Paul Azinger will no longer be the lead golf analyst for NBC Sports, which was first reported by the Associated Press and has since been confirmed by Golf Digest.
Azinger, 63, did not have his five-year contract renewed by the network, which caught him by surprise, according to the Golf Digest.
“We want to thank Paul for his work with us over the last five years,” NBC said in a statement. “His insights, his work ethic and relationships in the golf industry are well known, and we appreciate what he brought to our team. We wish Paul the best in his future endeavors.”
The decision by NBC comes as a potential larger overhaul of the network’s coverage and more changes could be coming down the line.
“I have treasured working beside Dan Hicks and the other talented NBC broadcasters as well as lead producer Tommy Roy and all those behind the scenes,” Azinger said in a statement released on Sunday. “They are a remarkable team, and I will miss them tremendously. My thanks to them and the countless others who have supported me and helped me along the way during my work in television. I have faith in what the future holds for me, for NBC, and for the great game of golf.”
Azinger has played in or broadcast more than 100 major championships and international team events across 40 years.
His last event before his career at NBC came to a close was at the Ryder Cup in September which saw Team Europe beat the U.S.16½-11½.
Azinger will not be on call for the Hero World Challenge, which will see the return of Tiger Woods.
He took the job in 2019 after Johnny Miller’s retirement. Prior to arriving on the NBC scene, Azinger served as the lead analyst for ABC and ESPN from 2006-2015, and in 2016, he was a part of Fox Sports for the USGA championships.
It’s not yet certain who will cohost the Hero World Challenge with Hicks,