ATLANTA — It's muggy and sweaty Friday in East Lake, with temperatures topping 90 degrees, a typical late-summer day in Georgia. But the heat and humidity aren't slowing down NBC Sports' Kurt Byrum, a veteran broadcast reporter who has called more golf games than anyone else in 2024.
He'll be out on the course again as lead producer Tommy Roy gives him another high-profile assignment: accompanying and reporting on the penultimate pairing of Xander Schauffele and Adam Scott in the second round of the Tour Championship.
So Byrum decided to wear a white NBC Sports shirt and hat to stay cool while commentating from inside the ropes. Thick sunglasses also complement his outfit, which, like the PGA Tour pros, also includes pants, a must-have for all play-by-play announcers. He'll do his best to find as much shade as he can, a much harder task after architect Andrew Green cut down “countless” trees in East Lake's recent restoration. But Byrum never lets the conditions get bad.
He loves the game and what he does so it doesn't bother him.
Just look at the third round of this year's British Open at Royal Troon, which Byram described as his favourite moment of the year.
After a mild morning, the Scottish afternoon turned into hellish conditions, with the worst golf conditions in history. With high winds, rain and a drop in temperature, it was almost impossible to even hold a club. The conditions were so bad that Schauffele couldn't even look up at the leaderboard from under his umbrella. Still, he turned in an incredible round of 2-under 69, which was a major contribution to his Claret Jug victory the next day. But it was Byram who was in lockstep with Schauffele and his playing partner Patrick Cantlay, leading the match and basking in the joy.
“For some reason, that round has stayed with me,” Byram said, reflecting on that afternoon in Troon.
Byram not only has a deep respect for the game of golf, but also the perspective of a former PGA TOUR pro, making him an excellent play-by-play announcer. Having won the 1989 John Deere Classic, played in eight major championships and finished tied for 14th in the 1987 PGA Championship at PGA National, it's no wonder he's been a golf play-by-play announcer for over 20 years.
His outlook on Saturday at Troon proves why he has remained a staple on TV for more than two decades.
“A bad start on a rainy day can really throw you off and keep you from persevering all day, but that tells you everything you need to know about Xander – he never gives up. Even if he's a few strokes over, he's always in super grind mode and just wants to hit every shot as best he can,” Byram said.
“[That day] Quite highly ranked [in terms of challenging conditions]. but [Schauffele] It looked so easy that day.”
Of course, Byram has spent plenty of time in the air-conditioned confines of the broadcast booth, where announcers can rest easy. He's also manned by a tower overlooking the hall, providing a report on the day's play. He's a jack-of-all-trades, a Swiss Army knife, and doesn't care where he's assigned. That, he says, keeps him “fresh.”
“I'm enjoying every bit of it,” Byrum said with a charming laugh and smile.
“Whatever you say, I will obey.”
Perhaps no one in golf has had a busier schedule than Byram this year. He's been on television nearly every week; he's done play-by-play commentary for every signature event; he also called Bryson DeChambeau's U.S. Open victory, and of course he was at Royal Troon. The week before Schauffele's win, Byram was also in Scotland; he called the first two rounds of the Scottish Open from the Golf Channel booth, but was at The Renaissance Club all weekend. He did the lead-in telecasts for the third and final rounds, a staple for him and the Golf Channel when CBS has the late-afternoon rights.
Byram has had countless weeks like this throughout 2024, starting with Sentry in Hawaii.
The only high-profile events he missed were the Masters and the PGA Championship, which gave Byrum some reprieve because ESPN aired Days 1 and 2, but Byrum certainly would have been there if the Golf Channel and NBC Sports had aired those events.
“It was a great schedule,” Byrum said.
“I like working.”
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When Byram arrives at the golf course for the week, the first thing he does is check the tee times. He sees who will be playing in that particular TV slot and then focuses his preparation from there. He reviews stats, results and trends to see how everyone is doing before heading to one of his favorite places: the driving range. Byram then talks with players to understand their feelings and mindset and asks if there have been any equipment changes. All of this makes for a more insightful broadcast for the viewers at home.
But if a player is busy practicing or can't engage in a conversation, Byram will talk to the caddie, swing coach or agent instead. His naturally personable nature makes the job easy, but it also helps that he's a former player, which helps him empathize with golf's current stars.
In fact, Byrum plays with some of the top players when he's at home in Scottsdale. He's played multiple rounds with 2023 U.S. Open champion Wyndham Clark. He also plays J.J. Spaun quite frequently. Bo Hosler recently moved to the neighborhood, so Byrum has been teeing it up with him as well.
“I always invite some guys to come over,” Byrum said.
“It's really fun to come down from touring and let them relax. It's even more fun to spend the day with them like that.”
Byram has a lot to look forward to this fall, including a much lighter broadcast schedule after Sunday's Tour Championship. After all, he deserves some time off.
He'll head to Napa Valley to compete in the Procore Championship, the first stop in the FedExCup fall tournament, before crisscrossing North America and heading to Royal Montreal for the Presidents Cup.
After that, Byram will take about two months off, during which he will play golf in Scottsdale and take an extended trip to his native South Dakota, where his 92-year-old mother still lives, and spend time at home with her, as well as go hunting and fishing with his brother, Tom, who recently retired from the PGA Tour Champions.
Then in early December, he'll head to the Bahamas for the Hero World Challenge. A year ago, he sat in the lead analyst's seat alongside Dan Hicks. It remains to be seen whether he'll be in that seat again, but he'll undoubtedly be up to the task, as well as any other job that Roy and co-producer Tom Randolph give him.
Byrum has become one of the most passionate and trusted announcers in the industry, sharing his wisdom with millions of golf fans around the world, but he also relies heavily on his producers, learning from them every week to hone his craft and become the best he can be.
It was a great season for the PGA Tour. Scottie Scheffler won the Masters, The Players, four signature events and even an Olympic gold medal (yes, Byram was in Paris). But Schauffele's two major wins made this a year that will be remembered for decades to come. And the man who orchestrated it all was Byram. He loves his job, the game and the players more than anyone, and he's a remarkable and underrated announcer. So keep your eyes on Byram through 2025. You won't want to miss him.
Jack Mirko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation Playing Through. Follow For more golf articles, follow us on Twitter Jack Mirko In the same way.
