Tiger Woods' return to the greens has been a ratings bonanza for the PGA Tour, with viewership soaring during his comeback at the PNC Championship in Orlando, Florida. Teaming up with his son Charlie, the event marked Tiger's first competitive play since his back surgery in September.
Despite not having played since The Open Championship in July and only making 13 starts over four seasons due to health issues, Woods was still a major draw. Bernhard Langer faced accusations of 'cheating' in his victory over Woods as rules were scrutinised, while the PGA Tour anticipates another boost from Woods as the NFL season concludes.
Although Team Woods finished second to Team Langer, they delivered memorable moments, including Charlie's first hole-in-one. "That was the thrill of a lifetime to be able to have that moment with Charlie, make his first hole-in-one, [daughter] Sam on the bag, just our family and friends. That's what this event is about. It's about bonding and family," Woods reflected.
"I know we didn't win, but it was the fact that we competed. No one really made a mistake out there. We had to earn it, and that's what you want to have. Hats off to Langers. They played amazing."
Stay ahead of the game with our page for the best and latest in sports news. Tiger Woods' return to glory captivated fans, drawing millions to watch the iconic golfer team up with his son at the PNC Championship.
Sports Media Watch reports reveal a staggering 147% surge in viewers from last year, with day one pulling in an average of 2.92 million views. This remarkable interest set a new record for the event's opening day viewership since its inception in 1995.
The momentum continued into the second day, with figures climbing 32% above 2023, hitting an impressive average of 1.42 million viewers.
The 'Tiger Effect' seems to have revived spectator numbers, starkly opposing the decline seen in other major tournaments this year. In July, the Open Championship saw its audience dip to its lowest since 2015, attracting just 3.39 million viewers.
Similarly, the Masters suffered a 20% slump earlier this year. Rory McIlroy weighed in, suggesting the tension between PGA Tour and LIV Golf as a possible cause for the downturn.
"If you look at the TV ratings of the PGA Tour this year, they're down 20 percent across the board. That's a fifth. That's big. I would say the numbers on LIV aren't great either in terms of the people tuning in," he reflected on the phenomenon.
"I just think with the fighting and everything that's gone on over the past couple of years, people are just getting fatigued, and it's turning people off men's professional golf, and that's not a good thing for anyone."
This article originally appeared on Mirror US
