NBC earned a 3.2 overnight Nielsen rating for the final round of the PGA Tour Honda Classic yesterday, which saw Rory McIlroy withstand a Sunday charge from Tiger Woods for a two-stroke victory. The rating is the best for the event's final round since '02, when Matt Kuchar won the event. The last three years have seen the Honda Classic get a 1.8 overnight for the final round. The telecast also peaked at a 4.3 rating as McIlroy was wrapping up the victory in the 5:30-5:45pm ET window. NBC also earned a 1.9 overnight on Saturday, marking the best third-round overnight since '05. Meanwhile, Golf Channel averaged 1.044 million viewers for coverage on Thursday, marking the event's most-viewed opening round ever (Austin Karp, THE DAILY).
TIGER WATCH: USA TODAY’s Michael McCarthy notes NBC’s Johnny Miller “practically drooled over the prospect of Woods going at it with McIlroy and Phil Mickelson" at this week’s WGC-Cadillac Championship. There is “no doubt that having Woods in contention attracts TV viewers,” and CBS must be “licking its chops over Woods rounding into form in time for its telecast of the Masters starting April 5” (USA TODAY, 3/5). Meanwhile, in Tampa Bay, Tom Jones writes, “I have to admit that it does make sense that ESPN has a ‘Tiger Alert’ on the ticker.” Jones: “Be honest. If you're watching the ticker at the bottom of the screen and you see the PGA tournament leaderboard, don't you immediately say to yourself, ‘Hmm, I wonder how Tiger is doing?’” (TAMPA BAY TIMES, 3/5).
