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The stage is all set this week at the WGC CA Championship. With all the top players ready to tee it up, it should be a great tournament. Let’s hope that the players give us an interesting and exciting week of golf. NBC is covering the action this week and that means we will get to hear one of the more affable and candid on course reporters, Roger Maltbie. All the networks have their teams of analysts that give us their opinions and the on course reporters that are right there following the players up close and personal. Maltbie is one of the more recognizable reporters and looks like he’d be ready to share a tale or two over a few beverages after the days play. He is always insightful with his reporting and never hesitates to give it right back to Johnny Miller, the resident know-it-all on NBC. Unfortunately, there is a new generation of golf fans watching now (thanks to Mr. Woods) that is unaware that Roger Maltbie played on the tour “back in the day.”
In his first full year on tour,1975, Maltbie won back to back tournaments, the Quad Cities Open and the Pleasant Valley Classic. He was voted PGA Tour Rookie of the Year. The following year he won the first Memorial Tournament. He was playing against all the big names in that one, including the host, Jack Nicklaus. Maltbie defeated Hale Irwin in a four hole playoff to claim the title (See classic story). It took him nine years to win on the tour again but in 1985 he won on two classic courses. Maltbie was the victor at the Westchester Classic at the Westchester Country Club and The World Series of Golf at Firestone Country Club. Maltbie appears to have played his best on difficult courses. In addition to Muirfield, Westchester and Firestone, Maltbie had a fourth place finish at the Masters and led after the second round at the 1977 British Open at Turnberry. It looks like Roger had some game back in the day.
Lately, he has the best seat in the house to watch the best players in the game. He has been there for many historic and exciting moments. It is obvious that Maltbie enjoys his job. His sense of humor and his openness make him one of the more watchable personalities in golf.
Courtesy Golf Digest
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Dustin Johnson clearly grounded his club head however accidentally in the bunker at hole 1 today during the WGC Mexico. Maltbie and other NBC folks seem to have ignored this infraction but it was clearly obvious on the telecast. Rules are rules until the new rules go into affect.