FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, June 12th, 2020

PGA TOUR’S RETURN BECOMES MOST-WATCHED ROUND 1 SINCE 2019 PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP; MOST-WATCHED AT EVENT SINCE 2003 FEATURING ANNIKA SORENSTAM

FORT WORTH, Texas (June 12, 2020) – The PGA TOUR returned to competition yesterday for the first time since March 12, as GOLF Channel’s live coverage of Thursday’s opening round of the Charles Schwab Challenge earned a Total Audience Delivery (TAD) of 683,000 average viewers (4-7p ET), up 160% vs. opening round of the 2019 Charles Schwab Challenge (263k TAD). Yesterday becomes the most-watched Thursday telecast on the PGA TOUR (excluding Presidents Cup) since the 2019 PLAYERS Championship (907k average viewers). It also marks the most-watched opening round telecast at the event (672k average viewers) in its 14 years on GOLF Channel (2007-’20), and since 2003, when LPGA Tour player Annika Sorenstam competed alongside her PGA TOUR counterparts.

Additional highlights:
• GOLF Channel (4-7p ET) on Thursday was the No. 1 cable sports network by 225%, and No. 5 overall cable network.
• Persons 25-54 saw 203k average viewers, +421% vs. opening round of 2019 Charles Schwab Challenge (39k average viewers).
• GOLF Channel also preceded traditional live tournament coverage on Thursday with expanded inside-the-ropes coverage of PGA TOUR LIVE featured groups, which earned 447k average viewers (Noon-4p ET), +252% vs. The Honda Classic opening round PGA TOUR LIVE featured groups in February (127k).

Harold Varner III and Justin Rose tied for Thursday’s opening round lead at 7-under par amongst a field that includes 101 PGA TOUR winners, along with each of the top five-ranked players in the world. Thursday’s live telecast also included five-time PGA TOUR winner Rickie Fowler being “mic’d up” during the course of his opening round.

Live third and final round coverage of the Charles Schwab Challenge will air Saturday-Sunday on GOLF Channel (1-3 p.m. ET) and CBS (3-6 p.m. ET). GOLF Channel also will provide live pre and post round news coverage and analysis on Golf Central through Sunday evening.

Source: Linear Television: Nielsen Live+Same Day U.S. HH Rtg; P2+ Avg 000’s; P25-54 000’s. Details available. Digital: Adobe Analytics.

-NBC Sports Group-