Jimmy Roberts to be honored with Tim Rosaforte Distinguished Journalist Award
16-time Emmy Award-winning broadcaster to be honored on February 25 at the Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches
PALM BEACH GARDENS, Florida – The Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches announced today that longtime NBC Sports host and reporter Jimmy Roberts will be honored as the 2026 recipient of the Tim Rosaforte Distinguished Journalist Award. The ceremony will be held in the tournament’s Tim Rosaforte Media Center on Tuesday, Feb. 25, at 2 p.m. ET.
The Tim Rosaforte Distinguished Journalist Award was introduced in 2021 by former tournament Executive Director Ken Kennerly and the tournament’s host committee. Rosaforte, the recipient of the inaugural award, later passed away due to complications from Alzheimer's Disease in 2022.
Rosaforte covered the Cognizant Classic for more than three decades as part of his illustrious career, first at the Sun Sentinel and Palm Beach Post, then as a writer for Sports Illustrated and Golf World, and lastly as the consummate golf insider for NBC and Golf Channel. In addition to Rosaforte (2021), longtime golf writers Larry Dorman (2022), Randall Mell (2023), Craig Dolch (2024) and Jeff Babineau (2025, posthumously) have received the award.
This is an honor, but the best part is that it gives us another opportunity to remember an extraordinary man. For all his hard work and talent, the thing I most remember about Tim was his relentless decency. We could all use some more of that in our lives.
-Jimmy Roberts, 2026 Tim Rosaforte Distinguished Journalist Award Recipient
Before attending the University of Maryland, Roberts worked as a staff reporter at Westchester/Rockland newspapers (New York). After graduating he started his broadcast career as a production assistant for ABC at the 1980 Olympic Games. After eight years at ABC Sports and News as a writer and producer, he went in front of the camera at ESPN, where his assignments featured the World Series, NBA Finals, Super Bowl, the 1992-1994 Winter Olympics and boxing – including the heavyweight championship bout between Mike Tyson and Michael Spinks in 1988. In addition, he was the co-originator of ESPN’s “Outside the Lines” series. Throughout the 1990s, Roberts was ESPN’s main presenter for boxing and golf before taking a position with NBC in 2000. Since then, he has been a respected essayist, interviewer, feature reporter and studio host in sports, covering the PGA TOUR for NBC and Golf Channel, as well as an array of other sports. The White Plains (New York) native has covered 20 Olympic Games in his acclaimed career, including 13 with NBC Sports.
“Tim always enjoyed working with Jimmy because they were both so prepared and not only was there mutual respect, but they were also great friends,” said Rosaforte’s wife, Genevieve. “Tim would be so happy Jimmy is receiving an award named after him.”
Roberts has earned numerous distinctions throughout his career, including 16 Emmy Awards for writing, best feature, journalism and individual achievement, as well as a Golf Writers Association of America award and the Metropolitan Golf Association’s Distinguished Service Award. In 2009, he published his first book, “Breaking the Slump,” which profiled the struggles of some of golf’s biggest names, and how they persevered. In January he started Big Swing Media, a digital enterprise which focuses on the growing business side of golf.
“Rosie was one of the finest journalists in the game of golf, respected by all, and simply everyone’s friend. So, when our committee met to choose the 2026 recipient, the unanimous choice was golf’s great friend, Jimmy Roberts,” said Kennerly. “Jimmy and Tim had enormous respect for each other, and a truly special friendship. There is no more deserving 2026 recipient than the legendary Jimmy Roberts.”