Sky Sports News presenter Kirsty Gallacher axed from Masters 2017 coverage – because they can’t afford her
James Haddock has replaced mainstay Kirsty Gallagher at Augusta this year
SKY SPORTS NEWS poster girl Kirsty Gallacher has been axed from the coverage of this year's Masters.
The 41-year-old has been a regular on coverage from Augusta in recent years - but the network has decided they can't afford to send her this year.
Instead, golf reporter James Haddock will be at the tournament.
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Gallacher is hugely respected on the golf circuit, having learned the sport from her father Bernard, a winning Ryder Cup captain.
But Sky Sports News, who pay £11million PER MATCH on Premier League football, can't justify spending the money to send Gallacher to the US, according to the .
Gallacher is reported to be 'very upset' with the decision and rather than report on the action from Sky Sport's Middlesex studio has instead gone on holiday with her children.
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Writing in an online column for Sky Sports this week, Gallacher named Dustin Johnson as the favourite for The Masters.
She wrote: "Dustin is my favourite for the Masters this year, and it's hard to look beyond him with the way he has dominated in 2017 so far."
On Rory McIlroy, she said: "I'm a little sceptical of McIlroy's chances this week, although the wet weather could be a big advantage for him.
"He's frequently displayed a liking for soft and damp conditions."