Feherty brings quirky humour to role

David Feherty happily turned his back on a competitive career when offered the chance of bringing his own quirky humour to golf coverage on television. And the 39-year-old Ulsterman will have a prominent role at Winged Foot this week, as a member of the CBS broadcasting team.

Indeed, American observers are expecting Feherty to break free of the verbal leash which seemed to inhibit him at the US Masters last April. "People were nervous about me being at the Masters, after what happened to Gary," he said.

This was a reference to the banishment of colleague, Gary McCord, from television coverage at Augusta National, because of perceived irreverence about the hallowed course. There was never a chance, however, that Feherty would fall into the same trap.

"I'm really quite serious in saying that I have great respect for what they do at the Masters," he claimed. "They've made time stand still. Never mind political correctness. Their attitude is `It's our tournament and we'll do it our way'. "

The US PGA at Winged Foot is a different challenge for Feherty - who has happy memories of a seventh place finish in the 1991 event - not simply because of the more relaxed, down-to-earth attitude of the PGA of America, who organise it. "I'm delighted at the idea of seriously difficult rough here," he said.

"It takes real talent to hit out of that really deep stuff and have the ball land on the green. I don't want to see Tom Lehman or Ernie Els executing shots my dad can hit."

There were indications that Feherty might remain involved in competitive golf to a small degree this year, but that no longer appears to be the case. In fact, his only tournament appearance is likely to be in the Kapalua International in Hawaii on November 6th to 9th.

"I have no ambition for the game any more," he said. "I never expected to play past 40. I reckon I made a successful career out of doing what I wanted to do and when I didn't want to do it any more, I was offered the greatest job in the world.

"I used to have to play well to appear on TV. Then one morning I woke up and declared `I'm an announcer.' Now I dream broadcasts."

Lance Barrow, the co-ordinating producer of golf coverage on CBS, is rather pleased to have captured the talents of the idiosyncratic Ulsterman. "I don't want him to change, or to think much about being on television," he said. "If he thinks too much, he'll lose his spontaneity."

Barrow went on: "I want him to learn from everybody but to be himself. I said to him `If I ever understand what you say, I'll get rid of you'. " Which prompted Feherty to respond: "I'm like the adopted, red-headed stepchild."

In a remarkably short time, Feherty has succeeded in infusing humour into the fairly mundane role of reporter-on-the-ground. While informing the viewer about the nature of a shot, where it has landed and the club the player has used, he can transmit an obvious love of the game.

Viewers have come to look upon himself and McCord as mischievous brothers, playing pranks on the strait-laced Ken Venturi in the main commentary booth. And job security doesn't appear to be an immediate problem, judging by the prediction of the man who brought him to CBS. "I'm convinced David's special talents will make him a star," says Barrow.