By Jim McCabe
CHARLOTTE, North Carolina (May 16, 2025) – Raised in various parts of the country, afforded different entry points into the game, and inspired by wide ranges of teaching philosophies, they are galvanized not only by their passion for golf, but for the desire to introduce others to its magic. But for this week, Nathalie Sheehan, Joanna Coe and Joe Hallett will unite their talents and join other PGA of America Golf Professionals to enhance the experience for millions of golf fans. These PGA Members will be involved in extensive coverage of the 107 th PGA Championship, which will broadcast for 250 hours of coverage across multiple platforms on CBS, ESPN, and ESPN+ and Paramount+, with 500 million households across 186 countries watching. Additionally, SiriusXM and Westwood One radio will provide extensive coverage each round.
The opportunity is not lost on them.
“This is a very unique experience and it’s made me a better PGA Professional in so many ways,” said Sheehan, the Director of Women’s Golf at Pelican Golf Club in Belleair, Fla.
Sheehan and Joe Hallett, a PGA Master Professional who is the Director of Instruction at Vanderbilt Legends Club in Franklin, Tenn., will work remotely from the Home of the PGA of America in Frisco, Texas, offering extensive analysis and observations during coverage of featured groups Thursday and Friday on ESPN+.
Ask Hallett his assignment and he puts it this way: “Do not interfere, but you want to get a fun nugget that the viewer can relate to,” he said. “(For instance), showing that Justin Rose is trying to get a downward angle of approach between 1.4 and 2.25 degrees with his driver is not interesting or relatable to the average viewer. “However, saying that Justin is hitting some drivers off the deck on the practice range to help his contact on his tee shots is (interesting and relatable).”
Having relationships with fellow golf instructors will enable Hallett and Sheehan to contribute facts and tips to viewers. “I did it last year (from Valhalla in Louisville, Ky.) and it was very fun,” said Sheehan, who laughs when asked if it’s organized chaos. “Kind of, yes. It is live TV. But you talk to your producer and explain your ideas and you’re doing it on the fly, but that’s why you have your thoughts organized.”
Like Sheehan and Hallet, Coe has experience with these PGA Championship broadcasts. The Director of Instruction at Merion Golf Club in Philadelphia, Coe has previously worked PGAs at Kiawah Island (2021), Southern Hills (2022) and Oak Hill (2023) but her assignment for Quail Hollow in Charlotte, N.C., this year is being an on-course reporter for the featured groups.
“I speak to a lot of my students in a group setting, so I’m more comfortable in front of the camera,” said Coe, who missed last year’s PGA Championship at Valhalla because she was pregnant with her first child, daughter Jennie. “But I totally relate to the viewers; I just know we have to do it very quickly.”
Reporting on the world’s greatest golfers from Quail Hollow where the strongest field in golf will be assembled is not such a daunting task, they all agree. That’s likely because they share such a love of the game, albeit with different histories.
Hallett grew up in Coral Gables, Fla., where he honed his game at a famed Donald Ross layout called Biltmore GC. After failing at PGA Tour Q School for a third time, Hallett was fortunate enough to be under the tutelage of Joe Lopez Sr. who had experience as a tour professional.
“He told me, ‘You should teach this game. You have been to some of the best instructors (Bob Toski, Jimmy Ballard, David Leadbetter) plus you have tournament experience.’”
At first, Hallett balked. Then one day he circled back to Lopez and asked if the offer still stood. “He cleared a spot on the tee for me next to him and I learned and taught and taught and learned,” said Hallett.
Similarly, Sheehan and Coe said teaching was never on their radar.
“I didn’t have any interest,” said the former Nathalie Filler, a junior standout from Hartford, Conn., who took lessons from PGA of America Past President Suzy Whaley, PGA Master Professional, but was singularly focused on her game at the University of Delaware. “But when I started teaching summers and worked with junior golfers I saw it as a way to stay in a game that I loved.”
Whaley is also contributing to the ESPN broadcast team at Quail Hollow as an On-course reporter. Married to Justin Sheehan, PGA, the COO and Director of Golf at Pelican GC, she embraces her days “teaching golfers from 4 to 85, men and women” and sharing a love of this great game.
Like Hallet, Coe was first and foremost focused on trying to be a tour professional. But four years on what is now called the Epson Tour opened Coe’s eyes “to how tough life can be on the road.” When she started teaching golf at Baltimore Country Club, Coe’s instincts for competition remained alive; she just transferred it to help make youngsters as good as they can become.
To be a huge Philadelphia sports fan and having the chance to work at the iconic Merion GC is a thrill that still makes Coe pinch herself. Married to Ryan Hartsfield – “he loves golf and is about a 15 handicap” – she loves that golf “challenges both sides of your brain” and that her TV duties this week will continue to bring the game to a wider audience.
“I’m very excited,” said Coe, who agrees with Hallett and Sheehan that this week also gives them a chance to be ambassadors not only for their different clubs but the game in general. “It’s why I fell in love with golf; it gives you a chance to be competitive with every single shot.”
Additional PGA of America Members Rounding out the ESPN team are Steve Scott, PGA, on-course reporter, and Gary Christian, PGA.
PGA of America Members on the CBS Sports and Paramount+ teams include Michael Breed, PGA and Brian Crowell, PGA, who will recap each round through the PGA Championship Clubhouse Report, hosted by Kelly Tilghman.
The PGA Championship will conclude May 18 at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, N.C. You can stream, watch or listen on the networks of CBS, CBS Sports Network, Paramount+, ESPN, ESPN+ and SiriusXM Radio. You can also follow the action on pgachampionship.com.
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Media Contact:
Jesse Dodson, PGA of America, jdodson@pgahq.com
