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By Pat Evans
As one of the first sports to return to live events, the PGA Tour has had a strong two months of action. From its restart in June through the FedEx St. Jude Invitational, which wrapped up on Aug. 2, golf ratings on CBS and NBC were up 23% compared to the same events last year.
Last week, the FedEx Cup Playoffs began with 125 golfers competing for $60 million in bonus money. Eleven tournaments had to be canceled during the COVID-19 hiatus. Had the Tour canceled the remaining season, more than $100 million in prize money would have been forfeited.
It’s not just the Tour, however, as recreational golf rounds in the U.S. were up 13.9% in June compared to a year ago, according to the National Golf Foundation. In June, golf equipment sales were $661 million, up 51% compared to 2019.
Golf’s Boom
— PGA Tour broadcast ratings up 23%.
— PGA Tour Live subscriptions are up 67% since play restarted.
— Six 2020 tournaments have surpassed DraftKings’ previous top golf event, the 2019 U.S. Open.
