NBC Sports’ broadcast of the 153rd Open Championship from Royal Portrush has emerged as a major summer ratings triumph, with strong gains across linear and streaming platforms — driven by Scottie Scheffler’s maiden Open victory and a tight leaderboard featuring Rory McIlroy and Harris English.
The final round, aired live on NBC and streamed simultaneously on Peacock, attracted an average audience of 4.1 million viewers — a significant 21% increase compared to last year’s coverage. Peak viewership soared past 6.1 million during a tense late Sunday stretch, as McIlroy wrapped up and Scheffler secured his first Claret Jug.
This performance marks the highest Open Championship viewership since the landmark 150th edition at St Andrews in 2022.
Across the entire weekend, average viewership on NBC and Peacock hit 3.6 million — not only up 24% from 2024, but also making it the most-watched sports programming across U.S. television for the weekend.
Early round coverage on USA Network also saw a boost, averaging more than 1 million viewers on both Thursday and Friday — up 18% year-on-year. These figures represent the strongest opening round numbers since 2022, a tournament that had the Tiger Woods effect in full swing.
In total, four-day coverage across NBC and USA Network drew more than 2 million average viewers, a 16% improvement from 2024 and the best performance in three years.
Streaming played a pivotal role as well. With simulcasts of the weekend rounds, Peacock recorded its highest-ever Open Championship audience. Combined digital streaming across Peacock and NBC Sports platforms grew 13% compared to last year, underlining the increasing convergence of live sports and digital consumption.
This year’s Open wasn’t just a major moment on the course — it was a statement about where the future of golf broadcasting is heading: a hybrid model that merges broad network reach with digital accessibility, and leverages marquee moments to unite fragmented audiences.
For NBC, Scheffler’s win proved to be a ratings catalyst. For golf, it may signal the beginning of a new fan era.
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