Declining viewership – an issue the PGA Tour is all too familiar with by now. Despite some recent gains, the numbers are still a far cry from their former glory. Sunday telecasts, for instance, averaged a mere 2.2 million viewers in 2024, marking a 19% drop from the previous year. It’s noteworthy that this decline occurred despite the Tour having talented players like Scottie Scheffler.  Scheffler won seven events, including the Masters, and earned $8 million through the Player Impact Program. Scheffler’s rise to fame and impressive performance on the course didn’t seem to translate to a significant boost in viewership. It’s a sobering reminder that the Tour still has its work cut out in terms of regaining its former audience and attracting new fans.

But then, something unexpected happened. The Houston Open came along, defying the trend. It drew in a around 2.7 million viewers for the final round. Now, that’s a 44% increase from last year. As the host of the Fore Play Podcast Plus on Youtube noted, “The children’s… Texas Houston Open mini delivering the views, putting asses in the seats… viewership was up 44%… 2.7 million viewers… average for the final round.”

He added, “Feel like that’s absolutely fantastic… what the hell happened in 2024? Like, why were they 44%? Is an insane uptick.” It seems Min Woo Lee‘s performance was the secret ingredient that brought in the viewers, outdoing even Scottie Scheffler’s efforts last year.

The host recalled that last year’s event saw a thrilling competition between Scottie Scheffler and Stephen Jaeger, with Scheffler narrowly missing a playoff. “It wasn’t like it was a total snoozer… like Scotty had that like five-footer on the 72nd hole high and go into a playoff that he missed… so he was like making a charge… you know, the number one player in the world, biggest name… like in the game when it comes to winning was right there.”

Despite Scheffler’s presence, the host attributed the significant increase in viewership to Min Woo Lee’s performance, saying, “It helps Scotty was there again, Rory was there a little bit, but I think Min Woo Lee was driving some viewership… so it was nice to see.”

The numbers are impressive, with NBC drawing 2.676 million viewers for the final round of the Houston Open. That’s a 44% increase from last year’s 1.858 million viewers. This event has proven to be a significant improvement over the old Match Play event, which drew 2.033 million viewers in 2023 and 1.813 million viewers in 2022. The host dubbed this phenomenon “The Min Woo Effect,” crediting Lee’s performance for the surge in viewership.

However, it’s not only Lee who is taking over Scheffler when it comes to popularity.

Rory McIlroy’s historic win at Pebble Beach shatters ratings records

The PGA Tour has been struggling to find its footing in the ratings department, but Rory McIlroy‘s thrilling win at Pebble Beach has given executives a much-needed reason to celebrate. Sunday’s final round telecast averaged a whopping 3.33 million viewers. Making it the most-watched final round of any PGA Tour event since March 2024.

The coverage even peaked at nearly four million viewers as McIlroy strolled down the 18th fairway, his 27th career PGA Tour title all but secured. It’s no surprise that McIlroy’s worldwide popularity played a role in the ratings boost. He’s arguably the most popular player on the planet, aside from Tiger Woods.

The perfect storm of factors contributed to the impressive ratings, including the prestige of Pebble Beach, one of the most iconic courses in golf. The event also drew in a star-studded field, with 45 of the top 50 players in the Official World Golf Rankings competing. This included Scottie Scheffler and Jordan Spieth, both of whom were making their returns from injury.

CBS’s innovative use of drone shots, tracers, and other visuals added to the excitement. These elements beautifully showcased the breathtaking scenery of Pebble Beach. As McIlroy himself said, “To knock one off at Pebble is very cool… I’m a big historian of the game, and to add my name to that list is pretty cool.” How much do you think individual players impact the PGA Tour’s viewership? How much do you think individual players influence the PGA Tour’s viewership? Who is your favorite golfer to watch on the circuit? Let us know in the comment section below.