Ratings: Women’s British Open, PGA Tour, PBC, Racing

Last Sunday’s final round of the Women’s British Open averaged a 0.85 rating and 1.19 million viewers on NBC, marking the most-watched round of the tournament since 2006 on ABC (1.6M). The previous high was 1.10 million on NBC in 2017.

The telecast, which peaked with 1.33 million from 1:30-1:45 PM ET, earned the second-largest women’s golf audience of the year. The final round of April’s Augusta National Women’s Amateur was slightly higher (0.87 to 0.85; 1.194M to 1.186M).

Outside of the ANWA, no women’s golf event has had a larger audience since the 2016 US Women’s Open (1.31M). Ratings and viewership easily topped the final rounds of this year’s US Women’s Open (0.5, 728K), as well as the Women’s PGA Championship (0.5, 718K) and ANA Inspiration (194K, rating n.a.).

Compared to last year, ratings increased 20% (from 0.7) and viewership 23% (from 964K). Third round coverage did not fare as well, averaging a 0.54 (-5%) and 702,000 (-5%).

The final round of the PGA Tour Wyndham Championship averaged a 1.2 rating and 1.77 million viewers on CBS Sunday afternoon, down a third in ratings and viewership from last year (1.8, 2.65M), and flat and down 3% respectively from 2017 (1.2, 1.83M). It was the least-watched final round of the tournament since 2016 (1.40M).

Prior to this year, the tournament took place later in the month. The date change helped Saturday’s third round, which posted an uptick in ratings (from 0.8 to 0.9) and a 16% increase in viewership (from 1.25M to 1.46M). Last year’s coverage aired opposite NFL preseason games.

Lead-in coverage on Golf Channel had a 0.29 (-17%) and 401,000 (-21%) on Saturday and a 0.29 (-40%) and 433,000 (-40%) on Sunday.

The latest edition of Premier Boxing Champions on FOX averaged a 0.8 rating and 1.30 million viewers Saturday night, up 29% in ratings and 38% in viewership from the same weekend last year (0.6, 941K). Versus the previous PBC Fight Night on FOX last month, ratings and viewership increased 31% and 41% respectively from a 0.6 and 923,000.

The telecast, which averaged 1.73 million during the main event and peaked at 1.77 million, delivered the largest PBC audience since May (0.9, 1.39M).

ESPN is averaging 667,000 viewers for Formula 1 coverage this season, up 19% from last year (560K) and up 21% from 2017 on the NBC family of networks (552K). Nine of the 12 races thus far have increased, including this past Sunday’s Hungarian Grand Prix — which drew a 0.34 rating (+13%) and 520,000 viewers (+18%) on ESPN2.

In other racing action, last weekend’s NASCAR Xfinity Series race from Watkins Glen (N.Y.) pulled a 0.95 (-17%) and 1.47 million (-12%) on the NBC broadcast network. Though down from last year, it was the second-most watched Xfinity Series race of the season. The Daytona opener had 1.53 million on FS1.

Meanwhile, NHRA racing is averaging 572,000 viewers on Fox Sports, according to Sports Business Daily, down 13% from last year.