Tiger Woods carried PGA Championship TV ratings to a nine-year high.
Sunday’s final round of the PGA Championship earned a 5.4 rating and 8.47 million viewers on CBS, up 69% in ratings and 73% in viewership from last year (3.2, 4.91M) and up 59% and 60% respectively from 2016 (3.4, 5.29M).
Woods’ second-place finish, which peaked with 12.3 million viewers from 6:30-7 PM ET, ranks as the highest rated and most-watched round of the PGA Championship since 2009 — his previous second-place finish at the tournament (6.6, 10.08M).
The previous highs were a 5.3 and 8.24 million for the 2014 final round, in which Phil Mickelson finished second.
Excluding the Masters and Olympics, it was the most-watched golf telecast since the final round of the 2012 U.S. Open (9.6M). Four of the nine largest golf audiences since 2012 have come this year alone, each featuring Woods in contention.
It should be noted that despite the strong numbers, Woods was a stronger draw during his 2000s heyday. Woods has now finished first or second at a major 21 times, and of those final rounds, Sunday’s telecast was the third-lowest rated.
Third round action on Saturday had a 3.2 and 4.78 million, up 45% in ratings and 49% in viewership from last year (2.2, 3.2M). 2016 coverage was rained out, earning a 1.3 and 1.78 million.
Saturday’s telecast was the highest rated and most-watched third round of the tournament since 2009 (4.3, 6.19M).
Woods has now played 26 rounds on broadcast television this season. Of those 26, 25 have posted an increase in ratings and viewership — each by double-digits, and each hitting a multi-year high in one or both measures.
Lead-in coverage on TNT had a 1.2 (+33%) and 1.78 million (+40%) on Saturday and a 1.3 (+44%) and 1.89 million (+39%) on Sunday. The weekend windows were the most-watched PGA Championship telecasts on TNT since 2010.
On Friday, second round coverage had 1.38 million, up 20%. As previously reported, first round coverage last Thursday had 979,000, actually down 8%.
Largest Golf Audiences Since 2012, Excluding the Masters
| Year | Game | Tiger Finish |
Net | Rtg. | Vwrs. |
| 2018 | PGA Championship Final Rd. | 2nd | CBS | 5.4 | 8.47M |
| 2013 | U.S. Open Final Rd. | T-32 | NBC | 5.4 | 8.39M |
| 2014 | PGA Championship Final Rd. | CUT | CBS | 5.3 | 8.24M |
| 2013 | Players Championship Final Rd. | Won | NBC | 5.0 | 7.60M |
| 2018 | Tampa Bay Final Rd. | T-2 | NBC | 4.4 | 6.91M |
| 2018 | British Open Final Rd. | T-6 | NBC | 4.3 | 6.48M |
| 2015 | U.S. Open Final Rd. | CUT | FOX | 4.2 | 6.69M |
| 2015 | PGA Championship Final Rd. | CUT | CBS | 4.4 | 6.68M |
| 2018 | Players Championship Final Rd. | T-11 | NBC | 3.6 | 5.77M |
| 2013 | PGA Championship Final Rd. | T-40 | CBS | 3.9 | 5.54M |
[Numbers from CBS Sports PR, ShowBuzz Daily 8.14]
