After a mini-slump, PGA Tour ratings got back on track at last weekend’s St. Jude Classic.
Final round coverage of the PGA Tour St. Jude Classic earned a 1.8 rating and 2.6 million viewers on CBS, up 20% in ratings and 15% in viewership from last year (1.5, 2.31M) and up 20% and 17% respectively from 2016 (1.5, 2.26M).
Dustin Johnson‘s win tied the highest rating for the tournament in a decade (2008: 1.9), matching 2009, 2011 and 2013. Going back further, the 1.8 is tied as the third-highest in 1999, since third round coverage in 1999 (2.3).
Of the 40 PGA Tour windows on broadcast television this season, Sunday’s telecast was the 28th to post an increase in ratings and the 29th to post an increase in viewership.
Third round action last Saturday pulled a 1.1 and 1.64 million, flat in ratings but up 2% in viewership from last year (1.1, 1.61M) and down 21% and 18% respectively from 2016 (1.4, 2.0M).
The St. Jude Classic halted a brief downturn in PGA Tour ratings. Entering the tournament, four of the previous five over-the-air windows had declined.
Lead-in coverage on Golf Channel had a 0.42 rating (+20%) and 597,000 (+25%) on Saturday and a 0.52 (+6%) and 766,000 (+4%) on Sunday.
[Numbers from ShowBuzz Daily 6.14]
