One of the most iconic voices in golf, Verne Lundquist, will be calling the Masters for the final time this April, CBS announced Wednesday. It will be the 83-year-old broadcaster’s 40th call at Augusta National.
Lundquist is the voice of one of the most famous calls in golf history. In the final round of the 2005 Masters, Tiger Woods found himself in a tough lie in the rough at the par 3 16th green and hit a chip that slowly rolled to the edge of the cup, stopped for a moment, and eventually fell in.
“Oh my goodness,” Lundquist shouted. “Oh wow. In your LIFE have you ever seen anything like that?”
That shot was the catalyst for Woods winning the tournament and perhaps the most memorable moment in his career.
Yes Sir!
As Verne Lundquist gets set to call his 40th Masters on CBS in April, he has announced that it will be his final Masters for the Network. pic.twitter.com/y9VxlliQKJ
— Golf on CBS ⛳ (@GolfonCBS) February 14, 2024
Lundquist has called all but one Masters since 1983, including his famous call of Jack Nicklaus birdieing the 17th hole to take the lead at the 1986 Masters as Lundquist yelled, “Yes, sir!” When Woods won his 15th major at the 2019 Masters and birdied the 16th hole, Lundquist said, “I am compelled to say…Oh my goodness.”
He also made a name for himself in college football and college basketball. He stepped away from CBS’ SEC football cover in 2016 and announced his retirement from college basketball coverage in 2018. He remained on CBS’ Masters coverage through this year.
For the last three years, he hinted that he may be nearing retirement, saying in 2022 that his goal was to get to 40 Masters. Much of that time he has been set up in a tower above the famous 16th green. The short par 3 is one of the more famous golf holes and often a crucial pivot point down the dramatic stretch of the tournament, and Lundquist’s energy is perfect for those exciting moments with the Masters on the line.
Now, he gets one final chance to call that drama.
(Photo: Jamie McCarthy / Getty Images)
