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The PGA Tour has once again outperformed its arch-rival LIV Golf in terms of viewership. The first weekend of April held significant importance for both tours. On the one hand, the PGA had the Valero Texas Open, whereas the LIV had its first US event of the season, the LIV Golf Miami Open. Both events drew many views, and here is a detailed look at the numbers.
Marc Leishman's first win at the LIV Golf Miami Open garnered 484,000 views in total. It was an incredible event, and the Saudi-backed league celebrated massively with a post-round show afterward. While it became the most watched US event for LIV Golf, Brian Harman's victory in the Valero Texas Open drew more eyes with 1.746 million total views.
The viewership for LIV was initially higher on Friday, but it decreased on Saturday before increasing again for the final round. Here's a detailed look at the Miami event's viewership over the days (per golf journalist Josh Carpenter on X):
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- LIV Friday: 369K on FOX
- LIV Saturday: 137K on FS1
On the other hand, viewership for the PGA's Valero Texas Open increased threefold over the weekend. Here's a detailed look at the viewership after the event ended:
- PGA Tour Thursday: 327K on Golf Channel
- PGA Tour Friday: 318K on Golf Channel
- PGA Tour Saturday: 1.583M on NBC
Interestingly, the PGA Tour's viewership was down 20% from last year. The viewership for the 2024 Valero Texas Open, when Akshay Bhatia won the event, was 2.179 million. The competition this year was fierce, and Brian Harman took home the victory. The 38-year-old finished at 9-under-par, three strokes ahead of runner-up Ryan Gerard.
The PGA Tour and LIV Golf collaboration possibility remains up in the air
The Saudi-backed LIV Golf has made significant investments in its league and has produced some unique events. On the other hand, the PGA remains the status quo for the average American golf fan.
Even commissioner Jay Monahan has been clear about the importance of preserving the sport's essence. He made it clear that even if the PGA and LIV Golf collaborate in the future, they will not compromise on the sport's history. During a press conference ahead of the 2025 Players Championship, Monahan stated (via CBS Sports):
"We will not [integrate LIV Golf] in a way that diminishes the strength of our platform or the very real momentum we have with our fans and our partners. So, while we've removed some hurdles, others remain. But like our fans, we still share the same sense of urgency to get to a resolution. Our team is fully committed to reunification."
Golfers from both the PGA Tour and LIV Golf will be going head-to-head this week at the first major of the year - The Masters Tournament.
