of I discovered it’s so much simpler to speak about some man making a six-foot putt than me doing it,” Koch stated Wednesday earlier than the match.

“You’re hoping as a broadcaster to have the ability to talk to the viewer hopefully what the participant is pondering or perhaps the sport plan they’ve put collectively, or we learn feedback they make about how they’re attempting to play the golf course. We spend loads of time on the golf course, at the same time as broadcasters, testing the situations. So I might say there are some similarities, little question. However speaking about it’s a lot simpler than doing it.”

Koch has not performed competitively since 2018, when he tied for fiftieth at The Senior Open. Regardless of that, he arrives within the Ocean State with loads of confidence and with good motive. Koch, now 71, admitted that he has shot his age at the least 100 occasions, first doing so after he turned 62.

“The fact is I simply don’t play a lot aggressive golf anymore,” Koch stated.

Photograph by Ben Jared/PGA Tour by way of Getty Photos

“On my good days, I ought to have the ability to go round this place and submit a decent rating. I’m undecided what a decent rating can be primarily based on the situations. I might say realistically, if I could make the minimize and play all 4 days, then I’ve most likely completed one thing I’d be very pleased with.”

So long as Koch can hold it in play, he ought to have an opportunity to make the weekend.

However the competitors inside the competitors will come all the way down to the battle between broadcasters. Koch’s fellow NBC Sports activities colleague, Notah Begay III, may even tee it up this week. Koch and Begay III just lately known as the motion at Pinehurst No. 2, the place Bryson DeChambeau received his second U.S. Open title.

“I’m positive there shall be slightly wager on who’s low announcer,” Koch joked.

“However he’s additionally so much youthful than I’m. He most likely ought to give me a couple of strokes.”

Begay III, who performed alongside Tiger Woods at Stanford within the mid-Nineteen Nineties, is 20 years youthful than Koch however primarily works as an analyst for NBC Sports activities.

However, the fantastic thing about golf—and this championship, for that matter—is that anybody can play, regardless of their age. A golfer’s rating doesn’t discriminate, because it all will depend on who can get the ball into the outlet the quickest.

“As I look again over my lifetime of golf, the [United States Golf Association (USGA)] and their competitions have been an enormous a part of that, little question about it,” Koch mirrored.

“The very first one was in 1968, the USGA Junior at The Nation Membership in Brookline, Massachusetts. I used to be 15 years outdated. So right here we’re 56 years later, attending to compete in one other USGA Championship. I can’t consider another sport the place one thing like that would occur.”

Jack Milko is a golf employees author for SB Nation’s Taking part in Via. Make sure you try @_PlayingThrough for extra golf protection. You possibly can comply with him on Twitter @jack_milko as nicely.