Laura Rutledge Gets Emotional Recalling Dan Hicks’ Kind Words During A Difficult Time

Laura Rutledge gets emotional about Dan Hicks© Image via: X/@danfetes

Dan Hicks was supposed to be in the broadcast booth Saturday. NBC Sports had him scheduled for Notre Dame Fighting Irish football against the Boston College Eagles. Instead, the network and his family announced Thursday that Hicks died late Wednesday in Connecticut. He was 64 years old. His wife, ESPN broadcaster Hannah Storm, said an acute illness took him suddenly. Hicks spent 35 years at NBC, and for most golf fans he was the voice attached to the shot. He called Tiger Woods, the Olympics and Notre Dame football with the same calm, unhurried tone.

Dan Hicks And Tiger Woods: 27 Wins Called For NBC Sports

Hicks arrived at NBC in 1992 after three years at CNN. He started in the tower during golf broadcasts and took over as lead play-by-play announcer in 2000. He was on the call for 27 Tiger Woods victories, three of them at the U.S. Open.

The line people still quote back to him came in 2008. An injured Woods rolled in a putt to force a playoff, and Hicks asked, "Expect anything different?"

Swimming was his other home. He called eight Olympics alongside Rowdy Gaines, covering all eight of Michael Phelps's gold medals in Beijing and 14 medals for Katie Ledecky over four Games. Across his career he worked 16 Olympics, beginning in Barcelona in 1992.

Dan Hicks, longtime lead golf play-by-play announcer for NBC Sports, has died following an acute illness. He was 64. Across three decades, Hicks provided the soundtrack to some of golf's most memorable moments. The Arizona native joined NBC in 1992 and assumed the network's lead play-by-play role in 2000, his broadcast style defined by a steady delivery, unmistakable enthusiasm, and ability to capture the significance of a moment. Hicks anchored weekend coverage of The Players Championship for nearly three decades and was behind the microphone for the evolution of the FedExCup, in addition to several major championships, bringing his composed approach to golf's biggest stages. For nearly two decades, Hicks worked alongside renowned analyst Johnny Miller in one of golf television's defining broadcast partnerships. Hicks provided a measured presence, guiding viewers through the tension and unpredictability of a final round. After graduating from the University of Arizona, Hicks began his broadcasting career in local radio and television before joining CNN in 1989. He moved to NBC Sports three years later, with assignments including Olympic swimming, alpine skiing and Notre Dame football. Golf, one of his favorite recreational pastimes, became an enduring beat. His voice will always be synonymous with the game. Hicks is survived by his wife, sports broadcaster Hannah Storm, and their three daughters. Rest in Peace, Dan Hicks.

— PGA Tour (@PGATour) November 12, 2026

In September, he told the Associated Press, "I'm incredibly lucky to stay at one place this long." This was his seventh year with Notre Dame. He did the games from 2013 to 2016, then came back in 2024.

Hannah Storm And Laura Rutledge On Losing Dan Hicks

Storm's statement leaned on the room he walked into, not the booth he worked from. "Dan was truly one of a kind and, quite simply, the person everyone wanted to be around. When he walked into a room, he brought the energy, the laughter and the people together. He was endlessly kind, thoughtful and funny, and he made everyone feel like they mattered."

The PGA Tour spoke about his work. "Dan's voice filled our living rooms with his steady narration of countless golf broadcasts, calling some of the game's biggest moments," the tour said. "The sound of his voice is woven into our memories of the game, and the warmth he brought to the broadcast was matched only by the kindness he showed those around him."

On NFL Live, ESPN's Laura Rutledge said Storm always called him "Dan the Man." She also told a smaller story. "He knew that I struggled daily with the guilt of being away from my two children while working, and he told me, ‘I watched my wife deal with this for years.'"

Hicks and Storm were married for more than 30 years. They have three daughters.