Jon Rahm, Patrick Cantlay Explain Why CBS’s Mid-Round Interviews Might Not Be For Them

Rahm hasn't ruled out the opportunity, but he has some concerns.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — CBS may have impressed golf fans in a major way with its new mid-round interviews, but viewers shouldn’t expect all of their favorite PGA Tour players to be mic’d up anytime soon.

Torrey Pines set the scene: It was “Moving Day” at the Farmers Insurance Open and Max Homa strolled down the 13th hole, AirPod in his left ear. Homa fielded strategy-related questions from Trevor Immelman in the booth, and he even walked viewers through two live golf shots. He did it all, seemingly, without a care in the world.

When all was said and done, both CBS and Homa were praised for their creative thinking. And the next day, the segment was really solidified as a success: The broadcast’s guinea pig went on to capture his sixth PGA Tour victory.

“We tried something new today,” Homa wrote on Twitter following the TV experiment. “Just looking to add something to the viewing experience going forward.”

In case you missed mic'd up @maxhoma23 🎤

Here's our Max Rewind ⏮ pic.twitter.com/nV4gMDAIqE

— Golf on CBS ⛳ (@GolfonCBS) January 28, 2023

For viewers, there were only positives to take away from CBS’s addition of live player insight. Keith Mitchell even carried Homa’s torch at the Pebble Beach Pro-Am, and he went on to finish tied for fourth.

But the new all-access segment won’t be every PGA Tour player’s cup of tea.

“Yeah, I saw that,” Patrick Cantlay said at the WM Phoenix Open when asked about the mid-round interviews. “Probably not something for me, but I think it's great that those guys who want to do it are able to give those insights while they're out there playing.”

Anyone could have predicted Cantlay’s stance on the topic. The world No. 5 is a relatively stoic personality on Tour and likes to be especially locked-in during competition. Homa has that same ability to get in the zone, but he’s also an avid Twitter user who isn’t afraid to lighten things up here and there.

“For me I just feel like I’m so focused on what I’m doing when I’m out there that I don’t want or need any other distractions,” Cantlay said. “For some guys, that may be exactly what they want to do, but for me, I think I just want to focus on the golf while I'm out there.”

Cantlay may be set in his decision not to partake in the new broadcast bit, but he is still curious as to how many of his peers will give it a shot.

Jon Rahm says he’s been approached, but isn’t quite sure whether he’ll jump on the opportunity just yet. Rahm frequents the DP World Tour, where broadcasters often do quick walk-and-talk on-course interviews, so he’s not a stranger to the general concept. But according to the world No. 3, CBS’s approach is different than Sky Sports’s, and it might take some more contemplation.

“They’ve asked me to do the AirPod thing. I’m not so sure about it. I still haven’t decided, but I think I’m going to do it at some point. Obviously, if I don’t have to hit a shot with the headphone on then I’ll be O.K. with it,” Rahm says. “It’s not for everybody. I’m definitely not sure about doing it on the weekend. It’s an opportunity to do something unique, but if I’m in the lead on Sunday, I can guarantee you I won’t do it.”

Although Rahm is undecided, he says that his potential participation has been presented as a “PIP driven” opportunity. In other words—whether it’s the PGA Tour or CBS that is pitching the idea—it is being framed as a chance for players to gain leverage in the Player Impact Program. The PIP is an annual bonus pool, now worth $100 million, distributed to the PGA Tour players who generate the most interest from fans and the media.

Rahm recognizes the value in participating, but when he looks to other sports, he says he doesn’t see much to compare to golf’s new experiment.

“I don’t see any other sport where mid-round or mid-game you have somebody talking to the booth,” Rahm says. “But you get it during basketball at half time when the coach says two or three things, you get it in football. But I don’t see anybody asking [Tom] Brady in the middle of a game to explain what happened, so I don’t know if I’ll do it or not. But again, it’s opportunities that are being presented, and I like the outside-the-box thinking. If you try enough new things, eventually you’ll come up with something cool to do.”

Golf as an entertainment product has seen a thematic shift as of late: Fans want to see more, and as a result, players are asked to accept a whole new level of access. CBS’s new mid-round interviews have kicked off just a few weeks before Netflix’s documentary series on the PGA Tour launches. Rahm and Cantlay are two of the top seven golfers in the world who decided not to be a part of the show’s first season of filming.

So while many players embrace the new golf entertainment angles week after week, there is another contingent of guys who won’t partake.

Rahm summed up the divide perfectly: “As a player, you can always say no.”