Tiger Woods and son Charlie drew huge viewership in the PNC Championship (Image: Getty Images)

The PGA Tour witnessed a significant ratings boost with Tiger Woods’ return to the greens. Competing with his son Charlie at the PNC Championship in Orlando, Florida, it was Tiger’s first event since his back surgery in September.

His last appearance before this father-son tournament was at The Open Championship in July. Despite limited play over the past four seasons due to health issues, Woods remains a major draw for golf fans.

Although Team Woods finished second to Team Langer, they delivered memorable moments, including Charlie’s first hole-in-one.

“That was the thrill of a lifetime to be able to have that moment with Charlie, make his first hole-in-one, [daughter] Sam on the bag, just our family and friends. That’s what this event is about. It’s about bonding and family,” Woods reflected.

“I know we didn’t win, but it was the fact that we competed. No one really made a mistake out there. We had to earn it, and that’s what you want to have. Hats off to Langers. They played amazing.”

Tiger Woods remains a huge draw for golf fans (Image: Getty Images)

Team Woods’ stellar performance at the PNC Championship was a hit among fans, with many eager to see golf icon Tiger team up with his son.

Sports Media Watch reports that the event’s first day drew an average of 2.92 million viewers according to Nielsen and Adobe Analytics, which is a staggering 147% increase from the previous year. This turnout also set a new record for the tournament’s opening day since its inception in 1995.

The second day continued the trend with an average of 1.42 million viewers, up 32% from 2023. These impressive numbers, often attributed to the ‘Tiger effect,’ stand in sharp contrast to the declining viewership of other major golf tournaments this year.

For instance, the 152nd Open Championship in July saw its lowest audience since 2015, with just 3.39 million viewers. Earlier in the year, the Masters final round also experienced a 20% drop compared to the previous year.

McIlroy commented on the downward trend earlier this year, linking it to the rift between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf. “If you look at the TV ratings of the PGA Tour this year, they’re down 20 percent across the board. That’s a fifth. That’s big. I would say the numbers on LIV aren’t great either in terms of the people tuning in,” he remarked earlier this year.

“I just think with the fighting and everything that’s gone on over the past couple of years, people are just getting fatigued, and it’s turning people off men’s professional golf, and that’s not a good thing for anyone.”