Tiger Woods‘ victory at the PGA Tour’s ‘fifth major’ scored big numbers for NBC.
Final round coverage of the PGA Tour The Players Championship drew a 5.7 overnight rating on NBC Sunday afternoon, up 68% from both last year (3.4) and 2011 (3.4).
Sunday’s telecast earned the highest overnight for a non-major PGA Tour telecast since the 2006 Buick Invitational at Torrey Pines (5.9), also won by Woods. This season’s previous high was a 4.4 overnight for the final round at Doral, another tournament won by Woods.
According to Sports Business Daily, Sunday’s 5.7 overnight is tied as the highest for any round of The Players Championship since 1991 — matching Woods’ previous win at the tournament in 2001.
The final round was easily the top sporting event of the weekend on broadcast, finishing comfortably ahead of the second-place Knicks/Pacers NBA playoff game on ABC (4.3).
On Saturday, third round action drew a 3.0 overnight — up 20% from last year (2.5), and up 88% from rain-delayed coverage in 2011 (1.6).
(Weekend overnights from Sports Business Daily)
