TV Ratings For Golf's The Showdown Hit Second-Lowest In Match Series History
The recent Las Vegas showdown between PGA Tour stars and LIV Golf players drew relatively modest viewing figures, according to Sports Business Journal. The event, featuring Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy against Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka, attracted 625,000 viewers across TNT and TBS networks.
Golfer swings club on course
This viewership ranks as the second-lowest in "The Match" series history, significantly below previous editions. For comparison, The Match: Champions for Charity in 2020, featuring Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Peyton Manning, and Tom Brady, drew 5.8 million viewers.
Two men smile at camera
The disappointing numbers align with broader trends in golf viewership:
- PGA Tour Sunday coverage averaged 2.8 million viewers in 2024, down 20% from the previous year
- FedEx Cup Fall events saw particularly low numbers, with some tournaments drawing as few as 69,000 viewers
- Both DeChambeau and McIlroy have expressed concerns about declining viewer interest amid golf's current division
One notable exception was the 2024 US Open final round, which delivered a Total Audience Delivery of 5.9 million viewers during DeChambeau and McIlroy's battle, setting an 11-year NBC record.