Johnson was penalized two strokes for showing up late to his first-round tee time. He shot 2-over 73 and told the media that Brown gave him improper information on his start time.

"Our aim is to provide the best possible golf coverage for our viewers. Anything else is a disservice. In order not to provide further distraction, we've decided to remove Jim from this particular assignment," Golf Channel spokesman Dan Higgins said.

Last August at the PGA Championship at Whistling Straits, Gray was involved in a verbal confrontation with Corey Pavin in which he and the U.S. Ryder Cup captain argued about Gray's reporting that Tiger Woods would be a wild-card selection.

According to Higgins, Gray's future with Golf Channel is an "internal matter" and will be addressed at the appropriate time. Gray is a freelance reporter.