Tiger Woods finished in the top five for a second straight week, and for a second straight week that meant a big jump in PGA Tour ratings.
Sunday’s final round of the PGA Arnold Palmer Invitational delivered a 3.6 overnight rating on NBC, up 140% from last year (1.5), up 64% from 2016 (2.2), and the highest for the event since Woods’ victory in 2012 (4.8).
Woods’ fifth-place finish, which peaked at a 4.9 from 5:15-5:30 PM ET, posted the second-highest PGA overnight since the 2015 Wyndham Championship (4.0). Only the previous week’s Tampa Bay Championship did better over that span (5.1).
It is no coincidence that Woods was in contention at all three of those tournaments. One would have to go back to the 2015 Players Championship (3.9) to find a higher PGA overnight when Woods was not in contention (again excluding majors).
Outside of the NCAA Tournament, Sunday’s final round was easily the highest rated sporting event of the weekend in the metered markets. It comfortably topped the NASCAR Auto Club 500 on FOX, which had a 2.4.
Third round action on Saturday delivered a 2.3 overnight, up 92% from last year (1.2) and up 77% from 2016 (1.3). The 2.3 is the highest third round overnight at Bay Hill since 2013, the last time Woods won the tournament (2.4).
On Golf Channel, lead-in coverage posted a 0.95 overnight on Saturday and a 0.97 on Sunday, both the highest since 2013. Second round action on Friday delivered a 0.8 overnight (+153%).
[Wknd. numbers from Golf Channel 3.19, Sports Business Daily 3.19]
