NBC Sports scored a significant win over the weekend as its coverage of the 153rd Open Championship from Royal Portrush delivered the tournament’s strongest ratings since the landmark 150th edition at St Andrews in 2022.
Anchored by Scottie Scheffler’s dominant four-shot victory over Harris English, the final round on Sunday averaged a Total Audience Delivery of 4.1 million viewers across NBC and Peacock. That figure marked a 21% increase from the 2024 tournament, according to Nielsen and Adobe Analytics. Viewership peaked at over 6.1 million during the 1:30–1:45 p.m. ET window as Scheffler closed in on his first career Open title and Rory McIlroy completed his round.
The numbers were part of a weekend surge in interest. Saturday and Sunday coverage averaged 3.6 million viewers—up 24% compared to last year’s comparable windows—making NBC’s broadcast of the tournament the most-watched sports telecast of the weekend.
NBCUniversal’s comprehensive presentation of the event spanned multiple platforms, including Peacock and USA Network, and benefited from a well-rounded cast of marquee players in contention. Coverage on Thursday and Friday averaged more than 1 million viewers on USA Network, up 18% year-over-year and ranking as the most-watched early-round coverage of The Open since 2022, when Tiger Woods competed.
In total, NBC and USA Network averaged more than 2 million viewers across the four-day broadcast, representing a 16% increase from 2024.
Peacock also posted streaming milestones for the championship. Simulstreams of NBC’s coverage on Saturday and Sunday became the two most-watched Open Championship windows in the platform’s history. Across Peacock and NBC Sports Digital, total streaming minutes rose 13% compared to last year.
These gains arrive at a pivotal moment for NBC Sports, which has doubled down on multi-platform distribution and leaned into golf as a key part of its live sports portfolio. The results underscore the continued appetite for major championship golf and the drawing power of stars like Scheffler and McIlroy.
The network’s ability to grow viewership across both linear and digital platforms bodes well as media companies increasingly look to demonstrate reach across streaming and traditional TV. NBC’s cross-platform success with The Open Championship provides a case study in how strategic distribution and star power can drive ratings momentum—especially in the face of a fragmented media landscape.
With Scheffler’s breakthrough and strong competition throughout the field, NBC Sports proved once again that with the right talent, timing, and execution, golf can still deliver significant audiences on television and streaming alike.
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