With the PGA Tour on an extended break due to the coronavirus pandemic, The Golf Arizona Show thought it might be a good time to get a few golf talkers with Tucson roots as guests for the show.
NBC’s lead golf host, Dan Hicks, and the Golf Channel’s George Savaricas both appeared on the show, to among other things, share what their experiences in Tucson meant to their careers. Hicks, a Sabino High grad, started in local radio doing his “Dan Hicks Sports Fix”, before putting together an audition tape at the KVOA studio. The KVOA news director soon saw the tape…and quickly hired Hicks. He went from the Old Pueblo to CNN and then onto NBC where he has covered The Olympics, Notre Dame football and of course, he is the lead, for all golf telecasts. Hicks is a 7 handicap and is a member at Winged Foot in New York. Little known fact about Hicks is he is an expert at voice impersonations, doing his best Tom Brokaw voice while appearing on the show.
George Savaricas is also a KVOA alumni…having left the station in 2013 to join the Golf Channel. Like Hicks, Savaricas is a single digit handicap and prides himself on his versatility. So far, he has been an on-course commentator for the PGA, an in studio analyst and a lead anchor for various LPGA events. Savaricas is best know for his Quick 9 segments…where he sits in a cart with a pro golfer (or celebrity who likes golf) and George asks them 9 quick questions.
So far, he’s done segments with Brooks Koepka, Bubba Watson and Matt Kuchar. Savaricas said his big break came when he was covering what was then the Accenture Match Play while he was in Tucson. He made a number of contacts with the Golf Channel, and was picked up by the network when they had their next opening.
The Golf Arizona Show also caught up with The Golf Channel’s John Cook and ran a replay of an earlier interview for its First Anniversary Show last week. Cook, who won 27 pro tournaments, said he doesn’t have the gift of gab, and even his wife was worried that being a broadcaster maybe wasn’t for him. But he said that he’d been thinking about it for so long, and he knew, if he got the shot…he’d be able to get over his shyness and become a credible on air contributor.
The Golf Arizona Show, hosted by Mike Boyd and PGA Professional Rick Price, runs every Saturday morning from 8-9 on ESPN/Tucson, 1490 am and 104.9 fm.
