Tiger Woods out of the picture, TV ratings in the tank
GOLF / THE SPIN
Tour broadcasts feel the pain while Tiger Woods recovers from surgery. Even the British Open can't hold audiences, and there are worries about a Woodsless PGA Championship and Ryder Cup.
It's all a matter of perspective. The PGA Tour and its truckload of sponsors aren't even asking you not to touch that dial on your television; they're asking you to make sure the set is turned on in the first place.
The Absent Tiger Factor is here and it's awful to behold.
Case 1: Buick Open. The first event of three events so far that Woods would have played, but missed because of his knee surgery. The overnight rating on CBS for the fourth round was down 12%, from a 1.7 to a 1.5.
Case 2: AT&T National. Worse. The overnight ratings for the fourth round on CBS were down 48%, from a 2.9 to a 1.5. Third-round ratings dipped 35%, from a 2.0 to a 1.3.
Case 3: British Open. Not good. The overnight ratings for ABC's final round coverage Sunday fell 14.6%, from a 4.1 to a 3.5.
None of this is good news, despite the intriguing British Open story lines of Greg Norman trying to hold it together at age 53, and Padraig Harrington coming through to win his second consecutive Open title.
But with the PGA Championship and the Ryder Cup -- two of pro golf's biggest titles -- still on the table, and both without Woods, you can be sure the PGA of America is keeping its fingers crossed for both of its prime properties.
And that's not even mentioning CBS and NBC, their broadcast partners.
TV update
The British Open will be an all-cable major beginning in 2010 and be carried only on ESPN, ending a 50-year association with ABC, according to SportsBusiness Journal. The seven-year deal is not yet finalized, but reported to be around $25 million a year.
Chatter
Add forgettable quotes: From Ian Baker-Finch of TBS on the chances of perpetually poor closer Norman in the fourth round: "Can he erase all of those [bad] memories? No, he can't. But can he deal with them at 53 years of age? I think he can."
And add this one, too, from Bill Kratzert of TBS on Norman's chances -- before he shot 77: "You know what, the Shark has not gone away."
From Norman: "I can walk away from here being disappointed, but I can walk away from here with my head held high because I hung in there."
From Richard Johnson, who won the PGA Tour's U.S. Bank Championship on Sunday after ditching his old putter: "I gave it back to the manufacturer. I don't break clubs."
Kim collapse
At least it's gotten to the point that when Anthony Kim doesn't get the job done, it's surprising.
