The final major of the PGA Tour season sank to a multi-year low.
Final round coverage of the PGA Championship earned a 3.9 overnight rating on CBS Sunday afternoon, down 24% from last year (5.1) and down 35% from 2014 (6.0). The 3.9 is tied with 2012 as the event’s lowest final round overnight since 2008 (3.0) and its second-lowest in the past two decades.
Unlike 2008 and 2012, when coverage aired directly opposite the Olympics, the Games played a minimal role this year. The tournament was moved up two weeks to avoid the Olympics, since golf is now part of the competition, and at worst may have suffered a bit from the date change.
Jimmy Walker‘s win, which peaked at a 6.5 from 7-7:30 PM ET according to Sports Business Daily, posted the same overnight as the final round of the British Open on NBC two weeks earlier. Keep in mind that telecast aired primarily in the morning (though two hours of early morning coverage were excluded). For the third straight year, the PGA Championship posted a higher final round overnight than the U.S. Open, which had a 3.8 on FOX.
Rainout third round coverage had a 1.5 overnight on Saturday. Both last year and in 2014, the Saturday window pulled a 3.2.
Overnights for TNT’s weekend coverage were not available.
(Wknd. numbers via Sports Business Daily)
