Tiger’s Loss Bad News For NBC, TGC

Tiger Woods’ elimination Thursday from the Accenture Match Play Championship was also bad news for NBC and The Golf Channel, as the networks now miss out on additional coverage of the golf phenom’s long-awaited return this week.

After a solid victory Wednesday in his first event following a long layoff caused by a knee injury, Woods was defeated Thursday by South African Tim Clark.  

The Golf Channel has Friday coverage, before it and NBC share coverage over the weekend of the remainder of the event, which now has significantly less mainstream interest with Woods out of contention.

Woods’ mid-day return Wednesday gave PGATour.com a site-best 2.5 million video streams in one day, despite the fact it did not offer live streaming, but rather hole-by-hole coverage once Woods finished each hole.

NBC may get another swing at Woods in just a couple weeks though, as the ratings magnet may continue his comeback March 12-15 at Doral in Florida.  The Golf Channel has the first two rounds before NBC takes over Saturday and Sunday.