Ratings are down across the industry and Tiger Woods is sidelined indefinitely, yet golf ratings continue to rise.
Sunday’s final round of the PGA Tour Players Championship averaged a 2.8 rating and 4.59 million viewers on NBC, marking the largest non-major golf audience since the 2018 Tour Championship, Woods’ first victory in five years.
Ratings were flat and viewership increased 10% from the previous final round of the Players in 2019 (2.8, 4.19M). Last year’s tournament was called off after one round.
Justin Thomas’ win, which peaked around seven million viewers from 5:45-6 PM ET, averaged more viewers than any round of last year’s US Open, which was delayed to September and competed with pro and college football games. Only three golf windows last season averaged more viewers — the final round of the PGA Championship in August (5.15M) and the third and final rounds of the November Masters (4.99M; 5.59M).
For the weekend, Sunday’s telecast ranked second among all sportscasts behind the NCAA Tournament Selection Show on CBS (5.46M).
Third round action last Saturday averaged a 2.0 and 3.26 million, down a tick in ratings but up 4% in viewership from 2019 (2.1, 3.4M). The full tournament averaged 2.3 million across NBC and Golf Channel, up 5% from 2019 and its second-highest average since 2015.
The Players was just the latest PGA Tour event to post an increase. Ten of the last 12 PGA Tour windows on broadcast television have posted an increase over the previous year. Across NBC and Golf Channel, 27 telecasts have increased by at least ten percent.
Ratings, viewership, for final round of Players Championship
[Nielsen estimates from ShowBuzz Daily 3.16, NBC Sports PR]
