CBS Golf has introduced several noticeable updates to its PGA Tour coverage during the 2026 West Coast Swing. These changes include new personnel, technological enhancements, and schedule adjustments. Viewers first spotted many of these shifts at events like Pebble Beach.
The 2026 PGA Tour season has brought fresh elements to CBS Golf's broadcasts, evident from the network's coverage of the West Coast Swing. One prominent addition is Johnson Wagner, serving as the third walking reporter alongside Dottie Pepper and Mark Immelman. Wagner, drawing on over two decades as a professional golfer, recreates key shots to illustrate their challenges. During the Pebble Beach event, after Collin Morikawa's victory—his first on U.S. soil in nearly five years—Wagner demonstrated a delayed shot from a beach near the 18th fairway using a 50-degree wedge. He then scaled rocks back to the course within 30 seconds before a commercial break.
Personnel shifts also feature Colt Knost's promotion to the broadcast booth in the super tower, filling the role vacated by Ian Baker-Finch after more than 20 years. Knost joins analysts Frank Nobilo and Trevor Immelman, as well as play-by-play announcer Jim Nantz, bringing his perspective to the team.
Technological upgrades include enhancements to Drone AR, which earned an Emmy last year for its shot-tracing in three dimensions. The 2026 version adds analytics on player tendencies, course strategy, and shot intent, first showcased at Pebble Beach. Probability lines from the ShotLink database predict tee shot outcomes with color-coded visuals.
Another innovation is the expanded Weather Applied Metrics, rendering wind, temperature, and humidity effects as computer-generated graphics. This builds on prior uses, like at the Players Championship's 17th hole, offering a more comprehensive view of environmental impacts at sites such as Pebble Beach, Phoenix, and Riviera.
Schedule changes stem from Tour adjustments, including The Sentry's cancellation in Maui and the Cadillac Championship's return to Doral in March. CBS acquires coverage of the Cadillac—where it has a 50-year history—while trading the Travelers Championship to NBC. Additionally, CBS handles the FedEx Cup Playoffs this year, extending through the Tour Championship in late August, aligning with the biennial rights rotation.
