It’s official: Scottie Scheffler isn’t just winning majors — he’s moving the needle.
After securing his fourth career major title with a commanding four-shot victory at the 2025 Open Championship at Royal Portrush, Scheffler has done more than just cement his status as World No. 1 (which, by the way, he’s now held for a staggering 149 weeks). He’s also proving to be a serious ratings magnet — and golf hasn’t seen that kind of gravitational pull since the Tiger Woods era.
NBC’s broadcast of the Open, which included streaming numbers, pulled in just over 4 million viewers, according to Sports Business Journal’s Josh Carpenter. That’s an 18% increase from last year’s Open finale, when Xander Schauffele defended his title. It also marks the biggest year-over-year spike in Open viewership since the 2022 St. Andrews showdown — but that 2022 audience had the drama of Rory McIlroy, Cam Smith, and Cameron Young all going at it on the back nine.
It Was All Scottie and Fans Tuned In
“I’m not sure we’re there yet, but I think it’s getting close to a point where people watch because of Scottie, a la Tiger back in the day,” Carpenter said. “Even if he has a big lead.”
That’s not small talk — that’s a huge endorsement of Scheffler’s star power. Think about it: golf isn’t supposed to draw more viewers when a tournament lacks late drama. And yet, Scheffler’s dominance is driving engagement anyway. Why? Because fans aren’t just watching to see who wins — they’re watching how he does it.
With major wins at the 2022 and 2024 Masters, a 2025 PGA Championship, and now The Open, Scheffler’s resume is one U.S. Open short of a career Grand Slam. Combine that with a grounded persona, quiet charisma, and relentless consistency, and what you get is a generational player who’s building a must-watch legacy in real time.
Scheffler doesn’t talk like Tiger. He doesn’t celebrate like Rory. He doesn’t polarize like Brooks. But what he does do is win week in and week out. And in the process, he’s drawing eyes to the sport because of who he is and how he plays.
The 2026 U.S. Open can’t come soon enough. And don’t be surprised if the next ratings surge comes with it — because Scottie Scheffler isn’t just winning golf tournaments. He’s taking the sport with him.
