Tom Abbott
Tom Abbott | |
|---|---|
| Born | December 7, 1981 London, England |
| Occupation(s) | Sports broadcaster, commentator |
| Years active | 2004–present |
| Known for | Golf Channel, NBC Sports, The Big Break |
| Notable work | The Big Break, PGA Tour coverage, Olympic golf coverage |
Tom Abbott (born 7 December 1981 in London, England) is a well-known sports broadcaster and commentator, particularly noted for his contributions to The Golf Channel and NBC. He provides analysis and commentary for the PGA Tour, LPGA Tour, and European Tour. Between 2010 and 2015, Abbott co-hosted the series The Big Break.
Early life
Raised in Cheam, a suburb of London, Abbott attended Wilson's School located in Wallington, Surrey. Passionate about golf from a young age, he represented Surrey at both Junior and Men's levels and played for the England Schools' golf team. Abbott pursued collegiate golf at Mercer University in Macon, Georgia, where he earned a degree in Media Business in 2004. In recognition of his achievements, he was inducted into the Mercer Athletic Hall of Fame in 2015.
Early career
Abbott’s broadcasting journey began at Mercer University through his involvement in establishing the campus television station Mercer99. During his time in Macon, he made weekly appearances on ABC affiliate WPGA-TV's "58 Sports Show" and completed an internship at WGCL-TV in Atlanta. His first full-time position was as the original sports anchor for CBS affiliate WCAV-TV in Charlottesville, Virginia, where he launched the station’s sports newscast in November 2004.
Golf Channel and NBC Sports
Abbott joined Golf Channel in November 2005, initially working on the UK version of the channel from Orlando, Florida. He contributed to Golf Central and co-hosted LPGA Tour coverage alongside Laura Baugh. After Golf Channel UK shut down in 2007, Abbott transitioned to working with the U.S.-based network.
Starting in 2008, Abbott took on hosting duties for European Tour broadcasts and anchored episodes of Golf Central. He also lent his voice to the Top 10 series and became a leading figure in women's golf coverage. Notably, Abbott reported on golf’s inclusion in the Olympics during the announcement in Copenhagen (2009) and subsequently covered golf events at the Rio 2016, Tokyo 2020, and Paris 2024 Olympic Games for NBC Sports. Additionally, he covered Biathlon at the 2022 Winter Olympics in China under stringent Covid-19 protocols.
In 2010, Abbott replaced Vince Cellini as host of The Big Break, guiding eleven seasons including Big Break NFL with Michele Tafoya. The show was paused after a cutback in Golf Channel’s original programming in 2015, leaving its continuation uncertain. In 2024, Abbott returned as host for Big Break Where Are They Now on Peacock, conducting interviews with notable former contestants.
Abbott made his debut on Golf Channel's PGA Tour broadcasts in 2012 and served as an announcer for NBC during the 2013 U.S. Women's Open. In 2014, he joined BBC’s commentary team for the Ricoh Women's British Open and acted as tower announcer for NBC’s Ryder Cup coverage. By 2015, he had called the winning putt at the Solheim Cup and covered the President's Cup held in South Korea—completing commentary roles for Ryder Cup, President's Cup, Solheim Cup, and Walker Cup events by the age of 33.
From 2016 onward, Abbott has been involved with Golf Channel & NBC’s extensive broadcast partnership covering The Open, including coverage from Royal Troon. He regularly features on NBC Sports’ coverage of both The Open and US Open championships and contributed to early broadcasts of the 2024 US Open at Pinehurst.
In recognition of his work during NBC’s Paris 2024 Olympic coverage, Abbott received an Emmy award in 2025.
Personal life
Abbott resides in Orlando, Florida. In 2024, he revealed that he is in a relationship with Grace Mahony, who is the granddaughter of Watership Down writer Richard Adams.