FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, March 16th, 2015

EMERGING YOUNG GUNS, EXCITING FINISH SET RECORD WEEKEND RATINGS OF PGA TOUR’S VALSPAR CHAMPIONSHIP ON GOLF CHANNEL AND NBC

ORLANDO, Fla. (March 16, 2015) – The final-round rating for the PGA TOUR’s Valspar Championship on NBC was the best ever for the event (2003-2015) and weekend coverage on both Golf Channel and NBC included ratings increases of more than 30 percent, according to overnight data provided by The Nielsen Company.

A three-man playoff between America’s young guns Jordan Spieth and Patrick Reed, along with a re-emerging Sean O’Hair, in Sunday’s final round on NBC posted a 2.41 overnight rating – up 31 percent from last year’s broadcast (1.84). Ratings peaked at 3.6 between 6-7 p.m., which was opposite selection shows on various networks for the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. This followed an 11 percent year-over-year increase for Saturday’s third round coverage (1.47), which was the best since 2008.

Golf Channel’s live, lead-in coverage on the weekend also saw ratings increases, with Saturday’s third round (0.45) up 32 percent over the same round in 2014 (0.34), and the final round up seven percent (0.64 vs. 0.60). These are the best lead-in overnight ratings for this event since Golf Channel began lead-in coverage in 2011.

-NBC Sports Group-