CBS' final round coverage of the PGA Championship
earned a 7.7/18 overnight Nielsen rating, up 26% over last
year's 6.1/14. The event earned a two-day average of a
6.2/16, up 13% over last year's 5.5/14 (CBS).
SI, SERGIO! USA TODAY's Christine Brennan notes that
Sergio Garcia become the crowd-favorite at the PGA
Championship yesterday and wonders if Tiger Woods' position
in the play-for-pay Ryder Cup debate had an "impact" on his
following (USA TODAY, 8/16). After yesterday's win, Woods
complained of being heckled during the last few holes. In
Toronto, Dave Perkins writes that the crowd at Medinah
"seemed to switch allegiance [yesterday], heckling Woods at
times and rooting on Garcia." Woods: "People said some
things they shouldn't have said and I couldn't show any
emotion" (TORONTO STAR, 8/16). Woods: "Obviously they were
rooting for Sergio, as well they should. But to be as tough
as they were ... I didn't think that was fair" (CHICAGO
TRIBUNE, 8/16). In Chicago, Mark Skertic writes that Woods
"remains popular, but a rival for golf's affections emerged
Sunday" (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 8/16). In St. Petersburg, Bob
Harig writes that Garcia "became a huge crowd favorite" (ST.
PETERSBURG TIMES, 8/16). In Boston, Karen Guregian writes
that the fans who pulled for Garcia "aren't anti-American,"
but are "just anti-Tiger at the moment. And it's hard to
blame them after listening to the ridiculous pro-
compensation stand he's been backing with regard to
competing in the Ryder Cup" (BOSTON HERALD, 8/16). In
Chicago, Jay Mariotti writes that Woods "wasn't nearly as
popular as an animated, fun-loving" Garcia. Mariotti:
"Woods is a corporation who has been overexposed and
overcommercialized and did himself no favors in the Ryder
Cup money allocation debate" (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 8/16).
Also in Chicago, Skip Bayless: "Woods' millions of fans have
made him the world's wealthiest athlete, yet nearly every
day he reprimands fans or media or something that disturbs
his golden-child concentration" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 8/16). In
Ottawa, Don Brennan, on Woods: "Your act is starting to make
a lot of us cheer against you. Lose the arrogance and
phoniness. Just be like Mike" (OTTAWA SUN, 8/16).
