Ryan Fox’s dramatic victory at the 2026 Open Championship delivered the tournament’s most-watched final round in four years.
An average of 4.3 million viewers watched Sunday’s final round on NBC, marking a 6% increase from last year and the highest audience for the tournament’s final round since 2022.
The audience peaked at 6.1 million viewers across NBC and Peacock between 1:15 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. ET, as Fox produced a late charge at Royal Birkdale Golf Club in England. The New Zealander sealed a one-shot victory over Cameron Young after making a birdie on the 18th hole to claim the Claret Jug.
The Open Championship’s scheduling gives it a different television profile in the U.S. compared with the other three men’s golf majors. Due to the time difference between the U.S. and the UK, the final round typically begins in the morning on the East Coast and concludes in the early afternoon.
Despite the earlier broadcast window, Fox’s dramatic finish helped deliver the tournament’s strongest final-round audience since 2022, highlighting the continued appeal of live sports events that build toward a decisive conclusion.