ESPN's live primetime coverage of Sunday's final round
of the PGA Tour's Mercedes Championship from HI was the
most-watched and highest-rated golf event in ESPN's history.
Tiger Woods' sudden-death win over Ernie Els attracted
2,666,000 HHs, translating into a 3.5 ESPN rating. ESPN's
previously highest-rated golf event was The Tradition in
'90, which earned a 3.41 rating, while the second round of
the '98 U.S. Open was previously the most-watched golf event
with an average of 2,051,229 HHs (ESPN). In Atlanta, Prentis
Rogers reports that the Mercedes Championship's first and
second rounds, airing on Thursday and Friday, earned a 1.1
and 1.6 rating, respectively. Saturday's third-round
coverage earned a 2.0 (ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, 1/12).
THE TIGER BEAT: USA TODAY's Rudy Martzke notes the
rating "was the latest high mark for the Tiger phenomenon."
CBS Sports President Sean McManus: "Tournaments can be
affected when Tiger's not playing. But he's been a nice
phenomenon to all of us who watch golf." NBC Sports Chair
Dick Ebersol: "Tiger adds spark to the ratings. But the PGA
Tour couldn't be healthier on a week-to-week basis, no
matter who's entered" (USA TODAY, 1/12). FSN's Jim Rome
noted Woods' dramatic win over Els and said, "[This is] how
a legitimate rivalry develops. You can't manufacture one
with some bad, made-for-TV event" ("The Last Word," 1/11).
