ESPN kicked off its coverage of the PGA Championship on Thursday morning with a narrated video tribute to Philadelphia and Pennsylvania, where the tournament is being held at Aronimink Golf Club. But the network’s choice of narrator — Philadelphia Eagles security guard Dom DiSandro, better known as “Big Dom” — has ignited a firestorm of criticism from golf fans.
The introduction, which ESPN promoted via its own reporter Adam Schefter, was meant to celebrate the local flavor. Instead, it has been widely panned as a marketing misfire that feels forced and out of place. Fans took to social media to express their displeasure, with one joking, “Nuke this entire tournament,” and another suggesting, “Forget shrink the game. We need to lock the gates.”
This isn’t the first time ESPN has tried to inject NFL personalities into golf coverage. At this year’s Masters, the network featured former Eagles center Jason Kelce in a similar opening segment, which also drew backlash. “You thought Jason Kelce at Augusta was bad? The PGA said hold my beer,” one fan quipped. Another asked, “Why do marketing teams think we want this?”
The criticism highlights a growing disconnect between how sports networks think they can attract younger audiences and what traditional golf fans actually want. Golf has long prided itself on its traditions and etiquette, and many viewers feel that bringing in football figures like Big Dom — who gained notoriety for his role in an on-field altercation last season — cheapens the experience.
ESPN’s decision to use Big Dom also raises questions about the network’s broader strategy for covering major tournaments. The PGA Championship is one of golf’s four majors, and fans expect a certain level of reverence. Instead, they got a security guard who is better known for his viral sideline moments than anything related to the sport. As one fan put it, “Can someone remind me why we’re supposed to care about this guy?”
The backlash comes at a time when the PGA Championship’s 11th hole is already being called a monster that can devour scores, and Rory McIlroy’s blister woes cut short his practice round. Golf fans are more interested in the competition than in celebrity cameos that feel like corporate cross-promotion.
Some fans even took the criticism to comedic extremes. “The Philadelphia Eagles are a plague upon the rest of the world and a true leader of this nation would immediately shut them down,” one user joked. While clearly hyperbolic, the sentiment underscores how strongly viewers feel about the intrusion of NFL personalities into golf broadcasts.
ESPN has not responded to the backlash, but the network may need to rethink its approach to future golf coverage. After two consecutive missteps — first with Jason Kelce at the Masters and now with Big Dom at the PGA Championship — it’s clear that golf fans want the focus to stay on the players and the course, not on football figures who have no connection to the sport.
For now, the tournament goes on, and the action on the course will eventually overshadow the opening controversy. But the lesson for ESPN is clear: when it comes to major golf championships, less is more. And that includes leaving the football security guards on the sidelines.
