After a year of embarrassing declines, golf is continuing to enjoy a resurgence in television ratings.
The final round of The Players Championship drew a 3.6/10 final rating on NBC last Sunday afternoon, up 16% from a 3.1/8 last year, and even with ’07. The 3.6 is tied as the highest rating for final round coverage of the event since ’03.
Final round coverage beat the NBA Playoffs on ABC head-to-head by 13% (3.6 to 3.2) and finished as the second-highest rated sporting event of the weekend on broadcast, behind only the Southern 500 on FOX (4.0/8).
In the three years since The Players’ Championship moved from March to May, final round coverage of the event has averaged a 3.4 rating, up 11% from a 3.1 during the previous three years.
Ratings for the final round of The Players Championship since ’97.
* coverage of rain delay
| Year | Date | Time | Winner | Net | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Sun., 5/10/09 | 2:00 PM | Stenson | NBC | 3.6/10 |
| 2008 | Sun., 5/11/08 | 2:00 PM | Garc?a | NBC | 3.1/8 |
| 2007 | Sun., 5/13/07 | 2:00 PM | Mickelson | NBC | 3.6/10 |
| 2006 | Sun., 3/26/06 | 1:30 PM | Ames | NBC | 2.9/7 |
| 2005 | Sun., 3/27/05 | 1:30 PM | Funk | NBC | 2.8/7 |
| 2004 | Sun., 3/28/04 | 1:30 PM | Scott | NBC | 3.6/9 |
| 2003 | Sun., 3/30/03 | 1:30 PM | Love III | NBC | 3.7/8 |
| 2002 | Sun., 3/24/02 | 2:30 PM | Perks | NBC | 4.8/11 |
| 2001 | Sun., 3/25/01 | 2:30 PM | Woods | NBC | 5.3/12* |
| 2000 | Sun., 3/26/00 | 3:00 PM | Sutton | NBC | 4.4/11 |
| 1999 | Sun., 3/28/99 | 3:00 PM | Duval | NBC | 4.6/11 |
| 1998 | Sun., 3/29/98 | 3:00 PM | Leonard | NBC | 4.4/13 |
| 1997 | Sun., 3/30/97 | 3:00 PM | Elkington | NBC | 4.0/12 |
