Great news for the thrilling AIG Women’s British Open Sunday broadcast on NBC: a 1.0 rating despite the midday slot on the East coast (11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. ET).
The 1.67 million average audience was the highest rated LPGA telecast since the 2014 U.S. Women’s Open won by Michelle Wie at Pinehurst, according to Golf Channel PR.
Hinako Shibuno returned to Tokyo on Tuesday with more than 140 reporters waiting to interview her at the airport, according to the Japan Times. Playing for the first time outside Japan, Shibuno drained an 18-foot birdie putt on the 72nd hole Sunday to win the Women’s British Open by one stroke.
Shibuno was universally applauded for her smiling demeanor and fast play at Woburn. Tuesday she was asked about the smile that is a universal language.
“I thought that you can still communicate with people even if you don’t have language ability,” she said. “I got to be known by so many different people around the world with this smile.”
