Paul Azinger, who was born on January 6, 1960, played on four Ryder Cup teams and captained the 2008 U.S. squad to a win at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky. The Holyoke, Massachusetts, native won a dozen times on the PGA Tour, including the 1993 PGA Championship at Inverness, beating Greg Norman in a playoff.
He began his broadcasting career in 2005 with ABC and ESPN, and after the network lost its Open Championship broadcast rights in 2015 he joined FOX Sports as their lead golf analyst. He also worked for the BBC at the Masters Tournament for six years.
But Azinger did not return to his role as lead golf analyst for NBC Sports in 2024, ending a five-year relationship between the network and the 12-time PGA Tour winner.
“I always felt like it was my job in the booth to give the viewer a sense of what it takes to deal with the mental and physical challenges of the game,” Azinger continued. “If you play competitive golf, you learn that your mind and body change under stressful conditions and circumstances. The great players understand this and know how to perform and win when the heat is on.”
Azinger will now continue his work on the Miakka Golf Club in Myakka, Florida, as well as with his wife, Toni, on the Azinger Compassion Center in Bradenton, Florida, which supports the One More Child organization.
Here are a number of our favorite moments from ‘Zinger’s career.
Florida golfer Paul Azinger tosses grass in the air to check the wind direction on the…Feb 1989; Miami, FL, USA; FILE PHOTO; Paul Azinger walks to the green during the 1989…Mar 1990; Miami, FL, USA; FILE PHOTO; Paul Azinger follows through his swing on the tee…Mar 1990; Miami, FL, USA; FILE PHOTO; Paul Azinger eats an apple while sitting on his…Dec 1991: Paul Azinger of the USA chats with Seve Ballesteros of Spain on the practice…Paul Azinger celebrates his winning shot at the Memorial Tournament in 1993.Paul Azinger and family, Jack NicklausPaul Azinger holds up the Wanamaker Trophy after winning the 75th PGA Championship in a sudden…Former President Gerald Ford and his wife Betty, second from right, join the President Cup team…04/07/1999; Augusta, Georgia USA; Paul Azinger studies his next shot while caddie cleans the ball at…Paul Azinger captured his first Tour win in seven years at the 2000 Sony Open. (Associated…Tiger Woods, left, and Paul Azinger, right, talk before teeing off on the second hole of…United States Presidents Cup Golf Team (L-R) Captain Ken Venturi, Phil Mickelson, Tom Lehman, Loren Roberts,…Paul Azinger and Tiger Woods were teammates on the 2002 U.S. Ryder Cup team.Paul Azinger gestures as he eulogizes Payne Stewart at the First Baptist Church in Orlando, Fla.,…Paul Azinger was the last captain to lead the United States to Ryder Cup victory.Two-time PGA champion Dave Stockton calls Paul Azinger the “best ever” Ryder Cup captain.Paul AzingerPaul Azinger celebrates with Team USA after winning the 2008 Ryder Cup.August 11, 2008; Bloomfield Township, MI, USA; Ryder Cup Team captain Paul Azinger introduces the eight…Paul Azinger shares the Ryder Cup with fans after his team's 2008 victory.Paul Azinger was able to sell his '08 American team as underdogs, and the attitude paid…Paul Azinger on the second hole during the final round of the 2001 Masters.Jan 5, 2008; Lexington, KY, USA; Ryder Cup captain Paul Azinger shakes hands with Kentucky governor…From left, David Toms, Paul Azinger and Phil Mickelson cross a bridge on the 16th fairway…United States team captain Paul Azinger and members of the team after winning the 2008 Ryder…Mike Tirico and Paul Azinger will anchor ESPN's coverage of the 2015 British Open.Paul Azinger replaces Johnny Miller as the main voice in golf for NBC and Golf Channel,ESPN's Mike Tirico and Paul AzingerU.S. team captain Paul Azinger, right, and members of the team hold the Ryder Cup trophy…Paul Azinger poses for a photo during the NBC Golf Channel telecast during the 2023 Players…Paul AzingerPaul Azinger throws out the first pitch before Game 2 of the American Leaugue Divisional Series…SHEBOYGAN, WI - AUGUST 15: Paul Azinger tests out the PGA Championship TV App at The…Paul Azinger/FoxMEXICO CITY, MEXICO - FEBRUARY 21: NBC Sports golf analyst Paul Azinger poses for a picture…Holding the trophy for the 37th Ryder Cup, European captain Nick Faldo, left, and United States…Paul Azinger and Tiger Woods chat on the third hole of the 2001 Memorial at Muirfield…ORG XMIT: AUH127 Tiger Woods and Paul Azinger, from Bradenton, Fla., joke together as they wait…Tiger Woods, left, and Phil Azinger have a light hearted moment as they relax while waiting…U.S. golf team members (top row-L to R) Paul Azinger, Tiger Woods, Hal Sutton, Kirk Triplett,…USA captain Paul Azinger is sprayed with champagne after defeating the Europeans on day 3 of…Paul Azinger won the 2013 tournament at the Inverness Golf Club in Ohio, USA. (Photo: David…GAINESVILLE, : US golf team members (top row-L to R) Paul Azinger, Tiger Woods, Hal Sutton,…Paul Azinger celebrates his winning shot at the Memorial Tournament in 1993. (Photo by Columbus Dispatch)Paul Azinger, pictured during Fox's telecast of the 2016 U.S. Open at OakmontSep 24, 2022; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Paul Azinger holds up a fish at the lake…Paul Azinger tosses a fish into the lake near the 14th hole during the foursomes match…NBC's golf broadcasters Johnny Miller, Paul Azinger, and Dan Hicks pose for a photo opportunity following…Paul Azinger (L) and Dan Hicks of the Golf Channel appear on set during the second…
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