Bryson DeChambeau’s victory at the 2024 U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2 was a hit with viewers, both on TV and online. NBC released ratings showing that the final round coverage of DeChambeau’s duel with Rory McIlroy drew a 2.8 rating and 5.9 million viewers across a seven-hour window. This made it the most-watched East Coast final round since 2013 when Justin Rose won at Merion. Peak viewership during the broadcast was also impressive, with 11.4 million viewers tuning in from 6:15 to 6:30 p.m. ET and 11.3 million from 6:30 to 6:45 p.m.
The high viewership numbers were a result of the exciting finish to the tournament, with DeChambeau making a crucial par save on the 72nd hole and McIlroy missing a short par putt to extend his major championship drought to a full decade. This dramatic moment was the highlight of the broadcast and drew in viewers to see how the event would unfold.
Despite being slightly down in viewership and ratings from the previous year’s U.S. Open, which was held on the West Coast, the 2024 tournament still performed well. In fact, NBC announced that it was the most-streamed golf event on record, with overall consumption up 17 percent from the previous year. This indicates a growing interest in golf among viewers, likely due to exciting moments like DeChambeau’s victory.
The 2024 U.S. Open also saw a boost in online streaming numbers, with viewers tuning in to watch the action unfold on Peacock in addition to the traditional broadcast on NBC. This multi-platform approach allowed more viewers to access the coverage, which likely contributed to the overall increase in consumption compared to previous years.
Going forward, it will be interesting to see if the trend of increased viewership and online streaming numbers continues for golf events. With compelling storylines and exciting finishes, like DeChambeau’s victory at Pinehurst No. 2, the sport has the potential to attract an even larger audience in the future. As more fans tune in to watch the action unfold, the popularity of golf could continue to rise, creating more opportunities for broadcasters and sponsors to capitalize on the sport’s growing appeal.
