Paul Azinger has been tapped as the new lead golf analyst for Fox Sports’ golf coverage of USGA events, replacing the recently-departed Greg Norman, who held the role in the network’s inaugural year, according to GolfDigest.com. 

Per the report, Azinger will sign a multiyear contract and partner in the booth with prominent Fox Sports announcer Joe Buck. Their producer Mark Loomis previously worked at ABC and made the decision at the 2004 Tour Championship to team up Nick Faldo and Azinger, along with Mike Tirico. The trio worked together through the 2006 season — at which point ABC lost the rights to telecast PGA Tour events.

Following his stint as an analyst for ABC golf telecasts, the 56-year-old American has most recently worked as an analyst for ESPN’s telecasts of the Masters, U.S. Open and British Open.

Sources say that Azinger will cover the U.S. Open, the U.S. Senior Open, and the Womens’ U.S. Open this year. (What about the U.S. Amateur? According to Golf.com report, he will work that event, as well.)

It was reported last week that Norman would not return to the Fox gig. He said he was “shocked” by getting the pink slip, citing the team’s great chemistry.

Nothing against Norman, but I think most golf fans will welcome this change to Azinger, especially during the U.S. Open. At least from what I gathered per the reaction to the broadcast from last year at Chambers Bay.