A Historic Tiger Woods Win Leading Into The Ryder Cup Is A Golf Fan's Dream — But Will It Help Sales?

Tiger Woods' historic comeback win at the Tour Championship leading into this week's Ryder Cup has given new life to golf and has been a dream for networks — but will it help golf sales?

Woods removed "the weight off his shoulders" by winning a tournament, media analyst Brad Adgate told Benzinga.

"The networks are ecstatic about the opportunity next year and they can certainly promote and market that accordingly."

Comcast Corporation CMCSA-owned NBC and CBS Corporation CBS have the Masters next year and Twenty-First Century Fox Inc FOXA has the US Open, Adgate said. "They have to be salivating. It hasn't been like this in five years and [Tiger] can do it again."

The Tiger Effect

With ratings at Sunday’s Tour finale up 206 percent, Adgate said a Tiger effect is still in play — but the Ryder Cup is never going to be the Masters or the US Open.

“That said, he can certainly raise the profile of the event, Woods can spike the ratings to some degree, but it's not one of the high-profile events. At best it will help casual viewers tune in."

Golf fans have to be enthused about the prospect of watching Woods compete immediately after an unforgettable victory and against the young guns on tour for the upcoming year. Woods is now the Vegas odds favorite to win the 2019 Masters at 9-1.

Powell: Woods Unlikely To Impact Nike Sales

Nike Inc NKE followed up Woods' win Sunday with an Instagram ad. One panel read "he's done," and the second read "it again."

Nike could leverage Woods to appeal to a younger generation, but his resurgence is unlikely to impact sales, said NPD Group's Matt Powell.

“Nike is facing serious headwinds in terms of the game itself,” Powell told Footwear News. Woods could devote his efforts to grassroots youth golf and bringing young players into the sport, he said.

“Clearly, a lot of people watched him on TV [and] there was a huge crowd to witness the victory, so it gives [Nike] credibility, but it’s not with their core consumer,” Powell said. “The values of golf don’t line up with those generations.”

The Ryder Cup starts Friday at Le Golf National in Paris, France.

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Photo by Keith Allison/Wikimedia.