Dan Hicks, Beloved NBC Sports Voice of Golf and the Olympics, Dies at 64

Dan Hicks, the veteran NBC Sports broadcaster whose commentary accompanied some of the most memorable moments in golf and Olympic swimming, has died at the age of 64.

Hicks died on Wednesday, November 11, following an acute illness, his family announced Thursday. His wife, ESPN broadcaster Hannah Storm, described his passing as sudden and unexpected.

The announcement brought tributes from across sports broadcasting, where Hicks had spent more than three decades covering major championships, Olympic competitions and college football.

In her statement, Storm remembered a devoted husband and father whose kindness and sense of humor brought people together. She thanked those supporting the family as she and their three daughters faced their loss.

Hicks joined NBC Sports in 1992 after working at CNN. He became the network’s lead golf announcer in 2000, building a career that also included swimming, skiing and Notre Dame football. His broadcasting partnerships included Johnny Miller on golf coverage and Rowdy Gaines at the swimming pool.

Among his best-known calls was Tiger Woods’ dramatic birdie putt at the final hole of regulation in the 2008 U.S. Open at Torrey Pines. As Woods forced a playoff, Hicks delivered a line that became inseparable from the moment: “Expect anything different?”

That same year, Hicks helped narrate the United States’ extraordinary comeback victory in the men’s 4×100-meter freestyle relay at the Beijing Olympics. His voice connected viewers to the tension and excitement of a race that became one of those Games’ defining events.

NBC Sports executives remembered him as a gifted storyteller whose warmth extended beyond his work on television. Their tribute emphasized his ability to welcome colleagues with humor and encouragement.

ESPN also offered condolences, expressing support for Storm, their daughters and Hicks’ colleagues at NBC during an exceptionally difficult time.

Hicks is survived by Storm and their three daughters, Hannah, Ellery and Riley.