NBC adds Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald to their broadcast team

NBC is adding another big name join the broadcast team as they’re still searching to replace lead analyst Paul Azinger.

Team Europe’s Ryder Cup captain, Luke Donald, will be in the booth for the Cognizant Classic and the Arnold Palmer Invitational, per the Sports Business Journal. Donald will be on the air in some capacity on Thursday and then will sit alongside Dan Hicks throughout the weekend.

He still plays semi-regularly on the PGA Tour and DP World Tour, so the longevity of this is uncertain.

Donald brings a lot of popularity to the booth.

Donald was the No. 1 player in the world in May 2011 and is a former PGA Tour Player of the Year. He improved his stock after leading Team Europe to a dominating Ryder Cup win in Rome last September.

He’ll bring with him a likability and some personality into the NBC booth.

Donald is the latest to join the NBC team after current PGA Tour player Kevin Kisner joined the team for the Sentry and the WM Phoenix Open. Golf Channel analyst Brandel Chamblee sat in the analyst chair at the American Express. Paul McGinley and Curt Byrum have also spent time with the broadcast team.

This week at the Mexico Open, Jim “Bones” Mackay is filling in since Justin Thomas isn’t playing golf.

It’s still unclear what NBC plans to do with the lead analyst spot for its biggest events, including the Players Championship in March and its two majors, the U.S. Open and Open Championship.

Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. For more golf coverage, be sure to follow us @_PlayingThrough on all major social platforms. You can also follow her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and Instagram @savannah_leigh_sports.