Ian Baker-Finch’s Tearful Farewell After 30 Years in Golf Broadcasting

00:00 – Ian Baker-Finch’s Tearful Farewell After 30 Years in Golf Broadcasting
05:33 – Ian Baker-Finch: A New Chapter in Golf Course Design
11:43 – Ian Baker-Finch Retires from CBS after 30 Years

1. Ian Baker-Finch’s Tearful Farewell After 30 Years in Golf Broadcasting

Watch the emotional moment as legendary golf broadcaster Ian Baker-Finch says goodbye to CBS Golf after 19 incredible years in the booth.

After three decades in golf television, the beloved Australian commentator delivered a heartfelt farewell during the 3M Open coverage, bringing tears to viewers and colleagues alike. Jim Nantz and Trevor Immelman were by his side as Baker-Finch reflected on his remarkable broadcasting journey.

Highlights from this emotional farewell:
• Baker-Finch’s 30-year broadcasting career recap
• Touching moments with CBS Golf family
• Reflections on his passion for the game
• Final thoughts to golf fans worldwide
• Tributes from Tiger Woods and golf community

Baker-Finch began his television career in 1996 after retiring from professional golf due to injuries. He worked in Australia before joining ABC Sports and eventually CBS Golf, where he became one of the most respected voices in golf broadcasting.

His final broadcast was at the Wyndham Championship before officially retiring from the booth. Despite stepping away from commentary, Baker-Finch continues his involvement in golf through course design and other projects.

This farewell marks the end of an era for CBS Golf and golf broadcasting as a whole.

2. Ian Baker-Finch: A New Chapter in Golf Course Design

Join us as we explore the inspiring journey of Ian Baker-Finch, a major champion and beloved golf commentator, as he transitions from broadcasting to golf course design. Discover his passion for the game, the unforgettable moments he shared with legends like Tiger Woods and Adam Scott, and how he plans to shape the future of golf courses. This video delves into his childhood memories, his love for the sport, and what retirement means for him. Don’t miss this heartfelt tribute to a true golf icon!

3. Ian Baker-Finch Retires from CBS after 30 Years

Ian Baker-Finch is signing off from CBS Sports after 30 years of broadcasting the PGA Tour.
He began his career as a professional golfer, winning the 1991 British Open at Royal Birkdale.
After his playing career, he transitioned to announcing and spent 19 years with CBS.
Baker-Finch is known for his charming personality, soothing voice, and gift for storytelling.
He will be missed by golf fans and his colleagues at CBS.
In this video, we take a look back at his career and wish him all the best in his retirement.

