A thrilling Jordan Spieth victory delivered the best Hartford Open rating in 14 years.
Final round coverage of the PGA Tour Hartford Open earned a 2.3 final rating and 3.5 million viewers on CBS Sunday afternoon, up 156% in ratings and 146% in viewership from last year, when the tournament took place in August opposite the Olympics (0.9, 1.4M) and up 15% and 18% from 2015 (2.0, 3.0M).
Spieth’s playoff win, clinched on a game-winning hole-out from the bunker, earned the tournament’s highest final round rating since 2003 (2.8). The previous high over that span was a 2.2 in 2005.
It also tied the second-highest PGA Tour rating this season, excluding majors, matching the final round of The Players Championship and trailing the final round at Pebble Beach (2.7). It ranks third in viewership behind TPC (3.7M) and Pebble Beach (4.2M).
Sunday’s telecast marked just the second time since January that final round viewership has increased on broadcast, with the caveat that an increase was almost inevitable given last year’s Olympic-depressed numbers.
Of Spieth’s ten career victories, final round ratings have increased for seven.
Third round action on Saturday pulled a 1.4 (+100%) and 2.1 million (+122%). Lead-in coverage on Golf Channel had a 0.5 (+150%) and 783,000 (+133%) on Saturday and 0.6 and 930,000 (+94%) on Sunday.
[Wknd. numbers via ShowBuzz Daily 6.27]
