Did the WM Phoenix Open in 2025 meet up to the expectations? Of course, it had its highlights! Thomas Detry of Belgium dominated the field with a 24-under-par finish, winning his first-ever PGA Tour event. With a final-round score of 65, he had a commanding seven-shot lead and became the first Belgian to win on the PGA Tour.

Not to mention Jordan Spieth’s viral moment on the eleventh hole, where he somehow saved par with a left-handed putt while caught in a bush. A classic one by Spieth. It’s the type of shot that makes fans giddy. However, the most concerning aspect is that while such exciting moments were present, the TV numbers failed to reflect it. Let’s see what the count is for the event.

Jordan Spieth’s return has little impact on the PGA Tour

It has become quite a known fact within the golf community that the PGA Tour has been struggling with dwindling broadcast viewership in recent years. According to an October 2024 estimate, Sunday television viewership averaged 2.2 million, down 19% from 2.7 million in 2023. Despite the comeback of prominent players like Jordan Spieth, and other prominent faces in the golf industry, this declining trend has sparked questions about the Tour’s capacity to hold the audience’s attention. 

Coming to the 2025 WM Phoenix Open, Josh Carpenter, a golf journalist from SBJ on X has, recently tweeted, “Golf numbers from Sunday: CBS draws 2.9M viewers for Tom Detry’s win at the WM Phoenix Open,” which provides insight into the tournament’s audience. Compared to 2.4 million on NBC last year (Nick Taylor, stretched well into the Super Bowl), it is an increase. But compared to previous years it is still less, 3.7M in 2023 (Scheffler) 3.6M in 2022 (Scheffler) 3.7M in 2021 (Koepka). Even while the ratings are higher than in 2024, they are still below those of other years.

Keep in mind that this is also one of the wildest events on the PGA Tour. Well, some of the likely causes of the low numbers might be the introduction of new regulations for zero-tolerance and Rory McIlroy’s name being left off the list.

On the other hand, the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am has shown more encouraging patterns. Carpenter also pointed out previously that, “Some data from Golf Channel: The final round lead-in earned 1.06M viewers, the most-watched lead-in on the tour since Phoenix last year (1.2M). Overall for Pebble, it’s the second most-watched lead-in ever, behind the final round in 2021.” This implies that certain tournaments continue to be appealing, perhaps as a result of their distinctive structures or memorable locations. Was the success behind the event McIlroy alone? One of them, but alone would be a bit of a stretch.

The PGA Tour faces a larger problem as evidenced by the difference in attendance between events like the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and the WM Phoenix Open. Even though famous athletes and iconic venues can attract spectators, the Tour needs to stay ahead of the competition to sustain and increase its following in the highly competitive sports entertainment market. While TV ratings remain a challenge, the 2025 WM Phoenix Open was in no way unsuccessful and it did see some memorable moments. Let’s see how though!

Teen shark attack survivor honored by Justin Thomas and Rickie Fowler

Outside of the tournament, golfers Rickie Fowler and Justin Thomas shared a touching moment at the WM Phoenix Open as they paid tribute to 16-year-old Lulu Gribbin, who survived a shark attack. After being attacked by a shark in Seacrest last year, Lulu had to undergo three months of inpatient treatment and numerous surgery. As she recovered, golf served as a therapeutic outlet and gave her a sense of normalcy.

During the event, Lulu was invited by both Thomas and Fowler to play with them inside the ropes. As Thomas put it, “You’re affecting and inspiring more people than you realize.” Additionally, Fowler spent time with Gribbin, complimenting her swing and giving her a golf ball following a successful putt. Gribbin referred to the encounter as “an experience of a lifetime,” emphasizing the beneficial effects that such actions can have on others who are going through hardship.

This act of kindness revealed the sympathetic side of professional athletes and struck a chord with supporters and the general public. It also emphasizes how inspirational and upbeat athletes can be for people, particularly those who are facing major obstacles. Even though the PGA Tour is struggling with popularity, incidents like this show how human the sport is at its core. They act as a reminder that golf has the capacity to uplift and unite people, rewarding both athletic brilliance and the tenacity of the human spirit, regardless of scores and ratings.