Kevin Kisner was forced to take cover Friday when an unlikely creature swooped into the NBC broadcast studio during the second round of The Open Championship.
An errant bat interrupted the coverage of Friday’s round when it found somehow found its way into the booth leaving the PGA Tour star and co-commentator Dan Hicks in a state of panic.
Despite Kisner being a ‘proud hunter’, the American player didn’t hesitate to seek cover as he scrambled to avoid the terrifying creature at Royal Portrush, Northern Ireland.
The 41-year-old slumped down in his chair, looking as if he were to take shelter under the desk, before settling for hiding under his blazer.
His broadcast partner, Hicks, wasn’t much help either as he flapped his arms around in an attempt to fend off the bat, flinching as it occasionally came too close.
Their colleague, Mike Tirico, had a front row seat for the theatrics, which left him in a fit of laughter.
Kevin Kisner and Dan Hicks took shelter as a bat invaded the NBC studio at The Open
Kisner juggles his role as NBC’s lead analyst as well as occasionally playing on the PGA Tour
‘I’m telling you Mike … just when you think you’ve seen it all,’ Hicks told Tirico, claiming that the bat did 20 laps around the tower they were sitting in.
‘I saw the feet up looking to land, I was ducking out,’ Kisner added.
Kisner is on the call for NBC this week as the network’s lead golf analyst – a role he juggles while still sporadically playing on the PGA Tour.
The professional, whose career-best finish at The Open came in 2018 when he came tied-second, last played at the ISCO Championship earlier this month.
He finished in a share of eighth place at the tournament, making his first made cut after missing nine consecutive. It was just his second made cut of the year.
As the final major championship of the year hit the halfway mark, world No 1 Scottie Scheffler had stormed into the lead, sitting one shot ahead of Englishman Matt Fitzpatrick atop the leaderboard.
China’s Haotong Li, 2023 winner Brian Harman, Tyrell Hatton and Robert MacIntrye are also among the hunting pack who will look to chase down Scheffler on Saturday’s moving day.
