Players Championship draws best Sunday audience in five years

No sport has been through more change and upheaval in the 2020s than professional golf. But after years of turmoil, the PGA Tour appears as if it is headed in the right direction and Sunday’s final round of the Players Championship was more proof of that.

The final round at TPC Sawgrass featured a ton of dramatic action all the way through the round, ending with budding superstar Cameron Young picking up his biggest victory on the tour to date. Young heroically birdied the famous 17th island green to tie Matt Fitzpatrick for the lead heading to the 18th hole. He then hit the longest drive in recorded history on one of the toughest driving holes on the tour. When Fitzpatrick bogeyed after an errant tee shot, Young had a signature victory.

Much has been made about the ebb and flow of PGA Tour ratings this decade with Tiger Woods disappearing from regular competition, the split with LIV Golf, and the existential questions facing the tour. New commissioner Brian Rolapp spoke about even more bold, progressive changes to the tour schedule in years to come in the hopes of making events stand out more in an increasingly crowded sports landscape.

But the PGA Tour feels like it has actual momentum thanks to being more forward-thinking in reaching fans and the failures of LIV to be a legitimate competing tour. The move of Brooks Koepka back to the tour is real affirmation of that and viewership continues to improve.

Young’s victory at the Players Championship was the latest event to see a ratings increase for the tour. The final round on Sunday drew 4.4 million viewers for NBC, peaking at an impressive 7.1 million viewers. It was the best audience since 2021 for the Players and up 15% over last year when Rory McIlroy won in a playoff on Monday. Saturday coverage was also the most-watched since 2021 with 3.1 million viewers.

Cameron Young was a popular winner as one of the bright young stars on the PGA Tour and someone that fans can easily get behind. With more stars being made, a new vision for what lies ahead, and fans feeling more engaged than ever, it feels like the future of the tour is the brightest its been in the post-Tiger era.