Yoo Haerin's first major title drives KPMG Women's PGA Championship to best ratings in 21 years

The KPMG Women's PGA Championship, where Yoo Haerin claimed her first major title last week, drew the tournament's highest television ratings in 21 years.

Golf media outlet Golfweek reported Wednesday, citing broadcaster NBC Sports, that the final round of the KPMG Women's PGA Championship — held at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minnesota — set a tournament viewership record not seen in 21 years.

The final round averaged about 1.4 million viewers. NBC Sports and ratings firm Nielsen combined figures from the regular broadcast window (1–4 p.m. Eastern time) and a live stream of the final hole on a separate channel — necessitated by weather delays — to reach that total, the highest since the 2005 edition.

Analysts attributed the ratings surge to a combination of factors: early-round upsets, Nelly Korda's bid for a third consecutive major title, and a gripping battle among South Korea's top women's golfers.

Golfweek said the precise shot-making and dramatic comebacks among the Korean players in the final-round championship group gave American golf fans an intense viewing experience, and credited the tournament's success with boosting the overall media value of the LPGA Tour.

Yoo started the tournament tied for 70th after the opening round and faced the threat of missing the cut, but surged to the top of the leaderboard by carding 12 under par across the second and third rounds. She then fought a tight battle for the title in the final round against Brooke Henderson of Canada and Yoon I-na.

The victory earned Yoo $1.95 million from the tournament's $13 million purse — the largest in women's golf history — vaulting her to second on the LPGA Tour money list. She also climbed five spots to No. 7 in the Rolex Women's World Golf Rankings.