On Sunday, legendary broadcaster Verne Lundquist made his final call at the iconic 16th hole of Augusta National, bringing an end to over 35 years as the memorable voice of the Masters.
It was a fitting culmination for the 83-year-old Lundquist, who had regaled audiences with his narration of clutch shots and dramatic scenes at this famed par-3 for decades. As 2023 champion Scottie Scheffler drained a pivotal birdie putt to extend his lead, longtime broadcast partner Jim Nantz paid tribute.
“Your voice has been a beautiful instrument. Thank you for a wonderful soundtrack for all of our lives,” Nantz said, quoting Lundquist’s 2018 memoir. A visibly emotional Lundquist simply responded, “Thank you so much, Jim. My honor. My privilege.”
Five-time Masters winner Tiger Woods expressed his admiration for Lundquist earlier in the week.
“He has just an amazing ability to bring in the audience and describe a situation and just be able to narrate it in a way that is poetic but it’s also – he describes it with emotionality,” Woods said. “I will have that memory with Verne for the rest of my life.”
Verne Lundquist began his Masters tenure in 1983. He was elevated to the prestigious 16th tower role in 1986 after legendary announcer Frank Glieber passed away.
While his 63-year broadcasting career also encompassed the NFL, NBA, Olympics, college football and even game shows, it was his poetic mastery at capturing the beauty and drama of Augusta National that cemented his legacy.
