US Open 2021 finals attracts 5.7 million viewers

Jon Rahm celebrates with the trophy after winning the US Open golf tournament at Torrey Pines Golf Course.

Michael Madrid | USA TODAY Sports | Reuters

The 121st US Open Championship at Torrey Pines Golf Course averaged 5.7 million viewers in the finals on Sunday, according to NBC Sports.

Jon Rahm, originally from Spain, won the event, his first PGA Tour Major and sixth career win. Rahm, now the world’s No. 1 golfer, took home $ 2.25 million of the $ 12.5 million purse. He has won $ 28 million in his career.

Louis Oosthuizen finished second and earned around $ 1.3 million. Dustin Johnson, now number 2 golfers in the world, finished 17th at the 2021 US Open. Johnson earned $ 125,363.

NBC said its 8.9 million viewership peaked at 8.9 million, making it the second most-watched US Open in five years. It was also the most watched golf event on the network since the Tour Championship 2018. This event reached an average of 5.8 million viewers in the finals and featured golf superstar Tiger Woods.

Viewership for the 2021 broadcast was also 76% higher than the 2020 US Open, which was held last September due to the pandemic. Thursday through Sunday coverage on NBC and Golf Channel averaged 3.1 million viewers.

Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau were the two featured golfers leaving for the US Open as the two are embroiled in a golfing feud. Koepka finished fourth, taking home approximately $ 498,000. DeChambeau, who won the 2020 event, finished 26th ($ 87,941). Rory McIlroy finished seventh ($ 306,893).

Disclosure: NBC is owned by NBCUniversal, which is also the parent company of CNBC.