NEW YORK (AP) - Little drama and a little-known champion sent the British Open’s television ratings plummeting to a record low.
South Africa’s Louis Oosthuizen led over the last 48 holes and won by seven shots, his victory almost never in doubt during the final round. ESPN said Sunday’s coverage drew a 2.1 rating, down 45 percent from last year’s 3.8. The previous low was a 3.1 in 1996, according to Nielsen, when Tom Lehman went into the final round with a six-shot lead.
Average ratings for the first three rounds were up from 2009, increasing from 1.3 to 1.4.
This was the first year the tournament was broadcast entirely on cable. The coverage previously was split between TNT and ABC.
Ratings represent the percentage of all homes with televisions tuned into a program.
By John Solomon
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Happiness is attainable. Morning to night. I love to teach, deal with folks that have an issue and really wish to tackle it and write.
This column will cover anything that has anything remotely to do with the game of baseball, from the game itself to mid-summer trades to offseason moves.
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