Who Are The Sky Sports Golf Team?
The experts talking you through the action each week on Sky Sports Golf
Going back to work on Monday morning is not something a lot of us look forward to, and that’s what makes tuning into the final round of the PGA Tour with Sky Sports Golf so appealing – one more golf fix before another week of work.
The best Sundays are those when you can pretty much watch live golf all day. First up it’s the final round on the DP World Tour; then it’s PGA and LPGA Tour action from the States.
And talking you through the action each week, Sky Sports has a fine team of broadcasters, including analysts and former professionals, all of whom provide valuable insight and opinion.
No doubt you have your favorites. We’re biased because Wayne ‘Radar’ Riley is a Golf Monthly columnist, but the Aussie is just one of a number of talented Sky Sports Golf pundits and commentators. Here’s your current team…
Nick Dougherty
Merseyside man Nick Dougherty showed a lot of promise at a young age. The Nick Faldo protégé played in the Faldo Junior Series where he won several events, and went on to become the Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year for the 2002 European Tour season in which he finished 36th on the Order of Merit.
Despite winning three times on the European Tour, the biggest of which was the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in 2007, Dougherty decided to call it a day in 2016 after struggling with his game. It proved to be a good decision, for he made a seamless transition into broadcasting – and he hasn’t looked back.
Paul McGinley
Paul McGinley’s broadcasting career means that he now plays a limited golfing schedule. When he does swap the commentary booth for the fairways, he plays most of his competitive golf on the Legends Tour (European Senior Tour).
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The Irishman won four times on the European Tour (now DP World Tour), although his biggest achievements came in team golf; he holed the winning putt for Europe at the Ryder Cup in 2002, and then captained the side to victory in 2014, an achievement that saw him voted Coach of the Year at the BBC Sports Personality of the Year.
As well as offering his expert opinion and analysis when appearing on Sky Sports Golf, McGinley, who completed a degree in International Business prior to becoming a professional golfer, has a number of business interests as well as his own golf course design and architecture business.
Dame Laura Davies
After turning professional in 1985, Dame Laura Davies went on to win a significant number of the game’s biggest titles. Her list of achievements includes four Major Championships and two Senior Major Championships; she also appeared in 14 Solheim Cups and was crowned the money list winner in Europe seven times and the United States once.
The former world number one is as competitive as ever, but when not playing she frequently joins the Sky Sports Golf team to offer her insight and opinion during some of the biggest tournaments of the year.
With 87 tournaments to her name, she’s one of the best female golfers of all time. In 2014, she was made a Dame for her services to women’s golf and, a year later, she was inducted into the World Golf Hall Of Fame in a ceremony at St Andrews.
Andrew Coltart
Former professional Andrew Coltart joined the Sky Sports Golf team in 2011, and has since occupied a number of roles, including studio guest, on course commentator, and color commentator.
The Scot, whose dry sense of humor never fails to raise a smile or two during commentary, turned professional in 1991 and enjoyed a 15-year stint on the European Tour, winning twice.
In 1999, Coltart made the Ryder Cup team after Mark James selected him as a wild card; it was a career highlight despite Europe going down to the US at Brookline, where Coltart played Tiger Woods in Sunday’s singles.
Sarah Stirk
The Sky Sports Golf presenter is an experienced broadcaster and journalist, and has written for The Mirror, The Telegraph, The Financial Times, and Golf Monthly.
Her career with Sky Sports began in 2012, and since then she’s become one of the network’s most valued presenters. Prior to specialising in golf, Stirk was a presenter and reporter for MUTV, before working at the BBC, Setanta and Sky News. Away from golf, the 7-handicapper is an aspiring drummer.
Richard Kaufman
Multi sports commentator Richard Kaufman has covered a wide range of golf tournaments around the world, both for Sky Sports, IMG and U.com, during which time he has described the action on the DP World, Asian, LPGA, LET and Challenge Tours.
The former talkSPORT Drivetime presenter and Fulham fan has also commentated on hundreds of soccer matches for IMG, including Premier League, Champions League and Eredivisie games, as well as basketball.
Henni Koyack
Henni Koyack had a decorated amateur career, winning numerous high-level junior and amateur titles, including the English Under-15 Championship, Central European Under-16 Championship, Dorset Ladies County Championship, Girls' British Open Championship and Welsh Ladies Open. She also represented Europe at the 2007 Junior Solheim Cup in Sweden.
Koyack joined Nick Faldo's 'Team Faldo' after being selected by the six-time Major winner, and then became the youngest ever player to join the Ladies European Tour aged 13 as an amateur.
After being forced to retire from professional golf in 2015 after struggling with injuries, including a slipped disc in her spine, Koyack moved into broadcasting with Sky Sports before joining GOLFTV in 2019 to lead its Tour player coverage.
Wayne Riley
No one tells a story quite like Golf Monthly columnist Wayne Riley, who spends his life walking the fairways alongside the best players in the world. As well as adding a touch of humor, his ability to read a green and describe the type of shot that might be required is second to none.
Riley, who was born in Sydney, first plied his trade on the PGA Tour of Australasia where he won four times. The biggest win came during the 1991 Australian Open. In 1984, he progressed through the European Tour's Q-School, but he had to wait 11 years before picking up his first win which came at the 1995 Scottish Open.
'Radar' started working with Sky in 2005 after his offbeat style of on-course commentary gained attention in Australia and later on, Europe. He might not like flying, but he’s always present for the game’s biggest tournaments, no matter where they are in the world.
Rich Beem
Former PGA Tour professional Rich Beem has three victories to his name, one of which came at the 2002 PGA Championship where he held off a certain Tiger Woods to lift the Wanamaker Trophy.
