The Quadrilateral

The Quadrilateral

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The Quadrilateral
The Quadrilateral
2025 PGA Championship Media Menu

2025 PGA Championship Media Menu

CBS is riding high after the Masters while ESPN deals with a late WD by lead analyst Duval.

Geoff Shackelford's avatar
Geoff Shackelford
May 12, 2025
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2025 PGA Championship Media Menu
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Greetings from Charlotte where Monday’s forecast is grotesque. Tuesday and Wednesday aren’t exactly going have the fans breaking out in Carolina In My Mind. But the tournament days look free of rain and full of heat to (maybe) dry things out.

As we wait the heavy stuff out, you can mull the ramifications of Sepp Straka’s second win this year or Shane Lowry’s final hole three-putt at Philadelphia Cricket Club. Or, delve into this round-up of PGA Championship coverage plans.


Before we get to the PGA coverage nuts and bolts, last week’s preview call offered the first chance to talk with CBS talent following the unforgettable 2025 Masters.

“It’s constantly being brought up in everyday conversation about how that was one of the greatest events people have ever witnessed in their lives,” Jim Nantz said of Rory McIlroy’s triumph. “Truly, it is an ongoing gift. We’re in an afterglow. Golf fans and non-golf fans alike—here we are almost a month later— and it’s still top of mind for people.”

Nantz said he’s asked multiple times daily where his 40th Masters ranks. He does not put them in order but did say the 2025 tournament joins elite company.

“I’m mindful of recency bias here being perhaps a factor, but Rory’s, and Jack’s in ’86, and Tiger’s in 2019 are all in this special stratosphere where you kind of walk away for a long time with the feeling of ‘I can’t believe what I just saw.’”

Lead CBS analyst and 2008 Masters Champion Trevor Immelman said the event has already moved to a “where were you when?” moment.

“People are going to remember the exact situation they were in when they watched Rory complete the career Grand Slam,” Immelman said. “For us to be a tiny part of helping people enjoy that moment and remember that moment is something that we’re extremely thankful for and proud of.”


CBS

In rolling out plans for the week, CBS revealed a few new elements beyond their already-robust annual efforts covering tournaments at Quail Hollow.

CBS producer Sellers Shy highlighted the 300-yard-long Rail Cam staring at the 10th tee, as well as the “augmented reality” visuals at the 14th tee. The element will be “delivering real-time analytics and immersive visuals using 5G technology in partnership with T-Mobile.” So we’ll see.

Shy has made a half-dozen scouting trips for this PGA and is promising fresh perspectives to give viewers a major-worthy look at Quail Hollow.

“While we feel like we know Quail Hollow as well as anyone involved having covered it since 2003, knowing that it’s a major championship allows us to add cameras, add equipment to certain places where you normally can’t,” the producer said. “We’ll be able to give the fan angles that they’ve never seen.”

Shy said they’ll still play the hits but focus on the risk-reward holes.

“Obviously we’ll still hit on the Green Mile discussion,” he said of the finishing holes. “We’ll hit on the risk-reward holes. The 8s and 14s of the world. But you may see them from a different place that’s fresh.”

For the 35th consecutive year Jim Nantz will host the network’s coverage from the 18th tower alongside lead analyst Trevor Immelman. CBS Sports’ team remains the same, with the addition of Masters 14th hole announcer Andrew Catalon as part of this year’s PGA coverage. Ian Baker-Finch and Frank Nobilo will again serve as hole announcers in the “Super Tower,” while the on-course reporters are Dottie Pepper, Colt Knost, and Mark Immelman. Interviews will again be handled by Amanda Balionis.

Warning of a tradition unlike any other: by week’s end the CBS team may have you wondering why Quail Hollow czar Johnny Harris was not elected the first American pope. After hearing last week’s call, multiple oddsmakers bumped the over/under on reverential Harris mentions to 54 from 49. Take the over. For some context, my pal Larry “Bad Beat” Hedgworth says the “over” is a lock—even if your bookie confines mentions to the CBS coverage. Bet responsibly, Quadrilateragenerates.

Behind the cameras helmed by CBS’s sensational crew, the telecast will again led by coordinating producer Shy along with Jim Rikhoff. The directors are Steve Milton and Bob Matina. Chris Svendsen and Bryan Kosowski serve as replay producers. They report to David Berson in his first year as President & CEO amd Harold Bryant, Executive Producer and Executive Vice President, Production, CBS Sports.

CBS Sports Network and CBS Sports’ Digital platforms will provide some shoulder programming:

  • PGA Championship Clubhouse Report will recap each round (Thursday-Sunday, 8:00-9:00 PM, ET), with highlights, analysis and player interviews. Kelly Tilghman hosts and will be joined by Roger Steele, Michael Breed, Brian Crowell and Hally Leadbetter.

  • CBS Sports Network will re-air the third and final-round broadcasts on Sunday (May 18), from 6:00-10:00 a.m. ET (third round), and 9:00 p.m.-3:00 a.m. ET (final round).

  • CBS Sports Network will air PGA Championship archival shows Monday-Wednesday, May 12-14.

For American viewers, here are the main broadcast windows (Paramount+ handles the streaming for the CBS weekend windows):


ESPN

With the late withdrawal of lead analyst David Duval, the Worldwide Leader is off to an unexpectedly bizarre start this week under longtime golf producer Mike McQuade. Just two days after having been announced as the lead analyst again, ESPN revealed on Friday that the former Open Champion has chosen to play this week’s Champions Tour season-opening major instead of sitting alongside host Scott Van Pelt. The pair has developed a nice rapport since ESPN took over the PGA in 2020.

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