PGA Tour Ratings Spike Rarely Seen This Century amid Justin Thomas' Win
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The golf world witnessed a ratings revolution once again, and this time, Justin Thomas was at the forefront. After donning the prestigious checkered jacket at RBC Heritage, the PGA Tour shattered viewership records, passing the numbers set by Scottie Scheffler last year and Rory McIlroy during his Players Championship victory.
As a result, the professional's victory, which ended his winless streak, proved to be a massive draw for the PGA Tour.
Sunday's final round of the RBC Heritage drew an average of 4.362 million viewers with a peak over six million. It was the most watched final round of the event in 23 years.
Additionally, Paramount+ continues to see record numbers for its PGA Tour coverage in 2025, according to CBS Sports.
ORLANDO, FLORIDA - MARCH 05: Justin Thomas of The United States prepares to hit a shot during the pro-am as a preview to the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard 2025 at Arnold Palmer Bay...
ORLANDO, FLORIDA - MARCH 05: Justin Thomas of The United States prepares to hit a shot during the pro-am as a preview to the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard 2025 at Arnold Palmer Bay Hill Golf Course on March 05, 2025 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by) More
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This was an increase from Sottie Scheffler's win last year that drew 2.5 million viewers. While Matt Fitzpatrick's playoff victory over Jordan Spieth in 2023 saw 4.15 million viewers.
Josh Carpenter of the Sports Business Journal noted that CBS drew in 3.3 million viewers during the third and fourth rounds, a remarkable 62% increase from last year.
Even the early round coverage on the Golf Channel set a record for RBC Heritage, attracting nearly 536,000 viewers.
The PGA Tour's health and negotiation leverage with LIV Golf continues to strengthen.
The 2025 Masters also saw a significant boost in TV ratings, with 12.71 million viewers tuning in to witness Rory McIlroy's highly anticipated victory.
McIlroy's win turned out to be the most-watched Augusta event in six years, with the final round witnessing a 33% increase in viewership compared to the 2024 edition.
There's no doubt now that when history is being made on the course, golf fans take notice and tune in, making these events must-watch television.
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