With weather concerns disrupting the schedule, PGA Tour ratings did not get the usual lift from Tiger Woods.
Final round coverage of the PGA Tour Memorial Tournament earned a 1.6 rating and 2.3 million viewers on CBS, down 16% in ratings and viewership from last year (1.9, 2.8M) and down 24% and 26% respectively from 2016 (2.1, 3.2M).
CBS coverage was a mix of live and tape delay. Play moved up several hours to avoid rain, with Golf Channel airing live coverage at 8:30 AM ET and CBS streaming play from 11 AM until its television window began at 2:30. The TV window then featured the live conclusion of the event, followed by two hours of highlights.
Last year’s coverage was also affected by weather, with just over half of the four-hour CBS window rained out.
As one would expect, the Memorial was the poorest performing final round to feature Tiger Woods this season.
If Saturday’s third round coverage is any indication, Sunday coverage would have done quite well if not for the schedule change.
The third round, which aired as scheduled, had a 1.8 rating and 2.6 million viewers — up 29% in ratings and 25% in viewership from last year (1.4, 2.1M) and up 20% and 23% respectively from 2016 (1.5, 2.1M). It delivered the tournament’s highest third round rating since 2012 (2.4).
Lead-in coverage on Golf Channel had a 0.8 rating (+60%) and 1.26 million viewers (+60%) on Saturday and a 0.9 (+60%) and 1.27 million (+72%) on Sunday. Special early morning coverage on Sunday had a 0.23 and 346,000. Second round action last Friday pulled 705,000 (+35%) and last Thursday’s opening round had 621,000 (+54%).
