Equipment
Masters TV Ratings Fall 22% as Watson Wins in 2012
The final round of the Masters Tournament drew its worst preliminary television ratings since 2004 as Bubba Watson topped Louis Oosthuizen in a sudden-death playoff and Tiger Woods had his worst finish as a professional.
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Yesterday’s fourth round at Augusta National Golf Club was watched on CBS in an average of 8.1 percent of households in the top 56 U.S. television markets, Jerry Caraccioli, a spokesman for the CBS Corp. (CBS) (CBS) network, said in a telephone interview. That’s 22 percent lower than the 10.4 rating CBS drew a year ago, when Charl Schwartzel captured the title and Woods contended before faltering over the final nine holes.
Watson, 33, won on the second playoff hole after hooking an approach shot from out of the trees to 10 feet of the cup. That set up a two-putt par for the win after Louis Oosthuizen made bogey. It was Watson’s first major championship.
It was also the Easter holiday yesterday and television viewers who did tune in didn’t get a chance to see much of Woods, who began the day at 3-over par and shot a 2-over 74 to tie for 40th place. A 14-time major-tournament champion who hasn’t won a one of golf’s four biggest tournaments since the 2008 U.S. Open, Woods entered the tournament as the favorite after winning the Arnold Palmer Invitational on March 25.
Phil Mickelson, another fan favorite, did contend, finishing at 8-under — two strokes behind the leaders — to tie for third with Lee Westwood, Matt Kuchar and Peter Hanson. Mickelson had an even-par round that included a triple bogey.
Audience Breakdown
Full national ratings won’t be available until April 12. Mickelson’s win at the 2004 Masters drew a 7.3 national rating. The previous low before that was Bernhard Langer’s victory in 1993, which drew a 6.8 for the final round.
Neal Shipley was the first to admit that he enjoyed his food while in college. But since his days at Ohio State, he’s slimmed down and earned a PGA Tour Card.
That hasn’t stopped him from having fun with his wedge stampings, though it’s led to some misunderstandings.
On the 54 (degree), we have ‘Big Fudge,'” Shipley told GolfWRX. “It was supposed to be ‘Big Fridge,’ so this happened a little while ago. ‘Big Fridge’ was a nickname between my college teammates and I, with ‘fridge’ meaning stomach, a big stomach.
“We told the Ping guys to put … ‘Big Fridge’ on it, and I think maybe some bad cell service or something, and they thought I said ‘fudge,’ so they put fudge on it.”
On Shipley’s 50-degree he also continues the food theme, this time with his go-to order at the “Golden Arches,” and his stamping “DONS 7.”
“The number 7 meal, the two cheeseburger meal, that was my McDonald’s order, back when I would have McDonald’s frequently,” Shipley shared.
At GolfWRX, we are a community of like-minded individuals who all experience and express our enjoyment of the game in many ways.
It’s that sense of community that drives day-to-day interactions in the forums on topics that range from best driver to what marker you use to mark your ball. It even allows us to share another thing we all love – buying and selling equipment.
Currently, in our GolfWRX buy/sell/trade (BST) forum, @raw10628 has a L.A.B. DF3 putter and Masters putter cover up for grabs.
From the listing: “Some great items here today, time to thin out and make room for next set of gear. All prices include shipping.
LAB DF3 Purple 33.5” 68° lie with TPT – $725. LAB Masters release DF3 cover – $150.”
To check out the full listing in our BST forum, head through the link. If you are curious about the rules to participate in the BST Forum, you can learn more here: GolfWRX BST Rules
Driver: Ping G440 LST (9 degrees)
Shaft: Accra TourZ Green 5-M4
3-wood: Ping G440 Max (15 degrees)
Shaft: Accra TourZ Green 6-M4
5-wood: Ping G440 Max (19 degrees @18)
Shaft: Accra TourZ Green 6-M4
Hybrid: Ping G440 (23 degrees)
Shaft: Oban Isawa Red Hybrid Shaft 04 Flex 70 Gms
Irons: Srixon ZXi7 (5-P)
Shafts: Aerotech SteelFiber Private Reserve i80
Wedges: Cleveland RTZ (50-MID, 54-FULL, 58-MID)
Shafts: Aerotech SteelFiber Private Reserve i105
Putter: L.A.B. Golf OZ.1i
Shaft: ACCRA Putter Shaft
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
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Shankuu
Apr 24, 2012 at 4:38 pm
I thoroughly enjoyed watching this years Masters. I don’t watch much when tiger’s in contention cause everything becomes the “tiger Show”. Congrats to Bubba and the hard right in the middle of the fairway!
BF
Apr 9, 2012 at 11:03 pm
The internet coverge was wonderful. Not too yippy, yappy from the likes of Nance and the pompus brit Sir Nick. The first half hour I know I tuned out and back into the internet as the constant yammering of those two made me sick. I miss Frank in the trailer and Venturi in the booth. Ken knew when to shut up and let the cameras do the “talking”, and obviously Frank had his team doing what he directed them to do. I would much rather listen to a player discuss shot making process than Nick tell me how “he did it” or Nance just plain talking about absolutely nothing.
WAY TO MUCH NEEDLESS TALKING
Charlie
Apr 9, 2012 at 10:30 pm
I don’t give a damn what the ratings were. It was a TERRIFIC tournament. In fact, I’d say one of the best, in recent years.
Who cares if a bunch of non–golfers failed to tune in because their hero, Tiger Woods had a bad week?
The golf industry needs to promote other talent than Woods, in my opinion. Therein lies the answer. But if it doesn’t work? So what!
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