Reuters, PACIFIC PALISADES, California: The American cable television network broadcasting the Northern Trust Open has removed one of its reporters from this week's coverage following a confrontation with a player's caddie.
According to Golf Channel, reporter Jim Gray was pulled off the assignment because of the way he reacted to the two-stroke penalty imposed on American Dustin Johnson during Thursday's opening round.
Johnson was penalized after arriving late for his teeoff time at Riviera Country Club and later told reporters his caddie Bobby Brown had given him the wrong information.
According to Brown, Gray asked Johnson as the player was walking to the 14th tee to explain why he had been late for his scheduled start. At the end of the round, Brown scolded Gray for speaking to a player out on the course during competition.
"Our aim is to provide the best possible golf coverage for our viewers. Anything else is a disservice," Golf Channel spokesman Dan Higgins said in a statement Friday.
"In order not to provide further distraction, we've decided to remove Jim from this particular assignment."
Johnson, a four-times winner on the PGA Tour who triumphed twice on the U.S. circuit last year, ended up with a two-over-par 73 in the opening round.
