Dan Hicks has died: NBC loses its voice of golf after 26 years

Dan Hicks, the lead voice of NBC Sports' golf coverage since 2000, died late Wednesday evening, November 11, 2026, at the age of 64. His wife, ESPN anchor Hannah Storm, and the network announced the news on Thursday. According to the family, Hicks died following an acute illness; no further details were provided. For viewers of US broadcasts, he was the voice of the major tournaments for more than two decades: the US Open, the Open Championship, the Players Championship, the Ryder Cup and the Presidents Cup.

Hannah Storm: "He was the person everyone wanted to be around"

Hicks is survived by his wife, Hannah Storm, and their three daughters, Hannah, Ellery, and Riley. His death was sudden; he had been scheduled to call a college football game for NBC this Saturday. "Our family is heartbroken by the sudden and unexpected passing of Dan following an acute illness," Storm said in a statement. She described him as a devoted husband of more than 30 years and a loving father to their three daughters. "Dan was truly one of a kind and simply the person everyone wanted to be around," Storm wrote. "His loss is immeasurable."

Colleagues described Hicks as the kindest and funniest person in the broadcast booth. Roger Maltbie, his long-time colleague on the NBC golf team, told Golf Channel: "This is a heavy blow, a really heavy one." Analyst Mark Rolfing called Hicks one of the most trustworthy colleagues he had ever known, according to Golf.com.

PGA Tour and NBC pay tribute to a defining voice

The PGA Tour also released a statement. "We are devastated by the sudden loss of Dan Hicks," the Tour said. "The sound of his voice is woven into our memories of the game." The warmth he brought to broadcasts was surpassed only by the kindness he showed to everyone around him, the statement added.

NBC Sports called Hicks "the defining voice of our golf coverage for the past 26 years." In a joint statement, Rick Cordella, Sam Flood, and Molly Solomon said: "Dan Hicks was an extraordinary colleague, friend, and human being." He was an outstanding storyteller, they noted, one who made some of the greatest moments in sports history even greater. Mark Lazarus, CEO of Versant, stated: "The sudden loss of our friend Dan Hicks breaks my heart."

The outpouring of sympathy extended beyond his own network. Sean McManus, Chairman of CBS Sports, said according to CBS News: "You won't find a better husband, father, or friend." USGA CEO Mike Whan honored Hicks as a true friend of the game and the association. Rowdy Gaines, who called swimming events with Hicks at the Olympic Games, said simply according to Yahoo Sports: "My heart is broken."

From Tucson to Tiger Woods' triumph at Torrey Pines

Hicks was from Tucson, Arizona, and studied journalism at the University of Arizona. His career began in 1984 in radio in his hometown, at stations KCEE and KWFM. He moved to CNN in 1989 and to NBC in 1992. In golf, he worked his way up from tower commentator, a role he held between 1995 and 1999, to lead commentator. From 2000, he served as lead commentator for the Players Championship, the US Open, the Open Championship, the Ryder Cup, and the Presidents Cup, as well as the US Women's Open and the FedExCup.

For nearly two decades, he formed a commentary duo with Johnny Miller. One of his most famous moments on the microphone came during the 2008 US Open at Torrey Pines: Hicks called Tiger Woods' victory over Rocco Mediate in the Monday playoff, which was not decided until the 19th hole.

Golf was only part of his work. Hicks covered 16 Olympic Games, the first being Barcelona in 1992. At the Summer Games, he teamed up with Rowdy Gaines at the pool, and most recently, he covered the alpine ski races at the 2026 Winter Games in Milan and Cortina. He received a Sports Emmy for NBCUniversal's coverage of Paris 2024.

Notre Dame vs. Boston College without Hicks

Since 2024, Hicks had also returned as the voice of Notre Dame football games on NBC, having previously called the games from 2013 to 2016 – it was his seventh season in the role. On Saturday, November 14, he was scheduled to broadcast the Notre Dame vs. Boston College game. Who will replace him there and who will lead NBC's golf coverage in the future was not immediately clear from the reports we reviewed. Information regarding a memorial service was not initially available.