Ryder Cup TV Ratings Were Embarrassingly Low - But There Are Asterisks

American golf fans checked out on the Ryder Cup heading into the final day at Bethpage.

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No one can blame American golf fans for checking out on the 2025 Ryder Cup heading into Sunday's singles matches, and as TV ratings show, many did just that, not even bothering to watch the final day's action.

Entering the final day, Europe held an overwhelming 11.5-4.5 lead over the U.S., and as first reported by Sports Business Journal, Sunday's broadcast averaged 3.22 million viewers on NBC and Peacock. As the U.S. managed to make things incredibly interesting during the singles matches, ultimately losing the event 15-13, the viewership numbers peaked at 5.3 million.

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One might look at that 3.22 million average and think that isn't that bad a number, considering the lopsided score at the start of the day and the Sunday NFL slate kicking off right in the middle of the singles matches.

According to the report, the 3.22 million average on Sunday included Big Data + Panel + Total Audience Delivery numbers. The previous low for a U.S.-based Ryder Cup over the last 20 years was in 2021 at Whistling Straits, which was dominated by the Americans, and averaged 3.5 million viewers without Big Data incorporated into the number.

This makes Sunday's 3.22 million average the least-viewed final day of a U.S.-based Ryder Cup of the 21st century. The final day of the 2023 Ryder Cup - a win for Europe - averaged just 1.32 million viewers, but that was played outside of Rome with a significant time difference for viewers in America.

Europe celebrates its Ryder Cup victory at Bethpage Black in New York. (Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images)

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While the inclusion of Big Data and streaming numbers presents asterisks in the 2025 viewership numbers, there is another twist in the data.

Sky Sports, the European broadcaster of the Ryder Cup, reported a record-breaking weekend for the biennial event, with an average of 5 million viewers. The average viewing went up 45% compared to the 2023 Ryder Cup.

So, it's fair to say European golf fans loved watching their side embarrass the U.S. team for the first two days of the event and hold on to win what was their ninth Ryder Cup in the last 12 played.

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Mark covers all sports at OutKick while keeping a close eye on the world of professional golf. He graduated from the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga before earning his master's degree in journalism from the University of Tennessee, but wants it on the record that he does not bleed orange. Before joining OutKick, he wrote for various outlets, including BroBible, SB Nation, and The Spun. Mark also wrote for the Chicago Cubs' Double-A affiliate in 2016, the year the curse was broken. Follow him on Twitter @itismarkharris.