You pretty much knew that David Feherty would have great stories to share after he told the one about how he shot the best 18 holes of his life despite a “blind hangover.” But Feherty was even better at drawing interesting anecdotes out of fellow golfers like Phil Mickelson and Rory McIlroy as well as other celebrities on Feherty, his long-running show on Golf Channel.
Unfortunately, there will be no more such stories for a while, at least not on Golf Channel.
Before going into golf broadcasting, David Feherty was pretty good at the sport himself. The native of Northern Ireland won five times on the European Tour from 1986 to ’92, beating Paul Azinger and Ian Baker-Finch in playoffs in the process.
Feherty made the cut at the British Open six times, but it was a cut that he made on the European Tour in March 1991 at the Catalan Open that is the basis for a funny story. Feherty thought he had missed the 36-hole cut on Friday, prompting him to stay out drinking.
“My pal Sam Torrance and I went out and we had a few adult beverages. It was one of those nights where you say, ‘I’ll have one more and then I’ll stay.’ Then I got in about 4:30 in the morning,” Feherty said, according to USA Today.
Feherty surprisingly learned he made the cut after all and was scheduled for a 6:30 a.m. start. He would have to play through what he termed a “blind hangover.”
“I went out in 31, and came back at 30, and I honestly can say that at no stage during the round did I know where I stood,” he said. “I went from just making the cut by a shot to being two behind.”
Throwing up on the third tee taught Feherty a lesson, so he was in bed early to be ready for the final 18 holes.
“I decided I better suck it in here and act like an adult. So, I did,” he said. “And then I went out and shot a 75 the following day.”
Actually, Feherty shot a 72 and placed second to Jose Maria Olazabal.
David Feherty made the move from playing golf to reporting on it in 1996 when he joined CBS Sports’ coverage of the PGA Tour. He moved to NBC in 2015, but along the way Feherty picked up some work on Golf Channel. His Feherty show began in 2011 and totaled 150 episodes. He even earned an Emmy nomination in 2014.
Along the way, Feherty hosted many of golf’s biggest names like Jack Nicklaus, Phil Mickelson, Annika Sorenstam, and Rory McIlroy. But the guest list also included celebrities like Michael Jordan, Samuel L. Jackson, and four U.S. presidents.
Whether on his show or covering tournaments, Feherty has developed a reputation for hilarious observations. A few of them:
On caddie Rodney Wooler: “Not only was Rodney never on the same page as me, he was seldom in the same book and often not even in the same library.”
On Jim Furyk’s swing: “It looks like a one-armed man trying to wrestle a snake in a phone booth.”
Reacting to a wayward shot: “That ball is so far left Lassie couldn’t find it even if it was wrapped in bacon.”
Golf Channel has canceled ‘Feherty’
After having its 2020 season derailed by the pandemic, Feherty will not return to Golf Channel in 2021 or any other year, according to Golf Digest. The network did not make a formal announcement, but David Feherty said he learned early in the pandemic that his show has not been renewed. The final episode, with 2019 British Open champion Shane Lowry, aired in September 2020.
“I think a lot of people are going to be surprised that it got canceled. It always sort of amazed me the (number of) people that watched,” Feherty said. “Ten years is a whole lot more than I thought I would do. I loved doing it.”
The good news for his fans is that Feherty’s contract for coverage on NBC and Golf Channel runs for three more years.
Here’s a video of some amazing Feherty highlights:
Article originally appeared on: sportscasting.com
Very sad but the woke golf channel is going to go the way of the NBA nobody watching ! Feherty was the best program in the Golf Channel.
Stupid comment. Personally, I love the NBA and stands they take. Wake up!
When MSNBC and NBC late night shows started running ads on The Golf Chanel they lost me. Also, why all the name changes and the NBC logo on everything.
Agree
I have met David and he’s a simply brilliant individual. Funny, honest and has a HUGE following. I am done with the woke turds. This mean you frick’n Golf Channel jurkoffs. Catch yersef some COVID….
Wow, you cancel your best show. I would rather watch Feherty than all of your nitwit analysts put together. Dumb move, but you can’t fix stupid.
You lost another viewer.
Feherty was one of the few real persons on the golf channel.he didn’t hold anything back unlike the plastic announcers I see there. He brought life to the show.its a shame
one show i did not want to miss. even reruns.don’t no why but a really bad move for golf.
Golf Channel is losing a frequent watcher, their repeated movies is bad, too. I know every line in every movie. Bad repeated conversation with chambliss, those British accents, bad tournament commentator, like we are watching play blind folded. Couldn’t get enough people to buy NBC streaming and now Peecock wants you to buy in to watch the first 17 holes. Bad move on Feherty.
You have two to blame..NBC and COMCAST,,sorry excuse for a cable network and NBC is just a joke in itself
The only worthwhile show and you chuck it?? How many dumb swing doctor shows do you have? Even good looking women pros can’t save that crap. Feherty was one, if not the only unique voice on your channel. Next you will get rid of Chamblee the same way Palmer got rid of Kessler.
I’m only one of millions of Feherty fans that will miss his Witt, observations, and perfect timed humor. He did such a fantastic job of interviewing that I tuned into each of his episodes. And, on golf day, his humorous comments made even a 4 hr viewing go by quickly. Without Feherty out there you can count me out. I’ll not be watching Golf Channel anymore. So long and farewell to the boneheads that are responsible for his demise. Here’s to hoping we’ll see David on another channel!!!!!
The only thing that I found more enjoyable than his show, were his books.
What a shame! Ferhety is funny, insightful and witty. He has an amazing penchant for getting his guest to relax. And on course he is honest without being penal in his critiques. And what’s with all the internationals taking over the broadcast? If I really wanted that much of a change I’d just watch the BBC…you ditched Anthony Anderson, a true lover of the game, and gave his show away (it died under the “new host”). Does EVERYONE have to be bland and innocuous to get a job with you?
Ferhety was a great show and you let all thjose remaining idiots tell over and over agai its been ten years since his last win
This tale of Ferhety’s demise is just another example of how if you walk around with a stick up your ass and and spew corporate BS you will be loved and just fine but if you are a wee bit authentic and honest you are in for a huge drop. I am sickened by what the golf channel has done to him and I will never watch any produced program again unless the corporate ass wipes bring him back. It is brutal and stupid out there in this age of political correctness and a good joke and bit of fun puts you on a highway to oblivion.
PS-the next time you do a obligatory piece about women’s golf how about using a 5’2, 140 lb. Asian golfer who just won the latest major instead of a big breasted, super model who can’t hit the with a sand wedge from the tee box you soul less bastards!
You are better off David. We lose. Please do whatever you want. You will be successful and millions of us will be watching you and not the golf channel.
Please re instate his contract. I am not a golfer but I never missed a Ferhety interview!