Ian Baker Finch’s tearful farewell after 30 years in golf broadcasting. Imagine the scene. A man known for his warmth and kindness, standing before a microphone, his voice trembling with emotion. This wasn’t just any man. It was Ian Baker Finch bidding farewell to his long-standing role at CBS Golf. The event was supposed to be a simple rehearsal, a dry run as Jim Nance put it. But as Baker Finch stepped into the booth, flanked by Nance and Trevor Imlman, the atmosphere shifted. The truth became apparent to everyone in Minnesota. This was no rehearsal. It was a heartfelt goodbye. Baker Finch, known for his gentle demeanor, faced his most challenging task yet, saying farewell to the CBS golf team and the millions of viewers who had grown to love him over the years. He was calling the final round from the 3M Open his second to last assignment as a broadcaster. Just days after announcing his retirement from CBS, the network had played a montage of his finest moments in the booth. And the likelihood of him holding back tears was slim to none. As the cameras returned to the booth, Baker Finch’s eyes were glistening with unshed tears as he began his goodbye. I’ll miss it as well. I’ll miss all of you. It’s been a great run though, he started, his voice trailing off as tears welled up in his eyes. The room was silent, the weight of his words hanging heavy in the air. Baker Finch had spent 19 years at CBS and a total of 30 years in television broadcasting. His journey had been anything but ordinary. After a series of injuries in 1996, he had to step back from playing golf professionally. He returned home to Australia where he began his television career working on 12 events straight with four different producers and teens. His competency caught the eye of legendary ABC sports producer Jack Graham who offered him a job back in the states. And so Baker Finch’s television career began, spanning three decades and counting as he reflected on his time in golf television, particularly the last 19 years as a tower announcer with CBS. Baker Finch spoke about the passion that had kept him going even after his playing career had taken a toll on his mental health. The unifying factor, he said, was simple. Love. I love it. I love the game, he declared. You guys and girls and all the team know it. I think Colt says it all the time. No one loves the game more than Finchy. And I do. I love the team here. It’s not just a team. It’s not just a network. It’s a family here at CBS. and I’ll miss everybody. Baker Finch’s passion was evident in his broadcasting and in an ironic twist, his life as a broadcaster had extended his legacy as a player. The decision to leave the booth was a difficult one, not least because it meant stepping away from his connection to golf’s fans. I really will miss calling those moments to the fans at home because the fans are what we’re here for. He said, “We’re here for you. We’re here to entertain you. We’re here to bring you the pictures. We bring you live golf from all these beautiful venues around the country and around the world. This moment, I’ll just miss being in your homes every weekend. As he finished his farewell, Baker Finch’s voice broke again, a fitting end to a career marked by emotion and dedication. He had chosen to forego a retirement tour, opting instead for a quiet announcement on the Tuesday after open championship week. He would have one more week in the booth at the Windom Championship for CBS before stepping into the sunset and perhaps one more tearful farewell from the CBS sports crew. “We’re going to miss you big time, pal,” Nance said, his voice filled with emotion. “We congratulate you on a 40-year run. We know there’s other things you will do and respect that. Ill is a personal decision, and we honor that, and we honor you, my friend. But here’s where it gets controversial. Some might argue that Baker Finch’s retirement is a loss for the sport, while others see it as an opportunity for new voices to emerge. What do you think? Should broadcasters like Baker Finch stay on as long as possible? Or is it time for a new generation to take the reigns? And this is the part most people miss. Baker Finch’s impact goes beyond his broadcasting career. His love for the game and his dedication to his craft have inspired countless fans and aspiring broadcasters. His legacy will live on not just in the booth, but in the hearts of those he has touched over the years. So, as we bid farewell to Ian Baker Finch, let’s remember the passion, the dedication, and the love he brought to the game. And let’s not forget to ask ourselves, what will we do to keep that spirit alive? Will we step up and fill the void left by his retirement? Or will we let the flame of his legacy flicker and die? The choice is ours, and the future of golf broadcasting hangs in the balance. So, what’s it going to be? Will you rise to the occasion, or will you let this moment pass you by? The ball is in your court, and the world is watching. Let’s make Ian Baker Finch proud. Ian Baker Finch. A new chapter in golf course design. Change is the only constant in golf. A humbling lesson that every player learns sooner or later. But what happens when a legend decides to turn the page, not walk away? Welcome to Ian Baker Finch’s latest reinvention, a move that could reshape the future of the sport itself. For those who don’t know, Baker Finch’s journey is a tapestry woven from the game’s brightest moments and its most authentic relationships. From barefoot days chasing golf balls beneath the blistering Queensland sky to earning one of the sports most coveted trophies to becoming a cherished broadcaster, he’s experienced nearly every facet the game has to offer. Now, after three decades as both a player and the trusted voice behind golf’s most unforgettable broadcasts, Baker Finch is embarking on a new path. But it’s not a farewell. Instead, it’s a heartfelt return to the essence of why he fell for golf in the first place. At 64, this Australian icon has been much more than just a narrator for golf’s historic victories. Whether it was Tiger Woods’s miraculous 2019 Masters triumph, Adam Scott’s green jacket in 2013, Jason Day’s first major win, or Rory Mroyy’s career crowning moment at Augusta. Baker Finch’s commentary for ESPN, ABC Sports, and most recently CBS Sports has become synonymous with the game’s defining scenes. His reassuring, insightful presence behind the microphone guided millions of fans through golf’s highs and heartbreaks for over 30 years. But get this, when asked what lingers most after all these years, Baker Finch doesn’t instantly point to iconic winners or championship trophies. He talks about people. There are just so many memories he reflects. What stands out isn’t just the big tournaments, though. Moments like Tiger’s comeback and Adam’s Masters are unforgettable, but the day-to-day connections, the colleagues at CBS, ABC, ESPN, and the folks back in Australia, the friendships, the laughter, the sense of belonging, those