Michelle Wie (wrist) withdraws after 12 holes at Women’s British Open

Sunday’s Final Round: Most-Watched Telecast of The Senior Open Since 2009; Saturday’s Third Round on NBC Most-Watched Since 2006

 NBC Sports’ Weekend Coverage of The Senior Open Becomes the Most-Watched Weekend at This Event in Nine Years

NBC Sports Turning the Page to the Ricoh Women’s British Open, Today-Sunday From Royal Lytham & St Annes; Nearly 30 Hours of Live Coverage

ST ANDREWS, Scotland, (Aug. 2, 2018) – Sunday’s final round of The Senior Open presented by Rolex on NBC delivered 1.244 million average viewers (12-2 p.m. ET; P2+), which saw Miguel Angel Jimenez claim a one-shot victory over defending champion Bernhard Langer at The Old Course at St Andrews, the Home of Golf. This makes The 2018 Senior Open final round the most-watched PGA TOUR Champions sanctioned event telecast since the 2010 U.S. Senior Open final round on NBC (1.286 million average viewers); and the most-watched Senior Open telecast since the 2009 final round on ABC (1.399 million average viewers).

Combined with Saturday’s record viewership (980,000 average viewers, most-watched third round at this event in 12 years), NBC Sports’ combined weekend coverage (.76 U.S. Household Rating, 1.107 million average viewers) becomes the most-watched weekend at this event in nine years, since 2009 on ABC.

ADDITIONAL NBC SPORTS VIEWERSHIP HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:

• NBC Sports’ final round linear coverage peaked at a .97 U.S. Household Rating and 1.45 million average viewers (1:30P-1:45P).
• NBC Sports’ Total Audience Delivery for Sunday’s final round was 1.246 million average viewers across linear and streaming, +29% vs. 2017.
• NBC Sports’ third round on Saturday delivered a .69 U.S. Household Rating and 980,000 average  viewers, the most-watched third round at this event in 12 years (2006, ABC, 1.12 million average viewers). Also the most-watched Saturday telecast for a PGA TOUR Champions sanctioned event in 11 years, since the 2007 U.S. Senior Open on NBC (1.11 million).
• Across four days of coverage, 1.57 million total minutes streamed (+92% vs. 2017); making 2018 the most-streamed Senior Open across Golf Channel and NBC Sports’ platforms (2016-18).

GOLF CHANNEL VIEWERSHIP HIGHLIGHTS:

• Thursday’s opening round on Golf Channel (11 a.m.-2:08 p.m. ET) posted a .15 U.S. Household Rating and 204,000 average viewers, the most-watched opening round at this event on Golf Channel (2016-18) and since the 2009 Senior Open on TNT (345,000 average viewers).
• Friday’s second round on Golf Channel (11:30 a.m.-2 p.m. ET) posted a .12 U.S. Household Rating and 182,000 viewers, also the most-watched second round at this event on Golf Channel (2016-18) and since 2013 on ESPN2 (205,000 average viewers). 

RICOH WOMEN’S BRITISH OPEN ON DECK FOR NBC SPORTS:

NBC Sports concludes its five-week links swing this week, as historic Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club in England sets the stage for the fourth women’s major championship of 2018, the Ricoh Women’s British Open. Golf Channel and NBC will combine for 28 hours of live tournament coverage Thursday-Sunday, the most number of live hours for an LPGA Tour event in 2018, beginning Thursday at 6 a.m. ET on Golf Channel. The international field will be led by new World No. 1 Ariya Jutanugarn, No. 2 Inbee Park and No. 3 (KPMG Women’s PGA champion) Sung Hyun Park, along with defending champion and No. 7 in the world I.K. Kim. Jessica Korda (No. 9) and Cristie Kerr (No. 13) headline the Americans in the field.

ABOUT GOLF CHANNEL

Golf Channel is a multimedia, golf entertainment and services company based in Orlando, Fla. Serving the most-affluent audience in all of television, Golf Channel – co-founded by Arnold Palmer in 1995 and now part of NBC Sports Group – is available to nearly 500 million viewers in more than 80 countries and nine languages around the world. Golf Channel features more live golf coverage than all other networks combined, including tournament action from the PGA TOUR, LPGA Tour, The Open, Olympics, and Ryder Cup, as well as high-quality news, instruction and original programming. Delivering unmatched coverage of the world of golf, fans are able to enjoy 24/7 live streaming of Golf Channel content through Golf Channel Digital and the NBC Sports App, powered by Playmaker Media. In addition, Golf Channel connects the world to golf through a wide array of digital and lifestyle services including Golf Channel Mobile, a comprehensive app covering golf’s latest headlines, scores and analysis; GolfNow, the world’s largest online tee time booking platform and golf course technology partner, which includes the GolfNow Mobile App, featuring on-course GPS tracking, in-round scoring and game tracking; Revolution Golf, the largest direct-to-consumer digital platform in golf ; GolfAdvisor.com, the world’s largest golf course ratings and review resource for golfers, by golfers; a North American network of Golf Channel Academy instructional facilities; and Golf Channel Am Tour, the world’s largest amateur golf tour; and as the Official Media Partner of St. Andrews Links, the Home of Golf. 

Source: Linear Television: Nielsen Live+Same Day U.S. HH Rtg; P2+ Avg 000’s; Details available. Digital: Adobe Analytics.

-NBC Sports Group-