Born in Phoenix, Arizona, ‘Beemer’ worked in a pro shop at El Paso CC prior to joining the PGA Tour. After turning professional in 1994, he quit the game temporarily in 1995 and sold cell phones and car stereo systems in Seattle.
His thirst to play at the top level returned when he watched fellow El Paso, Texas, resident J.P. Hayes win 1998 Buick Classic. He worked as an analyst at the 2010 PGA Championship, and that love of the game is still evident when he joins up with the Sky Sports team.
Ewen Murray
Ewen Murray joined Sky Sports as a commentator in 1989 after losing his playing rights on the European Tour. His father was the highly regarded Baberton professional golfer Jimmy Murray, and he grew up playing his golf in Angus at courses like Edzell, Kirriemuir, Carnoustie and Montrose.
Murray had a successful amateur career, winning the Scottish Boys Championship, Scottish Boys Stroke Play Championship and World Junior Championship in 1971 before turning professional. As a pro, he won the 1977 Northern Open, 1980 Zambia Open, and 1984 Nigerian Open.
Nothing quite beats a Sunday afternoon sitting back and listening to Murray set up the day’s play. The Scot has one of the most recognizable voices in the game and his wealth of knowledge keeps viewers engaged for hours on end.
Inci Mehmet
Inci Mehmet first started working for Sky Sports in June 2019, joining the team as a pundit for PGA, DP World and LPGA Tour coverage. The pro golfer has since worked as an analyst, broadcaster, commentator, and a presenter for Sky Sports.
The British golfer-turned-broadcaster earned full playing rights onto the Ladies European Tour after she finished 12th during 2016 Qualifying School, the top ranked British player that year, aged 20.
Tony Johnstone
The Zimbabwean was a mainstay on the European Tour for many years and recorded six titles, including the flagship Volvo PGA Championship in 1992; he also racked up 17 additional victories on the Sunshine Tour.
Johnstone, who gained a reputation as one of the greatest ever bunker players, is now a regular fixture as a commentator for the European Tour and Sky Sports, where's he'a just as adept at calling the action on the fairways as he is naming wildlife in the African bush.
Richard Boxall
The son of a scrap metal dealer, 'Boxy' was forced to return to Qualifying School in 1998 after 16 unbroken years on Tour. That he emerged with a card tells you everything about him – he was a fighter.
Sometimes, however, that fighting spirit backfired. At Royal Birkdale in 1991, he suffered a broken leg – a stress fracture – after driving at the ninth hole of the third round. Given that he was in contention for The Open, you couldn't blame him for ignoring the twinges that he'd been feeling during the practice rounds.
Rob Lee
Sky Sports golf analyst Rob Lee is a former professional, who, remarkably, twice shot 27 for nine holes on the old European Tour. The first came at the 1985 at the Monte Carlo Open, and the second two years later at the Portuguese Open, the latter of which he won.
The two-time Tour winner's best finish in a Major came at the 1986 Open Championship at Turnberry (tied 21st). The English professional is is the son of an Irish watchmaker and Italian mother, and he got 10 O-levels before studying horology, which is the study of time and making clocks and watches.
Iona Stephen
Iona Stephen can often be seen interviewing the players pre, mid and post round in her duties for Sky Sports. In 2016, Stephen, who attended the University of St Andrews, turned professional.
The presenter and commentator made her debut on the Ladies European Tour in December 2016 at the Qatar Ladies Open. These days she spends more time with the Sky Sports Golf team talking golf, as opposed to playing. She has also worked for the BBC's golf team.
Simon Holmes
Simon Holmes is one of those on the Sky Sports team who you're more likely to see sitting in the studio, for the coach likes to analyze swings and educate viewers on all things golf swing related. He might have a comfy chair, but more often than not he'll be on his feet explaining swing planes and going to town on golfers' short games.
Holmes has worked with many of the greats of the game, including Seve Ballesteros, Sir Nick Faldo, and Bernhard Langer.
Mark Roe
Nothing gets Mark Roe more excited than a conversation on the golf swing. Like Holmes, he enjoys the analytical side of the game, but he's also enjoyed a lot of success as a player, winning three times on the old European Tour. He retired in 2007 to go into coaching and work in television.
The Englishman was widely praised for the dignified way he handled his disqualification from The 132nd Open Championship at Royal St George’s following a scorecard mix-up with playing partner Jesper Parnevik, moments after firing what he thought was a 67 to put himself leader in the clubhouse after the third round.
David Howell
Former Golf Monthly playing editor David Howell is a popular player on Tour, and the Swindon-born player has taken to television work with Sky Sports like a duck to water.
The Englishman has won seven times worldwide, including five DP World Tour titles. 'Howeller' memorably won the 2006 HSBC Champions title in Shanghai, out-scoring playing partner and then World No.1 Tiger Woods.
Josh Antmann
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Josh Antmann once spent several weeks with the team at Golf Monthly, before joining Sky Sports. He's the host of the popular Sky Sports Golf podcast, although many will recognize Antmann from television, for he's also a presenter.
Michael has been with Golf Monthly since 2008. As a multimedia journalist, he has also worked for The Football Association, where he created content to support the men's European Championships, The FA Cup, London 2012, and FA Women's Super League. As content editor at Foremost Golf, Michael worked closely with golf's biggest equipment manufacturers, and has developed an in-depth knowledge of this side of the industry. He's now a regular contributor, covering instruction, equipment and feature content. Michael has interviewed many of the game's biggest stars, including six world number ones, and has attended and reported on many Major Championships and Ryder Cups. He's a member of Formby Golf Club.
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