When Tiger Woods Wins, So Do Golf Ratings
Updating our US Open Golf chart and table with 2008 results continues to demonstrate that Tiger Woods = golf ratings win. Now that Tiger is out for the rest of this year, woe be to the broadcasters.
Full 1971-2008 US Open Golf TV Ratings Detail:
| Year | Viewers | HH rating | Share | Telecasts | Network | Winner |
| 1971 | 6.4 | 25 | 2 | ABC | Lee Trevino | |
| 1972 | 9.1 | 28 | 2 | ABC | Jack Nicklaus | |
| 1973 | 9.0 | 30 | 2 | ABC | Johnny Miller | |
| 1974 | 7.3 | 25 | 2 | ABC | Hale Irwin | |
| 1975 | 6.8 | 23 | 3 | ABC | Lou Graham | |
| 1976 | 7.3 | 23 | 2 | ABC | Jerry Pate | |
| 1977 | 5.5 | 21 | 2 | ABC | Hubert Green | |
| 1978 | 5.8 | 22 | 2 | ABC | Andy North | |
| 1979 | 5.2 | 19 | 2 | ABC | Hale Irwin | |
| 1980 | 6.1 | 20 | 2 | ABC | Jack Nicklaus | |
| 1981 | 7.5 | 25 | 2 | ABC | David Graham | |
| 1982 | 6.9 | 21 | 2 | ABC | Tom Watson | |
| 1983 | 5.9 | 18 | 3 | ABC | Larry Nelson | |
| 1984 | 5.9 | 17 | 3 | ABC | Fuzzy Zoeller* | |
| 1985 | 6.3 | 19 | 2 | ABC | Andy North | |
| 1986 | 5.6 | 19 | 2 | ABC | Raymond Floyd | |
| 1987 | 8.85 | 6.8 | 19 | 2 | ABC | Scott Simpson |
| 1988 | 5.31 | 4.3 | 13 | 5 | ABC | Curtis Strange* |
| 1989 | 6.41 | 5.0 | 16 | 2 | ABC | Curtis Strange |
| 1990 | 6.30 | 5.1 | 17 | 3 | ABC | Hale Irwin* |
| 1991 | 5.30 | 4.4 | 14 | 3 | ABC | Payne Stewart* |
| 1992 | 3.63 | 5.7 | 17 | 2 | ABC | Tom Kite |
| 1993 | 5.86 | 4.8 | 16 | 2 | ABC | Lee Janzen |
| 1994 | 5.76 | 4.6 | 15 | 3 | ABC | Ernie Els* |
| 1995 | 6.26 | 5.0 | 17 | 2 | NBC | Corey Pavin |
| 1996 | 5.32 | 4.2 | 14 | 4 | NBC | Steve Jones |
| 1997 | 7.09 | 5.5 | 18 | 4 | NBC | Ernie Els |
| 1998 | 5.91 | 4.6 | 14 | 4 | NBC | Lee Janzen |
| 1999 | 6.69 | 5.1 | 16 | 4 | NBC | Payne Stewart |
| 2000 | 8.24 | 6.0 | 16 | 4 | NBC | Tiger Woods |
| 2001 | 7.62 | 5.5 | 16 | 4 | NBC | Retief Goosen* |
| 2002 | 10.75 | 7.5 | 20 | 2 | NBC | Tiger Woods |
| 2003 | 5.72 | 4.2 | 12 | 4 | NBC | Jim Furyk |
| 2004 | 6.31 | 4.4 | 13 | 4 | NBC | Retief Goosen |
| 2005 | 5.82 | 4.2 | 12 | 4 | NBC | Michael Campbell |
| 2006 | 5.00 | 3.5 | 9 | 4 | NBC | Geoff Ogilvy |
| 2007 | 6.49 | 4.5 | 12 | 4 | NBC | Angel Cabrera |
| 2008 | 7.83 | 5.3 | 13 | 5 | NBC | Tiger Woods* |
*playoff
Nielsen TV Ratings Data: ©2008 Nielsen Media Research, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
