5 days ago
NBC golf commentators brutally mocked as bat sparks chaos in the British Open box
NBC commentator Dan Hicks and US golfer Kevin Kisner flipped into panic mode when an animal invaded their commentary box during the second round of the British Open.
Kisner and Hicks did not know what to do or where to turn when a bat suddenly appeared in the booth, sparking crazy scenes at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland.
The 41-year-old Kisner is reportedly a 'proud hunter' but his fearful face said it all as the bat circled above.
He eventually hid under the cover of his suit coat, while his colleague, Hicks, madly flapped his arms and occasionally ducked when the bat neared.
Mike Tirico watched on and could not help but laugh at his colleagues, while Hicks said the bat did 20 laps of the tower.
'I'm telling you Mike ... just when you think you've seen it all,' Hicks said to Tirico.
'I saw the feet up looking to land, I was ducking out,' Kisner said.
Meanwhile, back in Melbourne, gun Sunrise reporter Andrew McCormack thought the scenes were highly amusing.
'This remind me of you trying to get a hitout against Max Gawn or something ...,' McCormack said to Sunrise host David Woiwod.
'It's supposed to be the gentleman's game ... there's nothing 'gentlemanly' about that effort to try and smack the bat away.
'Look at that (from Hicks) ... look at the wrists flailing ... oh my goodness,' McCormack continued as he mocked Hicks' flailing arms.
'We don't see the bat ... it's somewhere up in the roof there.
'But come on, boys ... a little bit of courage.'
Woiwod added to hilarity with an 'audio' gag.
There were amusing scenes when superstar golfer Scottie Scheffler hit one of the shots of the day on Thursday, while a mic' picked up the sound of a rather long fart.
'I don't know if you caught it, but a bit of wind on the fairway ... a cheeky breeze,' Woiwod said.
It is unclear if Scheffler was the culprit or a fan, but the noise certainly came through the broadcast loud and clear.
Sports reporter (and golf expert) Theo Doropoulos said it was 'typically windy at the British Open and it causes trouble for all sorts of players'.
'The nerves can get you at any point,' Doropoulos said.
