British Open numbers game.

Ratings for the final round of the British Open since 1982. Final round coverage of the ’08 British Open drew a 3.3/10 final rating, the lowest rating for the event since ’96.

From ’97 to ’06, final round coverage of the British Open drew at least a 4.0 rating every year. In each of the past two years, ratings have sunk below a 4.0. Ratings hit a peak of 6.4 in ’00, when Tiger Woods won his first British Open. Since hitting that peak, ratings for the final round have declined 48%.

Tom Watson stood atop the leaderboard heading into the final round of the ’09 British Open. Final round coverage of Watson’s last British Open victory (1983) drew a 5.8/23.

Ratings for the final round of the British Open since ’82.
Source: Sports Business Daily
* The ’88 British Open ended on a Monday; the rating presented is for Sunday coverage

Year	Date	Winner	Net	Rating
2008	Sun., 7/20/08	Harrington	ABC	3.3/10
2007	Sun., 7/22/07	Harrington	ABC	3.7/12
2006	Sun., 7/23/06	Woods	ABC	4.6/14
2005	Sun., 7/17/05	Woods	ABC	4.6/14
2004	Sun., 7/18/04	Hamilton	ABC	4.3/14
2003	Sun., 7/20/03	Curtis	ABC	4.5/15
2002	Sun., 7/21/02	Els	ABC	4.5/15
2001	Sun., 7/22/01	Duval	ABC	4.5/16
2000	Sun., 7/23/00	Woods	ABC	6.4/21
1999	Sun., 7/18/99	Lawrie	ABC	4.8/14
1998	Sun., 7/19/98	O’Meara	ABC	5.0/17
1997	Sun., 7/20/97	Leonard	ABC	4.8/18
1996	Sun., 7/21/96	Lehman	ABC	3.1/11
1995	Sun., 7/23/95	Daly	ABC	4.9/17
1994	Sun., 7/17/94	Price	ABC	3.7/14
1993	Sun., 7/18/93	Norman	ABC	3.7/15
1992	Sun., 7/19/92	Faldo	ABC	3.3/12
1991	Sun., 7/21/91	Baker-Finch	ABC	2.9/12
1990	Sun., 7/22/90	Faldo	ABC	4.0/16
1989	Sun., 7/23/89	Calcavecchia	ABC	4.6/17
1988*	Sun., 7/17/88	Ballesteros	ABC	3.4/12
1987	Sun., 7/19/87	Faldo	ABC	4.5/17
1986	Sun., 7/20/86	Norman	ABC	4.2/16
1985	Sun., 7/21/85	Lyle	ABC	4.1/15
1984	Sun., 7/22/84	Ballesteros	ABC	4.6/19
1983	Sun., 7/17/83	Watson	ABC	5.8/23
1982	Sun., 7/18/82	Watson	ABC	6.0/25