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BETHESDA, Maryland, June 20, 2011 (LifeSiteNews.com) – NBC has issued an apology for omitting the words “under God” from the Pledge of Allegiance during a broadcast of the U.S. Open.

Conservatives were up in arms after the intro to Sunday’s broadcast of one of golf’s biggest championships included audio footage of children reciting the entire pledge, except for the part that mentions God.

Outraged viewers vented their anger on Twitter and other social media outlets before NBC announcer Dan Hicks issued an on-air apology.

“We began our coverage of this final round just about three hours ago and when we did it was our intent to begin the coverage of this U.S. Open Championship with a feature that captured the patriotism of our national championship being held in our nation’s capital for the third time,” Hicks said.

“Regrettably, a portion of the Pledge of Allegiance that was in that feature was edited out. It was not done to upset anyone and we’d like to apologize to those of you who were offended by it.”

Several top conservatives were dissatisfied with the apology.

“NBC issued the predictable corporate apology: ‘We’re sorry you’re offended.’ But never acknowledged what they did was patently offensive,” wrote Family Research Council president Tony Perkins on Twitter. Rev. Patrick J. Mahoney, Director of Christian Defense Coalition, said it was clear the omission was “not an accident” and demanded a detailed explanation for the move in a press release Monday.

The words “under God” were added to the Pledge of Allegiance in 1954 by a Joint Resolution of Congress. The phrase was famously used by Abraham Lincoln to describe America’s “new birth of freedom” during the Gettysburg Address.