Dan Hicks, NBC’s Golf and Olympic Voice, Dies at 64
The longtime broadcaster called 27 U.S. Opens and covered Notre Dame football before his death on Wednesday in Connecticut.
By Naomi Tesfaye ·
Fans who tuned in for major golf tournaments or Olympic swimming events will hear a familiar voice gone. Dan Hicks, the primary announcer for those sports at NBC, has died. He was 64. His family and the network confirmed the news on Thursday.
Hicks passed away late Wednesday in Connecticut. His wife, Hannah Storm, stated that he died of an acute illness. She described him as a devoted husband of more than three decades and the father of three daughters.
The news arrived just days before Hicks was scheduled to return to the booth. He was set to call the Notre Dame football game against Boston College on Saturday. This would have marked his seventh season broadcasting Fighting Irish games.
Hicks joined NBC in 1992 after spending three years at CNN. He spent the next 35 years at the network, serving as the lead voice for golf, Olympic swimming, and Notre Dame football. He told the Associated Press in September that he felt lucky to remain at one employer for so long, noting that it required the right properties to stay on the air.
Golf was his primary focus. He served as a tower announcer from 1995 to 1999 before becoming the main voice in 2000. During that tenure, he called 27 U.S. Opens and 23 U.S. Women’s Opens. He also covered the Ryder Cup, the PGA Tour, and the British Open.
Hicks was on the call for 27 victories by Tiger Woods, including three U.S. Open wins. The PGA Tour noted in a statement that his steady narration filled living rooms during the game’s biggest moments. They added that his warmth on the broadcast mirrored the kindness he showed to those around him.
Mike Whan, the CEO of the U.S. Golf Association, called Hicks a true friend to the game and the organization. Whan said Hicks’ generosity and friendship touched everyone who knew him.
Hicks also partnered with Rowdy Gaines for Olympic swimming coverage eight times. Together, they narrated Michael Phelps’ eight gold medals at the 2008 Beijing Games and Katie Ledecky’s 14 medals across four Olympic cycles. NBC Sports executives Rick Cordella, Sam Flood, and Molly Solomon called him an exceptional storyteller who elevated historic moments with knowledge, style, and humor.
Hicks is survived by Storm and their three daughters, Hannah, Ellery, and Riley.
His family said Hicks brought energy and laughter to every room he entered. They described him as endlessly kind, thoughtful, and funny, a person who made everyone feel like they mattered.