are what stay with you longest. And here’s the surprising part. Despite being a major champion, he calls his 1991 Open Championship at Royal Burkdale the pinnacle of his journey. Baker Finch candidly admits that nothing quite compares to the quiet gratification of narrating The Masters to a global audience. Isn’t it fascinating that someone at the summit of both playing and commentary clearly values camaraderie as much as competition? How many other sports legends can say the same? PGA Tour Commissioner J. Monahan summed up the feeling of a whole community when he said, “Ian Baker Finch has been an irreplaceable voice in golf, sharing his passion and connection with generations of fans. From lifting the clarit jug to his outstanding storytelling on CBS, his impact is undeniable. Congratulations, Ian. You’ve elevated the game for us all, and we wish you and your family nothing but the best. But here’s where it gets genuinely intriguing. Instead of disappearing from the game, Baker Finch is stepping into what might be his most creative chapter yet. For perhaps the first time since his childhood, he can pause, breathe, and finally chase a dream that’s quietly shaped his entire career, designing golf courses. Imagine after years spent amid the precision of play and commentary, having the freedom to sculpt the very landscapes others will play on. His passion for design, as it turns out, goes back decades. As a young boy on a rural Queensland farm, he remembers journeys on a tractor beside his father, traveling six miles to help carve a golf course from rugged farmland. A humble beginning powered by vision and the hard work of local farmers. I must have been seven or eight riding from the farm watching my dad and his friends turn a scrubby field into a golf course. He recalls that experience took root in me. Over my career, I’ve worked with design giants Jack Nicholas, Gary Player, Tom Fazio. Now I finally have the time to truly pursue this passion. And let’s not forget the other perk awaiting him. Free time. All of a sudden, I have 23 more weekends a year at home, he says with a smile. More weekends with my wife Jenny, more moments with the grandchildren. And finally, the chance to travel just for us, not for work. That’s incredibly exciting. How will the golf world adapt without his signature narration? What will tournaments feel like without his perspective grounding them? Maybe the sport needs new voices. Or maybe, as Baker Finch believes, golf itself will be all the richer for a legend returning to its roots. Yet, even as he shifts roles, one thing is clear. He’s not leaving golf behind. Instead, he’s about to shape where golf’s stories unfold next. Quite literally, from barefoot boy on a tractor to major champion, broadcaster, and now course designer, Baker Finch’s journey circles back, not as an ending, but as the start of something beautifully familiar. And this is the part most people miss. Sometimes the greatest contribution isn’t what you say or even what you achieve. It’s how you give back to where it all began. So, what do you think? Is Baker Finch’s new chapter 1 that will inspire others to follow their creative instincts after a storied career? Or do you believe a true legend’s place is in the booth, forever narrating the game’s present rather than shaping its future? Share your thoughts and let’s get the debate going. Ian Baker Finch retires from CBS after 30 years. A legend bows out. The end of an era in golf broadcasting. After three decades as the voice that defined golf’s most iconic moments, Ian Baker Finch will deliver his final CBS sports commentary today at the Windham Championship. And the sports world won’t be the same. But here’s where it gets personal. The Australian icon admits, “Since making this decision, I felt lighter than I have in years.” Baker Finch’s journey, a roller coaster of triumph, collapse, and rebirth, began tugging at his conscience last year during the Masters and RBC Heritage. Here’s the twist. Those events marked his 40th anniversary as either a competitor or a commentator. That’s when I started asking, “What’s next?” he revealed. From farm boy to champion, a story written in pine trees. Raised near Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, Baker Finch’s origin story reads like a golfing fairy tale. His father helped build Beerwis Golf Club, a scrappy nine-hole course carved from 100 acres of pine forest just 6 miles from their farm. At 12, he received his first mismatched clubs, a two-wood, three iriron, 5iron, 7 iron, and putter, becoming the only kid at school obsessed with the sport. To complete his set, he labored on local farms at $15 per club, a grind that forged both his work ethic and love for the game. By 15, he dropped out of school, armed with Jack Nicholas’s Golf My Way and dreams of becoming a club pro. Funny how life works. The boy who never imagined holding the clarit jug would lift it at Royal Burkedale in 1991. The peak in the plummet, a cautionary tale about pressure. Baker Finch’s 1991 Open win remains legendary, but his post victory collapse sparks debate. Can success sometimes be a curse? After dominating Royal Burkeale, including a nerve-wracking 15t birdie on the seventh hole, he admitted fearing he’d stuff it up in his biography. To hell and back, releasing Monday, ironically timed to his retirement. Yet within three years, his game unraveled. By 1997, a humiliating 92 at Trun’s Open ended his playing career. Controversy alert. Baker Finch still regrets that round, calling it the sliding door. Moment that pushed him toward broadcasting. Would walking away earlier have saved his legacy. The second act, why less became more? Transitioning to TV in 1995, Baker Finch mastered the art of storytelling. CBS’s Jim Nance recalls, “His warmth made viewers feel like they were chatting with a friend.” Colleagues praised his less is more philosophy, a stark contrast to today’s hot take culture. Here’s the kicker. His call of Adam Scott’s 2013 Masters Wing from down under to on top of the world remains iconic, proving quiet insight can outshout theatrics. Retirement not an exit but a pivot. At 65, Baker Finch leaves CBS to save her life’s back nine, wine tours, Australian golf trits, and design projects. Yet, his departure raises questions. Do broadcasters face expiration dates? Bakerfinch thinks so. I never wanted CBS to legacy protect me. While he expects critics to mock his accent or soft style, most fans will remember his integrity. Final thought. In an era of polarized hot takes, will golf miss his calming presence? Sound off below. Do we need more voices like his or is it time for new perspectives? Epilogue: The accidental poet of golf. From farm laborer to major champion, from shattered athlete to beloved broadcaster, Baker Finch’s career mirrors golf itself. Unpredictable, brutal, and beautiful. As he signs off, his parting words resonate. It was never about me, but for 30 years it was. And the game soundtrack just lost a defining note.