Watch this guy nail a Jim Nantz at the Masters impression

Liz Roscher
·Staff writer
It’s time for the Masters, which means it’s time for people to imitate Jim Nantz’s classic delivery.
It’s time for the Masters, which means it’s time for people to imitate Jim Nantz’s classic delivery.

It’s a tradition unlike any other. It’s … the Jim Nantz Soundalike Contest!

Every year in the lead-up to the Masters, the Dan Patrick Show runs their Jim Nantz Soundalike Contest. Nantz, the legendary sports announcer who takes the lead mic for the Masters, is a frequent guest on the show, so it’s all in good fun.

And it’s definitely fun. Nantz is a consummate pro, but he’s got a style that everyone loves to imitate — though not everyone can do it well. This guy, who submitted his entry for the 2018 contest on Youtube, does a really good Nantz impression.

First, you’ve gotta admire his commitment to character. He’s got a CBS logo taped onto the breast pocket of his navy blue blazer so he can really channel Jim Nantz. He’s sitting in front of a roaring fire, and there’s a golf sweater hanging above the mantle. The ambiance is perfect.

This able impressionist decided to imagine what Nantz does in the minute before his live Masters monologue starts. And some of the warm-up phrases he uses are just fantastic.

  • “Ubiquitous nightingale”

  • “Fred Couples has a supple spine”

  • “Clint Eastwood climbs the dogwood”

  • “Is that a gentoo penguin”

It’s all classic stuff, and it’s got that deep Nantz bravado to it. The only thing that’s missing is that pinky-plunky Masters theme song in the background. The guy in the video below, which is from all the way back in 2009, decided to have a live performance of the theme song to accompany his tribute.

He doesn’t really sound like Nantz at all, but he knows that the way to sell a Masters parody/tribute video is to have that music in it. He even goes the extra mile to have a guy doing it live on a real piano right next to him. Judging by all the love that Nantz and that Masters music get, maybe they’re the real traditions unlike any other.

– – – – – –

Liz Roscher is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email her at lizroscher@yahoo.com or follow her on Twitter! Follow @lizroscher

More from Yahoo Sports:
• Player breaks up no-hitter by breaking unwritten rule
• Freakishly strong athlete has NFL teams’ attention
• Jeff Passan: Rockies star’s deal shows how much MLB has changed
• ESPN cuts to commercial at worst possible time