Marking a sharp turnaround from the first three majors, the PGA Championship surged to a five-year high in the overnights on Sunday.
Final round coverage of the PGA Championship earned a 6.0 overnight rating on CBS, up 36% from last year (4.4), up 54% from 2012 (3.9), and the highest overnight for the event since Tiger Woods‘ second-place finish in 2009 (7.5). Sunday’s overnight peaked at a 9.2 from 8:00-8:30 PM ET.
The first three majors of the season each had a double-digit decline in overnights. The Masters (-24%) hit a ten-year low, the U.S. Open (-46%) hit a likely record-low, and the British Open (-28%) tied a record-low.
Several factors contributed to the strong performance for the PGA Championship. A lengthy rain delay pushed the conclusion of Sunday’s final round two hours into primetime. Moreover, Phil Mickelson — the second biggest draw in the sport — was in contention late, and the back-and-forth finish was considered one of the more exciting in recent golf memory.
As for the winner, Rory McIlroy, Sunday’s final round marked a bit of a milestone. His first three major victories each had a double-digit decline in overnights from the previous year. While the ‘Mickelson effect’ undoubtedly moved the needle, it may be the case as well that viewers began warming up to the younger star.
Saturday’s third round coverage drew a 3.2 overnight, up 7% from last year (3.0), up 19% from 2012 (2.7), and also the best since 2009 (4.9). Over on TNT, third and final round coverage both earned a 1.1 — down 31% and 27%, respectively, from last year (1.6 and 1.5).
(Wknd. overnights from ShowBuzz Daily, additional info from CBS Press Express)
