Peyton Manning gets pranked by Jim Nantz and why Tony Pancake is 'the dumbest pro in U.S.'

Peyton Manning loves the game of golf. Whether it is his ownership stake in Sweetens Cove, his membership at clubs such as Augusta National or playing in renditions of The Match, we’ve seen plenty of evidence that golf is a close second to football in the NFL great’s heart. Here are two stories that were told at a presentation by Titleist on Wednesday at the PGA Show.

The first story comes from CBS Sports’s Jim Nantz who described Manning as a prankster.

“He’s good at taking little subtle shots that people don’t even know about,” Nantz said.

This left Nantz seeking to return serve and he got Manning back as only he can.

“So this year, full confessional here, I hope it doesn’t go out on social media, I fibbed on the air one time,” Nantz told an audience in Orlando on the first day of the annual trade show. “I try to be the decorum of truth and integrity.”

But he made an exception while broadcasting the Memorial at Jack’s Place on CBS. Manning, a longtime Nationwide spokesman, played in the Wednesday pro-am with Rory McIlroy. That’s when Nantz fabricated a story about his friend.

“McIlroy at the ninth hole,” Nantz began. “He’s going to tap this in for par and this gives me a chance to say that Rory played in the pro-am with Peyton Manning on Wednesday and he was blown away with Manning who shot 71. Let’s go back over to 14.”

Truth be told, Manning didn’t shoot 71 but that’s not what most of the golf-watching public now thinks. Thanks to Nantz, Manning has been busy trying to live down the fact that he didn’t shoot 71.

“Now he can’t get any shots, his handicap has gone haywire,” Nantz said.

The second story comes from Tony Pancake, the longtime director of golf at Crooked Stick Golf Club in Carmel, Indiana and the 2024 PGA Professional of the Year. Pancake, who teaches Manning, had never played Augusta National. Like many golfers, it was his dream to play there someday. And so when he got married he said he told his wife if he ever got invited to Augusta, he loves her and she’s the most important thing in his life but he wouldn’t be asking for her permission; he’d go play.

“She agreed with that, she’s a golfer,” he said.

One day, a few years ago, Manning invited his pro to play Augusta National, shortly after the Masters had been contested. Pancake was overjoyed and told his wife the good news. There was only one problem: that was men’s opening day at Crooked Stick, a pretty important occasion for the director of golf to be on hand. Pancake was flattened.

“I called Peyton back and said it has been a dream of mine forever to play Augusta National but I have to run the event,” Pancake recalled. “At the awards presentation, the golf chairman introduced me as Tony Pancake, the dumbest golf professional in the country.”

The good news is Manning made good on Pancake’s rain check a year later.

Peyton Manning — prankster and making dreams come true at Augusta National for his people.

This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Two Peyton Manning stories revolving around his love of golf