Koepka's win posted the best PGA Sunday figure since ’09 when Y.E. Yang held off WoodsGETTY IMAGES
In the penultimate year of the current PGA Championship media-rights deal, both CBS and TNT saw multiyear highs for the golf major. CBS for the final round on Sunday finished with 8.47 million viewers, as Brooks Koepka held off Tiger Woods and Adam Scott. That is the best Sunday figure since ’09 (10.08 million viewers), when Y.E. Yang held off Woods. This year also outdistanced the ’14 finale (8.24 million viewers), when Rory McIlroy beat Phil Mickelson by one stroke (Woods did not make the cut that year). Meanwhile, TNT on Sunday drew 1.89 million viewers for early coverage, up 39% from last year. Its weekend coverage was the cable net’s best figure since ’10 as well. For four days of coverage, TNT averaged 1.34 million viewers, which is the best PGA Championship figure for the net since ’15 (1.48 million viewers). Turner Sports also delivered all-time records for live video starts, time spent viewing and unique visitors across the digital properties that it manages for the PGA of America. Live event video consumption on Thursday, Saturday and Sunday were all records for the PGA Championship (second round on Friday suspended early due to weather) (Austin Karp, Assistant Managing Editor).
EYE OF THE TIGER: In St. Louis, Dan Caesar writes the "Tiger effect" was in "full force Sunday" (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 8/14). In Boston, Chad Finn notes Woods won his 14th and last major in '08, and more than a decade later, his quest for a 15th "remains a ratings magnet" (BOSTON GLOBE, 8/14). YAHOO SPORTS' Jason Owens wrote LeBron James is the "unquestioned king of U.S. sports media," but there is "one man who's been there before and is proving he still has the swag to challenge James for his throne." Owens: "If you're a sports fan, you can't turn your eyes away from Woods when he's competing." Woods’ performance "had folks glued to their couches with their thumbs on the Twitter button on a summer Sunday afternoon." In general, the average American sports fan does "not care about golf." The average American "cares about Tiger Woods" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 8/13). ESPN's Michael Wilbon said Woods "lifts the sport in a way no one else has, maybe since a young Arnold Palmer" ("PTI," ESPN, 8/13). Golf Channel's Anna Whiteley said, "It doesn't matter where you are in the world, everybody wants to see Tiger Woods back. ... He has attracted an audience that we just didn't really have before that because everyone is so fascinated to see what this legend is capable of. It's incredible the effect he has" ("Morning Drive," Golf Channel, 8/14). CBSSN's Adam Schein said, "Tiger was the real winner. Golf was the winner. Sports won. He's the buzz, he's the needle. It's not that he moves it, Tiger defines it" ("Time to Schein," CBSSN, 8/13).
GOOD FOR THE GAME? FS1's Jason McIntyre said Woods' success is "great" for the golf's growth in the "short-term." McIntyre: "How long do we wait for Tiger to win a major? Do we wait five years? Ten? When are we going to give these young guys a chance to really pop and be the marketable stars that they should be?" ("Speak for Yourself," FS1, 8/13).
REPORT CARD: SPORTS BROADCAST JOURNAL's Dan Mason gave Turner's Ernie Johnson an "A" grade for being "superlative as a golf host." He did a "terrific job weaving in the Jarrod Lyle story." He was his "typical understated self, providing a steady hand." TNT analyst Trevor Immelman received an "A-." He was "spot-on for the better part of two days." CBS analyst Nick Faldo got a "D" because he provided "very little insight and/or criticism." CBS' Amanda Balionis was given an "A" for her post-round interviews. She "handles the post-round interviews with care and asks the right questions" (SPORTSBROADCASTJOURNAL.com, 8/13).
A FINE ART: In Cincinnati, Paul Daugherty wrote given the "fawning, obsequious coverage on CBS, including the post-round festivities," he was "sure Tiger had won." CBS "needed drool cups for its announcers." An art in sports broadcasting is "knowing when to shut up." Another art is to "let the pictures document the magic." When it has "come to Woods this year, TV has been utterly incapable of that" (CINCINNATI.com, 8/13). ESPN's Mike Golic said, "I know there are so many people out there, 'Why are you talking about Tiger? Why are you doing that?' He was right there at the end this time around. It's not like he was eight strokes off. ... We gave Koepka his due a bit, as well. He certainly deserved it, but even he understood and he knows the talk is going to be about Tiger and what he did" ("Golic & Wingo," ESPN Radio, 8/14).
