NBC Earns 3.4/8 Overnight For Sergio's Playoff Win At The Players

NBC Earns 3.4/8 Overnight Rating For Final Round Of The Players

WATER HAZARDS: In Jacksonville, Jeff Elliott writes NBC's coverage of The Players yesterday was "on top of nearly all" key moments, but the net was slow to recognize Goydos' tee shot on the playoff hole -- the island par-3 17th hole -- landing in the water, marking "one of the few lowlights of the telecast." With the camera angle used for tee shots on the hole behind the green, none of NBC's announcers "gave an accurate account of where the ball was" after Goydos' shot. Announcers Dan Hicks and Johnny Miller, sitting in the NBC booth near the green on the 18th hole, "couldn't say because they were reporting based on the picture being shown and weren't sure." Course announcer Roger Maltbie was on the tee and saw the ball land in the water, but he "didn't say anything, thinking the audience had seen what he had." NBC Producer Tommy Roy "quickly went to a replay angle" from the tee. Roy: "If the blimp was flying, we would have followed the ball from that camera angle. But because the blimp wasn't flying due to the heavy winds [yesterday], we had to go with our lower angle. We went with the replay to show it as soon as we could" (FLORIDA TIMES-UNION, 5/12).

PEACOCK STRUT: GOLF.com's Damon Hack wrote of Miller, "He might be the best thing the Players Championship has going this weekend," as few announcers "move so deftly between throwing jabs and enlightening the viewers" (GOLF.com, 5/10). Meanwhile, GOLF.com's Michael Bamberger went behind the scenes with NBC's announcers (GOLF.com, 5/10).

ISLAND LIFE: In Toronto, Dave Perkins wrote the 17th hole "provides a great show," and watching Live at 17th on PGATour.com "can become habit-forming." Perkins: "You get every shot and with microphones at the tee, you can hear players construct pre-shot strategy with their caddies" (TORONTO STAR, 5/11).

STICK TO THE SCHEDULE: In N.Y., Phil Mushnick reported Golf Channel Thursday late in its coverage of the first round of the tournament dropped "live coverage for its studio show." Mushnick: "Unless Tiger Woods is still playing, [Golf Channel's] scheduled studio show always supplants live PGA golf. It's crazy. The studio show's sponsor is served before an audience that pays extra to watch the world's best golfers play tournament golf" (N.Y. POST, 5/11).

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