The size of NBC’s broadcasting team for its PGA Tour coverage has been reduced to about the size of a 1-iron.
Its latest change includes Kathryn Tappen, who handled post-round interviews this season, being out, sources confirmed to The Post. The Quadrilateral newsletter was first to report the news.
Tappen will be replaced by a rotating cast of Golf Channel talent already on site, including Damon Hack and Cara Banks.
According to a Golfweek report earlier this week, things are “not good” at NBC and the latest move is part of a long line of “significant” cuts to the broadcast team for budgetary reasons because of a steep increase in rights fees to carry Tour events.
Tappen, who The Post reported was snubbed in favor of Melissa Stark for a “Sunday Night Football” sideline reporter role, took over for Steve Sands as the network’s lead interview after Sands was promoted to an anchor role.
The 41-year-old Tappen last worked a PGA Tour event at The Presidents Cup in late September. Her next golf assignment will be handling interview for “The Match” on Saturday, a made-for-TV exhibition with the latest iteration featuring Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy playing against Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas.
Per Golfweek, Tappen is in talks for a bigger role within NBC and has also drawn interest from TNT and ESPN.
The latest shake-up comes amid a series of other changes for the network’s golf coverage, including veterans Gary Koch and Roger Maltbie not having their deals renewed for 2023 and former player Smylie Kaufman and Brad Faxon joining NBC’s coverage.
“We’re focused on celebrating Roger Maltbie and Gary Koch at the PNC Championship later this month and will be announcing any additional changes to our lineup early in the new year,” an NBC spokesperson told The Post.
