Review-Journal golf columnist, former NFL.com editor Greg Robertson dies

Greg Robertson, the Review-Journal golf writer whose career included stops at some of the top newspapers and websites in the country, died Wednesday in Madera, California. He was 65.

Robertson had written a weekly golf notebook for the RJ since 2020 and covered the PGA Tour’s Shriners Children’s Open at TPC Summerlin along with the LPGA Tour’s T-Mobile Match Play event at Shadow Creek. He also provided coverage of made-for-TV money events, such as “The Showdown” in December that featured Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy defeating Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka at Shadow Creek.

Since 2021, Robertson also served as a copy editor on the RJ’s universal desk and worked with the sports department to produce the section five days a week. He was known for his catchy headlines.

“Greg’s love of golf really shined through in his columns and coverage for the Review-Journal,” Executive Editor Glenn Cook said. “He was also an excellent editor, whose daily contributions to the sports section didn’t show his name. He was a real pro and good man, and we’re going to miss him greatly.”

Robertson was the first golf editor and writer for ESPN.com and covered the PGA Tour, LPGA Tour and Champions Tour for five years.

“His knowledge of golf was just unmatched. I really, really respected it,” said former RJ Sports Editor Bill Bradley, who also worked with Robertson at the Sacramento Bee. “The only thing I gave him crap back about was he always thought Tiger (Woods) got too much pub.”

Before joining the RJ, Robertson was lead editor for the launch of NFL.com in 1996 and was lead editor for the first season of WNBA.com. Along with his time on the golf beat at ESPN.com, Robertson worked as auto racing editor and coordinated baseball coverage.

He was a news and business copy editor at the Seattle Times from 2002 to 2004 before moving to the Sacramento Bee, where he worked as a sports copy editor and the publication’s first online editor until 2008.

Robertson spent the next 12 years away from the media industry working for a trade association, public university and public relations firm. He was hired as a freelancer by the RJ in May 2020 to cover golf and became full time in August 2021.

Along with his work covering pro events, Robertson covered the local golf scene, writing about top professional players who live in Las Vegas, UNLV and the Southern Nevada Golf Association.

“We are devastated to hear of the passing of Greg. He was more than just a reporter; he was a true champion for our program,” UNLV women’s golf coach Amy Bush-Herzer wrote in a text message. “For years, he dedicated his time to telling the stories of our athletes and our team, always with passion and a deep understanding of the game.

“We will always be grateful for the way he elevated our program and shone a light on the hard work and dedication of our student-athletes. He will be deeply missed by all of us, and his legacy will live on in the stories he so beautifully told. Our hearts go out to his family and loved ones during this incredibly difficult time.”

Robertson was born Sept. 6, 1960, in San Jose, California, and attended Branham High School. He was a member of the tennis team and continued to play the sport competitively through his 20s.

A graduate of San Jose State, Robertson was the youngest editor in California when he was named editor-in-chief of the Madera Tribune. He also worked at the Stockton Record and Tacoma News-Tribune early in his career.

Robertson’s family said he loved 1970s R&B music, the Minnesota Vikings and his dog, Lizzie. He is survived by his wife, Sarah Williams, of Madera and daughters Madalena of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and Matea of Las Vegas.

Contact David Schoen at dschoen@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5203. Follow @DavidSchoenLVRJ on X.