The final PGA Tour event before The Masters hit a ten-year ratings high.
Final round coverage of the PGA Tour Houston Open drew a 2.5 final rating and 3.9 million viewers on NBC last Sunday, up 32% in ratings and 42% in viewership from last year (1.9, 2.7M) and up 92% and 105%, respectively, from rain-affected coverage opposite the NCAA Tournament in 2013 (1.3, 1.9M).
The 2.5 rating is the highest for final round coverage of the event since 2005 (3.3), when John Daly lost in a playoff to Vijay Singh. The previous high over that span was a 2.4 in 2012 and 2011.
Sunday’s telecast also earned the largest PGA Tour audience of the season on any network, topping the previous high of 3.7 million for the final round of the Northern Trust Open in February. For the weekend, it ranked second among non-NCAA Tournament sporting events behind only the Bulls/Cavaliers NBA game on ABC (2.8, 4.3M).
On Saturday, third round action drew a 1.8 and 2.6 million — up 29% in ratings and 39% in viewership from last year (1.4, 1.9M) and up 50% and 63%, respectively, from 2013 (1.2, 1.6M).
(Wknd. numbers via Sports Business Daily)
