PGA Championship Ratings Take Slight Dip Thanks To Scottie Scheffler Cruising To Dominant Victory

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Scottie Scheffler began the final round of the 2025 PGA Championship at Quail Hollow with a three-shot cushion. While his lead did slip away at one point on Sunday, the best player in the world ultimately earned his third major championship title to the tune of a five-shot victory.

Given the lack of drama, specifically over the last hour or so of Sunday's action at Quail Hollow, it should come as no surprise that the TV ratings took a dip compared to last year's championship at Valhalla.

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Sunday's final round of the PGA Championship averaged 4.76 million viewers on CBS, per Sports Media Watch. That number reflects a 4% drop compared to last year's final round broadcast, which averaged 4.96 million, with Xander Schauffele earning a one-shot victory over Bryson DeChambeau.

Scottie Scheffler holds the Wanamaker Trophy after winning the PGA Championship golf tournament at Quail Hollow. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

In a bit of a surprise, this past Sunday's round outperformed the final round of the 2023 PGA Championship by 5%. Brooks Koepka hoisted the Wanamaker Trophy for the third time in his career in '23 with a two-shot victory over Viktor Hovland and Scheffler.

Sunday's final round directly competed against Game 7 between the Denver Nuggets and Oklahoma City Thunder, which drew an average of 6.34 million viewers. According to the report, the PGA Championship has aired directly opposite of an NBA Playoff game three times, only winning the head-to-head in 2021 when Phil Mickelson won his second PGA Championship.

While it's not entirely fair to compare the PGA Championship ratings to the Masters, the far more popular and beloved event, it is eye-opening just how small a number it produced when put next to Rory McIlroy's win at Augusta National.

The final round of the 2025 Masters in April averaged 12.7 million viewers and peaked at 19.5 million during the playoff between Justin Rose and McIlroy.

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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. Before joining OutKick, he wrote for various outlets, including SB Nation, The Spun, and BroBible. Mark was also a writer for the Chicago Cubs Double-A affiliate in 2016, when the team won the World Series. He's still waiting for his championship ring to arrive. Follow him on Twitter @itismarkharris.