Ratings for PGA Tour events have been up across the board this season and the four Fall Series events, all on The Golf Channel, were no exception.
The Golf Channel reported that overall ratings for the four tournaments, in Las Vegas, California, St. Simons Island, Ga., and Disney World, more than doubled the 2010 ratings (up 105 percent).
The overall ratings were boosted by the Frys.com Open in San Martin, Calif., where Tiger Woods played in a Fall Series tournament for the first time. Ratings were up for that event 165 percent.
The McGladrey Classic at the Sea Island Club had a 62 percent ratings boost, with PGA Tour veterans Ben Crane and Webb Simpson going to a playoff. Luke Donald's battle with Simpson for the money title at Disney the following week helped bump the Children's Miracle Network Classic ratings 68 percent.
Viewership for PGA Tour events on The Golf Channel was up 28 percent for the year.
Elite fields in Asia
Limited-field tournaments in Malaysia and Shanghai this week have attracted some of the world's top players.
In the Asia Pacific Classic in Malaysia, the 48-player field is led by McGladrey Classic winner Crane, area residents Vijay Singh and Jonathan Byrd, plus major championship winners Stewart Cink, Lucas Glover and Angel Cabrera.
The Shanghai Masters, with 30 in the field, is led by three of the four 2011 major championship winners, Rory McIlroy, Charl Schwartzel and Keegan Bradley, along with past major winners Jim Furyk of Ponte Vedra Beach, Padraig Harrington, Geoff Ogilvy, Louis Oosthuizen and Y.E. Yang.
The Malaysia tournament will be on live on The Golf Channel today through Sunday from 1-4 a.m. and again on a repeat broadcast each day from 5-7 p.m.
The Shanghai event will not be televised.
The annual Players Championship Red Coast Ride-Out will be Nov. 1, with past Players chairman presenting charitable contributions to the River Garden, Gilbert Middle School, Teach for America, Take Stock in Children and the Sanctuary on 8th Street. ... Luke Donald won the PGA of America's Vardon Trophy and the PGA Tour's Byron Nelson Award for scoring in 2011. His Vardon Trophy scoring average was 69.25 and his Nelson Award average (adjusted for course difficulty) was 68.06. ... If Tom Lehman is voted the Champions Tour player of the year (he's currently first in money and Schwab Cup points with the season-ending Schwab Cup Championship remaining), he would be the first to be player of the year on all three tours. Lehman was the Nationwide Tour player of the year in 1991 and the PGA Tour player of the year in 1996.
This Week On Tour
Event: Nationwide Tour Championship, today-Sunday, Daniel Island Club, Ralston Creek Course, Charleston, S.C.
At stake: $1 million purse ($180,000 to the winner).
Defending champion: Brendan Steele.
TV: The Golf Channel (today-Sunday, 2:30-5 p.m.).
Area players entered: Jonas Blixt, Russell Knox, Matt Every, Steve Wheatcroft, Paul Claxton, Bubba Dickerson.
Notable: The field consists of the top 60 money leaders. The top 25 after the tournament will be promoted to the PGA Tour. ... Brendan Steele defeated Colt Knost on the fourth playoff hole to win last year. Steele won on the PGA Tour this year to get a two-year exemption, but Knost finished out of the top 125 on the money list and will return to the Nationwide Tour next year if he doesn't finish among the top 25 in the qualifying tournament in December. ... No. 25 Billy Hurley is $3,151 ahead of No. 26 Brett Wetterich.