Farmers Insurance Open: Why Golf's Only PGA Tournament Runs Wednesday to Saturday
The Farmers Insurance Open is unique as the only PGA Tour event running Wednesday through Saturday instead of the traditional Thursday through Sunday schedule. This change, implemented in 2022, was made to avoid competing with the NFL's Conference Championship games.
TV ratings played a key role in this decision. NFL telecasts dominated 126 of the top-200 most-watched US broadcasts in 2024, while golf's highest-rated event (The Masters final round) didn't make the list. Rather than compete with major NFL games, tournament organizers opted to conclude on Saturday.
No motorized vehicles sign in grass
However, viewership has declined since the schedule change:
- 2022: 2.6 million viewers (Luke List's victory)
- 2023: 2.2 million viewers (Max Homa's victory)
- 2024: 1.59 million viewers (Matthieu Pavon's victory)
Golfer celebrates with championship trophy
The tournament, held at Torrey Pines, has a rich history dating back to 1952 when it began as the San Diego Open. Tiger Woods has won the event seven times, plus an additional victory at the course during the 2008 US Open.
While the schedule change allows the event to avoid direct NFL competition, declining viewership numbers suggest tournament organizers may need to reassess this strategy for future editions.