Players Championship Ratings at 5-Year High

“The Tiger Effect” sent Players Championship ratings to five-year highs.

Sunday’s final round of The Players Championship earned a 3.6 rating and 5.8 million viewers on NBC, up 57% in ratings and 56% in viewership from last year (2.3, 3.7M) and up 29% and 36% respectively from 2016 (2.8, 4.2M).

Webb Simpson‘s win ranks as the highest rated and most-watched round of the tournament since 2013, when final round coverage of Tiger Woods‘ win had a 5.0 and 7.6 million.

Simpson dominated the tournament and led by seven shots entering Sunday’s play. Yet Woods was the story of the weekend. After barely making the cut on Friday, Woods vaulted into the top ten Saturday and rose as high as second place on Sunday. He finished in a tie for 11th.

The numbers would likely have been even higher if not for ABC’s competing Cavaliers-Celtics NBA game, which topped all weekend sporting events with a 4.3 and 7.2 million.

Not counting the Masters, Sunday’s telecast delivered the second-highest PGA Tour rating and viewership this season. Final round coverage at Tampa Bay, which saw Woods one birdie putt away from forcing a playoff, had a 4.4 and 6.9 million.

Already this season, three non-major telecasts have exceeded a 3.0 rating — matching the three previous seasons combined. All three of those telecasts (the final rounds at Tampa Bay, Bay Hill and now The Players) featured Woods in the top ten.

Third round action on Saturday had a 2.25 rating (+18%) and 3.4 million viewers (+19%) to rank as the highest rated and most-watched round three of the tournament since 2013 (2.6, 3.7M).