Ratings: U.S. Women's Open Up 92%!

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With the dynamic Michelle Wie leading and so many great possibilities Sunday at the 2014 U.S. Women's Open, NBC scored a nice final round rating even with so many other viewing options and a record viewing audience preparing for the U.S-Portugal game.

From NBC/Golf Channel:

- NBC's coverage of the final round of the U.S. Women's Open drew a 1.67 overnight rating in metered markets, up 92% from a year ago (3-6P; 0.87). This was the highest final round overnight at this event since 2007 (3-6:15P; 1.9).

As Karen Crouse notes in the New York Times, the Wie win is the culmination of an unusual year in which the LPGA's stars have risen to the occasion as the PGA Tour's brightest seem to be struggling in the limelight.

The PGA Tour has been stuck in a rut this year, its tournament results a few bright lights shy of a marquee. Phil Mickelson has failed to record a top-10 finish, Rory McIlroy has not posted a victory (though he did win the European Tour’s flagship event last month) and Tiger Woods has missed the first two majors after back surgery.

But the women have staged stirring duels, with Lexi Thompson holding off Wie in the first major and Wie holding off Lewis in the second. Karrie Webb, a Hall of Famer, has won twice, and the 17-year-old phenom Lydia Ko has won once. Inbee Park, the reigning player of the year, and Lewis have taken turns at No. 1.

We talked Wie on Morning Drive and also the success of the back-to-back Opens for the USGA.

As for future back-to-backs, I nominated Torrey Pines as the perfection place to do this again mostly because of its June climate and tourist-friendly locale.