Although complaints about the television coverage of the Presidents Cup were plentiful through the first few days of action at Medinah No. 3, that hasn't stopped fans from tuning in.
Television audiences surged for Thursday's opening round of play, according to numbers unveiled on Saturday. Golf Channel's live coverage averaged 688,000 viewers, an 88% increase compared with the opening day of the 2024 Presidents Cup, according to Nielsen panel-only data. Viewership peaked at 935,000 viewers during the 5:45 p.m. ET quarter-hour as fans tuned in to watch the opening matches unfold.
The strong audience delivered Golf Channel its second-most-watched opening
round telecast of 2026, trailing only the Thursday coverage of The Players Championship.
Interest extended beyond the live competition. "Live From the Presidents Cup," Golf Channel's studio coverage surrounding the event, recorded a 39% increase in viewership compared with the Thursday program during the 2024 Presidents Cup.
The ratings boost comes as the 2026 Presidents Cup has produced one of the most compelling starts in recent memory. The Internationals stunned the heavily favored Americans with a 5-0 sweep in Friday's matches, carrying a 7-3 lead into the weekend and creating the possibility of just the second International victory in the history of the event.
Note: Viewership figures are based on Nielsen panel-versus-panel comparisons. Big Data metrics were not yet available.
Tim Schmitt is the managing editor of Golfweek and the golf coordinator for the USA Today Network.
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Presidents Cup TV viewership surges despite fan complaints
