Tiger Woods paid tribute to late NBC Sports golf voice Dan Hicks, calling the longtime broadcaster "a great friend to me both on and off the course" following Hicks' unexpected death at 64.
"Dan Hicks was beloved by all who had the privilege of knowing and working alongside him," Woods said in a statement mourning Hicks, who died Nov. 11 as a result of an acute illness. "His kindness, warmth, and presence will be deeply missed. Like so many in the golf world, Dan was a great friend to me both on and off the course. I had the utmost respect for him and the incredible job he did for our sport for decades."
For more than a quarter-century, Hicks was the defining soundtrack to Woods' career, calling 27 of his PGA Tour victories — including Woods' iconic
12-foot birdie putt on the 72nd hole at Torrey Pines to force a playoff at the 2008 U.S. Open, punctuated by Hicks' timeless call: "Expect anything different?"
"Our thoughts are with Hannah and their daughters during this incredibly difficult time," Woods added, referring to Hicks' wife, fellow broadcaster Hannah Storm, and their three daughters, Hannah, Ellery, and Riley. "I hope they find comfort in knowing how much he meant to so many people and the lasting impact he made on everyone whose life he touched."
Storm announced her husband's passing on social media, remembering him as "truly one of a kind and, quite simply, the person everyone wanted to be around."
Born and raised in Tucson, Arizona, Hicks graduated from Sabino High School and the University of Arizona before starting in local radio and television. After joining CNN in 1989 and moving to NBC Sports in 1992, he worked as a tower announcer until being named lead golf play-by-play voice in 2000.
Beyond anchoring NBC's coverage of the U.S. Open, The Open Championship, Ryder Cup, Presidents Cup and FedEx Cup Playoffs, Hicks was a versatile fixture across sports — calling Olympic swimming and skiing, including the U.S. men's freestyle relay comeback at the 2008 Beijing Games, and returning as the lead voice for Notre Dame Football in 2024.
Tim Schmitt is the managing editor of Golfweek.
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Tiger Woods remembers Dan Hicks after unexpected death: ‘A great friend to me’
