Viewer Blitz
GET IT AWAY FROM FOOTBALL. That was the PGA Tour’s major goal when reshuf-
fling the 2018-19 schedule to ensure the season-ending Tour Championship ended before
the National Football League commenced play in September. The results are in, and
they’re positive for the PGA Tour.
The 2019 Tour Championship final round averaged a 2.5 rating and 3.71 million viewers
on NBC, which was the second-best rating in the last 10 years, trailing only 2018 when
Tiger Woods won the title. Tiger will always skew ratings, so the best perspective can be
found in comparing viewership totals from 2017 to 2019. Ratings were up 79 percent and
viewership up 76 percent from ’17 to ’19, and the 3-6 p.m. EDT window in Sunday’s final
round delivered the highest non-major rating for any PGA Tour event in 2019.
So the move, at least in terms of short-term returns, has to be considered a success.
With the Olympics once again on tap this year—and Woods’ stated desire to represent
the United States in Japan—another big year is on the horizon.
Tiger Woods’ return to
prominence boosted
ratings in 2019.
THE 2020 PGA TOUR SCHEDULE
The 2020 PGA Tour Schedule Key
Dates | Tournament | Location | Defending champion
*Indicates opposite field event, winner does not receive automatic
Jan. 23-26: Farmers Insurance Open | Torrey Pines GC |
San Diego | Justin Rose
Jan. 30-Feb. 2: Waste Management Phoenix Open | TPC
Scottsdale | Scottsdale, Ariz. | Rickie Fowler
Masters invite; x-unofficial event
Completed Events
The following events, with winners listed, comprised the 2019 portion of the
wraparound schedule.
A Military Tribute at The Greenbrier: Joaquin Niemann
Sanderson Farms Championship: Sebastián Muñoz
Safeway Open: Cameron Champ
Shriners Hospitals for Children Open: Kevin Na
Houston Open: Lanto Griffin
The CJ Cup @ Nine Bridges: Justin Thomas
ZOZO Championship: Tiger Woods
*-Bermuda Championship: Brendon Todd
WGC HSBC Champions: Rory McIlroy
Mayakoba Golf Classic: Brendon Todd
The RSM Classic: Tyler Duncan
x-Hero World Challenge: Henrik Stenson
x-Presidents Cup: United States
x-QBE Shootout: Rory Sabbatini/Kevin Tway
Jan. 2-5: Sentry Tournament of Champions | Plantation Course
at Kapalua | Kapalua, Hawaii | Xander Schauffele
Jan. 9-12: Sony Open in Hawaii | Waialae CC | Honolulu |
Matt Kuchar
Jan. 16-19: The American Express | Stadium Course |
La Quinta, Calif. | Adam Long
vsga.org
Coincidentally, the two players who share the
scoring record (256) at this event—Phil Mickel-
son and Mark Calcavecchia—have each won it
three times.
Feb. 6-9: AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am | Pebble Beach GL |
Pebble Beach, Calif. | Phil Mickelson
Feb. 13-16: The Genesis Invitational | Riviera CC | Pacific
Palisades, Calif. | J.B. Holmes
*-Feb. 20-23: Puerto Rico Open | Coco Beach G&CC | Rio
Grande, P.R. | Martin Trainer
Feb. 20-23: WGC Mexico Championship | Club de Golf
Chapultepec | Mexico City | Dustin Johnson
Feb. 27-March 1: The Honda Classic | PGA National (Champion)
| Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. | Keith Mitchell
Exciting finishes are the norm in this Florida-swing
starter, with five of the last six events either decided
in a playoff or by one stroke. Rickie Fowler’s four-
stroke stroll in 2017 is the exception.
March 5-8: Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by
Mastercard | Bay Hill Club & Lodge | Orlando, Fla. |
Francesco Molinari
March 12-15: The Players Championship | TPC Sawgrass |
Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. | Rory McIlroy
J A N UA RY / F E B R UA RY 2 0 2 0 | V I R G I N I A G O L F E R
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