Though no match for the last U.S. edition four years ago, the first day of the Ryder Cup delivered a multi-year high for Golf Channel.
Day one coverage of the Ryder Cup earned a 0.9 final rating and 1.3 million viewers on Golf Channel Friday, per Nielsen fast-nationals — up 80% in ratings and 93% in viewership from 2014, when the event took place in Europe and aired several hours earlier (0.5, 673K).
Compared to the last U.S.-based Ryder Cup in 2012, ratings fell 40% and viewership 35% from a 1.5 and 2.0 million on ESPN.
The full 11-hour window, which peaked at a 1.2 and 1.7 million from 4:15-4:30 PM ET, ranks as the most-watched Friday telecast on Golf Channel since the 2013 Players Championship (1.7M). The afternoon portion from 1:30-7 PM ET had 1.5 million, marking the second-largest Friday audience for golf on cable this season.
(Fri. numbers from NBC Sports)
