'Fortieth means I'm old:' Verne Lundquist reflects on final Masters call after 40 years

On Sunday, Verne Lundquist is walking up to the final green of his Masters broadcasting career.

The longtime sports broadcaster has been a stalwart of Masters coverage for four decades, but the 2024 golf major will be the last that he calls at Augusta in a plan that has been two years in the making.

Lundquist has been behind the microphone for many memorable calls over the years, and recently labeled Tiger Woods' iconic chip on hole No. 16 in 2005 and Jack Nicklaus' putt in 1986 as the two best calls of his golf career. On April 13, he had an opportunity to reflect on what 40 years of the Masters has meant to him.

"Fortieth means I'm old," Lundquist said with a laugh. "And final − it's filled with emotion, it really is. This place has been so special for my personal and my professional life."

Lundquist revealed that his exit strategy has been two years in the making, and after meeting with CBS brass in 2022, a mutual decision was made to call it a career in 2024, his 40th tournament.

Lundquist, though, revealed that the 2024 Masters may not be the last time that he makes an appearance at Augusta − just likely not in a broadcasting role.

"This place and the people who run it, and the patrons who visit it − it is the best-run golf tournament in the world, on the best manicured golf course in the world, with the best patrons in the world," Lundquist said. "I know that Nancy and I are coming back, I'm gonna let it breathe for a year.

"The sad part is, I know when I say, 'I wanna come back,' the people at CBS are gonna say, 'It's on your dime.'"

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Verne Lundquist explains retiring from Masters, reflects on career