Thursday, April 30, 2026

U.S. Open TV Ratings Down 8% After Rain Delay, Underdog Winner

U.S. Open TV ratings were down at Oakmont Country Club, as rain delayed the final round and a first-time major champion winner took the victory.

Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

TV ratings for the U.S. Open were down a touch from last year but still relatively strong given the lack of star power on the leaderboard and a significant weather delay Sunday.

NBC and Peacock combined to average 5.4 million viewers for the final round, which suffered a roughly 90-minute stoppage of play as rain soaked Oakmont Country Club, before PGA Tour journeyman J.J. Spaun, a 150-to-1 pretournament underdog, beat Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre by two strokes.

That’s down just over 8% from last year’s U.S. Open, which averaged 5.9 viewers as Bryson DeChambeau outdueled Rory McIlroy at Pinehurst No. 2 in North Carolina. 

Before the weather delay began Sunday, final-round viewership was trending up 6% compared to the same time slot (noon to 4 p.m. ET). Ratings peaked at 9 million viewers just after 8 p.m. ET.

Scottie Scheffler and Jon Rahm, who each finished tied for seventh, five strokes behind Spaun, were the highest-finishing previous major champions on the leaderboard.

Complete four-round U.S. Open coverage on linear channels NBC and USA Network averaged 2.9 million viewers, down from 3.1 million in 2024. That marks the second-most-watched East Coast U.S. Open since 2013. U.S. Opens at West Coast venues like Pebble Beach Golf Links traditionally draw higher TV ratings as they finish primetime viewing hours.

The 2025 U.S. Open, which included 10 and a half hours of exclusive coverage on Peacock, was the most-streamed golf event in NBC Sports history.

NBC is entering the final year of its USGA media-rights deal in 2026 and is currently negotiating a potential contract extension to keep broadcasting the U.S. Open and other championships.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Sign up for the
Tuned In Newsletter

Get the latest sports media scoops & insights straight to your inbox once a week.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Saudi PIF Confirms LIV Exit; League Creates New Exec Board

The league is searching for new investors to try to survive.

Reports Reignite Talk of Saudi PIF’s LIV Golf Exit

The Saudi PIF will not fund LIV after the 2026 season.
Jan 10, 2026; Lecanto, Florida, United States; The LIV Golf Promotions trophy is displayed on the first tee during the third round of the LIV Golf Black Diamond Ranch golf tournament at Black Diamond Ranch.

Louisiana Expecting LIV Golf to Repay $1.2M for Canceled Event

LIV Golf Louisiana was scheduled for June 25–28.
Mar 8, 2025; Orlando, Florida, USA; Rory McIlroy plays his shot from the third tee during the third round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational golf tournament at Bay Hill.

5 of Top 15 Ranked PGA Tour Players Skipping Trump Doral Return

Rory McIlroy and others are not playing the $20 million event.

Featured Today

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - MARCH 25: Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever sits on the baseline and makes photographs during the Indiana Pacers game against the Los Angeles Lakers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on March 25, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Why Athletes Are Moonlighting As Sports Photographers

Athletes are swapping courtside seats for sideline cameras.
Quinnipiac women's varsity rugby
April 21, 2026

The Death of Quinnipiac Women’s Varsity Rugby

The sudden decision at Ilona Maher’s alma mater left players blindsided.
April 17, 2026

The Lawyer Steering the NIL Era

In the new era of college sports, Darren Heitner is everywhere.
blake griffin
April 14, 2026

Inside Blake Griffin’s Rookie Season at Prime Video

The six-time All-Star was initially hesitant to enter the media space.
Oct 31, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Los Angeles Dodgers two-way player Shohei Ohtani (17) and pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto (18) and pitcher Roki Sasaki (11) celebrate with the Commissioner's Trophy in the clubhouse after defeating the Toronto Blue Jays in the 2025 MLB World Series at Rogers Centre.

World Series G7 Audience Count Final: 51M Across U.S., Canada, Japan

The average global audience for Game 7 surpassed 51 million viewers.
October 31, 2025

Frozen Frenzy Ratings Climb 20% Despite Scheduling Complaints

The hockey event posts a 20% viewership bump, despite World Series competition.
November 2, 2025

ESPN Still Dark on YouTube TV As ‘MNF’ Looms

ABC and ESPN’s college football slate was blacked out Saturday.
Sponsored

Why Brandon Marshall Bet on Athlete-Owned Media

Brandon Marshall on athlete media, life after football, building I AM ATHLETE.
October 31, 2025

YouTube TV Loses ESPN, ABC Just Before Big Sports Weekend

More than 20 channels go dark on the No. 4 U.S. pay-TV distributor.
Rich Paul
exclusive
October 31, 2025

Rich Paul, Max Kellerman in Talks for Show With The Ringer

“The Ringer” sold to Spotify in 2020.
Oct 28, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (27) throws his bat after hitting a two run home run as Los Angeles Dodgers two-way player Shohei Ohtani (17) looks on during the third inning of game four of the 2025 MLB World Series at Dodger Stadium.
October 30, 2025

World Series Game 5: Largest Jays Audience Ever on Canadian TV

Canadian viewership continues to be a major storyline of the World Series.
Dec 10, 2023; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) talks with Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) after a game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.
October 30, 2025

CBS Betting on Chiefs-Bills Delivering Big Once Again

Big viewership likely awaits the revival of the NFL rivalry.