Golf commentator forced into embarrassing apology after swearing live on air during Olympics

A golf commentator has made a public apology after she was caught seemingly cursing on air during the live coverage of the women's Olympic golf event in Paris last Friday.

Morgan Pressel, a former LPGA Tour competitor who now commentates for NBC, was following Canadian golf sensation Brooke Henderson's progress during the third round when the incident occurred.

While covering Henderson's remarkable play on the 14th hole of Le Golf National where she landed an eagle chance, Pressel, aged 36, couldn't contain her excitement over the quality of Henderson's shot. As Henderson and her caddie sister Brittany celebrated the moment, Pressel appeared to let slip an F-bomb in her commentary.

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"Yeah, let's give Brittany a little fist pump. She is f------ fired up. You love to see it," it sounded like Pressel remarked. The commentator later expressed regret for her comments, asserting she misspoke rather than consciously used profanity.

Pressel issued a statement regarding the gaffe: "I just want to take a moment to acknowledge something that I said during the broadcast," and reiterated her remorse, saying "I stumbled over my words and unfortunately it sounded as if I said something inappropriate and I am so sorry that it came across as such because I would never say that on the air in a broadcast."

Henderson tied for 13th place at Le Golf National, just missing the medal standings by four shots. Lydia Ko from New Zealand captured the championship title with a stellar performance of 10-under par, while Germany's very own Esther Henseleit secured silver, trailing two shots behind. The bronze was clinched by China's Lin Xiyu, completing the tournament at seven-under.

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However, even with the on-screen mix-up, Pressel cherished her Parisian experience. She expressed her sentiments on Instagram, saying: "That's a wrap on my first Olympics," adding, "And it sure was a memorable one! Proud to be a small part of the NBC Olympics team who have worked tirelessly to bring you all the action from one of the most amazing cities in the world! Au revoir."

Pressel burst onto the LPGA Tour scene back in 2006 and went on to claim victory in four professional events, including a major triumph at the Chevron Championship hosted by Mission Hills in California that same year. Furthermore, she's been runner-up at prestigious tournaments such as the Women's PGA Championship and the U.S. Women's Open during her prime.

Her most recent tour win dates back to the Kapalua LPGA Classic in 2008. The major stage hasn't seen her since 2021. A standout performer representing the United States, Pressel has participated in six Solheim Cups. Notably, during the 2011 event at Irelands Killeen Castle, she achieved a perfect 4-0 record, although her team did not come out on top.

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