After last year’s PGA Championship was the lone bright spot in a down year for the golf majors, this year’s edition was the only such tournament to decline.
Final round coverage of the PGA Championship drew a 4.4 final rating and 6.7 million viewers on CBS last Sunday, down 17% in ratings and 19% in viewership from last year (5.3, 8.2M) but up 13% and 21%, respectively, from 2013 (3.9, 5.5M).
Last year’s final round aired until 9 PM ET and featured a flurry of lead changes involving several big names. While emerging star Jordan Spieth was in contention Sunday, eventual winner Jason Day led the round wire-to-wire.
Though down from last year, Sunday’s telecast scored the second-highest rating and viewership for final round coverage since 2009 — when Tiger Woods‘ second-place finish drew a 6.6 and 10.1 million.
Last Saturday’s third round coverage drew a 2.8 and 4.2 million viewers, down 7% in ratings and less than 1% in viewership from last year (3.0, 4.3M) but up 8% and 14%, respectively, from 2013 (2.6, 3.7M). The telecast is tied as the second-highest rated third round since 2009, matching 2010, and stands alone as the second-most watched over that span.
CBS’ third and final round windows rank as the only major golf telecasts this year to have a decline in viewership.
(Nielsen)
