Rory McIlroy's Winning Form is Bringing Viewers Back to PGA Tour

View From The Fairway by Derek Clements

Back in the not-too-distant past, there was something called the Tiger Effect. 

Put simply, if Tiger Woods was in the field for any PGA Tour event it would automatically follow that the TV ratings for that event would soar. Armchair fans were caught up in the hype and, quite frankly, wanted the best seat in the house to watch the best golfer of his generation produce endless moments of magic.

It was noticeable that although Scottie Scheffler enjoyed a Tiger-like year in 2024 there was no corresponding bump in the ratings when he was playing. Quite the contrary in fact. The PGA Tour viewing figures last year fell off a cliff. 

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Much of that had to do with slow play and golf fans being turned off by the ongoing rift within the professional game. But trust me, had Woods been playing even a half schedule and been anywhere close to competitive we would still have seen some pretty impressive figures.

It will no doubt hurt Scheffler that he simply does not possess the same stardust as Woods. He played some wondrous golf last year. Let’s rephrase that - he played LOTS of wondrous golf last year. But he simply does not get the juices flowing in the same way that golfers such as Woods, Phil Mickelson, Seve Ballesteros and Arnold Palmer managed to achieve because when he is playing at his best there is little or no drama.

Do not despair though.

As we approach The Masters, we learn that millions more are watching once again.

Woods is sidelined through injury, of course, so what is the explanation?

That is easy. It has nothing to do with improved broadcasts or greater accessibility to players. The answer is surely Rory McIlroy. He has already won twice on the PGA Tour in 2025 - at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and the Players Championship. 

Without the slightest shadow of a doubt, the Northern Irishman is the most naturally gifted and watchable golfer of his generation. He hits the ball miles and produces shots we can only marvel at and wins BIG golf tournaments but there is also a frailty about him that each and every single one of us can relate to and identify with. 

This is a golfer who can thrill us all with his play but who can fly the green with a wedge in his hands and who can also miss tiny putts to lose majors, who can pull out a driver when it should be left firmly in the bag - we have all done that.

(Image Credit: Kevin Diss Photography)

Viewers are tuning in again as the build-up to Augusta continues and speculation about his ability to finally complete the career grand slam reaches fever pitch. We want to see how he copes with the pressure, we are all willing him on. And I absolutely guarantee you one thing - if he is contention at the start of the final round of this year’s Masters, viewing figures around the world will go through the roof. 

It is all too easy to believe that McIlroy owes a debt of gratitude to the PGA Tour for the vast amounts of money he earns but I am 100% certain that the tour’s commissioner Jay Monahan is the one who feels grateful to McIlroy when he is on form. He is exciting. He attracts huge crowds and even greater levels of attention. 

I have attended several tournaments at which McIlroy has been in contention and the feeling of excitement is palpable - you can almost reach out and touch it.

And don’t even get me started on what might happen to the ratings should McIlroy end his 11-year major drought and go ahead and win The Masters.

More than six million viewers watched the final round of the Players Championship and an incredible 1.5 million watched the three-hole playoff on the Monday that took place at 1pm UK time and 9am in Florida. Those are the sort of figures that make the sponsors sit up and take notice. 

Speaking of TV ratings, what did you make of the Tomorrow's Golf League (TGL), which reached its climax last week? 

Billy Horschel certainly enjoyed producing the winning shot, leaping in the air, throwing his club and swearing out loud. Was his reaction justified? Well his bank manager probably thinks so. But what of the rest of us?

I watched the first and third instalments. I have to say that I enjoyed watching it for the first time but by the time I plonked myself down to watch it again I’d had enough. I am a traditional golf fan - this is not golf as I know it. 

It feels utterly contrived to me. I like the fact that the players wear microphones - I just wish they’d had something worthwhile to say. There were technical failures, matches that meant nothing at all and a generally mixed reaction from golf fans, both those who attended and the rest of is watching at home.

And there was one positive The average age of the viewer who tunes in to watch PGA Tour events is 63 (which is a worryingly high statistic) while the average age of those watching TGL was 51, and that can only be a positive.

Will it be back next year? Almost certainly. Should it return? The jury is out.