Golf fans blasted CBS Sports and the PGA Tour during the final round of the Zurich Classic after a broadcast blackout left viewers without live coverage for over an hour as storms paused play
18:44 ET, 27 Apr 2025Updated 18:47 ET, 27 Apr 2025
The Zurich Classic saw two rain delays and a broadcast blackout(Image: Getty)
PGA Tour fans were left staring at their screens for over an hour after a faulty CBS Sports broadcast feed for the final round of the Zurich Classic of New Orleans saw them miss final day coverage. By the time the Tour finally addressed the issue, it just made everyone madder.
The final round of the Zurich Classic experienced a technological meltdown, described as “technical difficulties,” and the PGA reported the news at approximately 3:23 p.m. ET. Viewers had already been without live action since around 2:30 p.m. and voiced their frustration on social media.
Mother nature then added a storm delay to the mix at 3:42 p.m. on top of the lack of coverage, stopping play with the final group stuck on the par-4 8th. The tournament also experienced a weather delay during Round 3 of the competition that lasted 92 minutes, as thunderstorms reportedly approached from just seven miles away, heading toward Louisiana.
Spectators on the grounds reported seeing four lightning strikes across a ten-minute period, roughly 5 miles away from Avondale, LA, where TPC Louisiana is located. While the storm wasn’t directly over the course, it was close enough to cause concern. Weather forecasts for Sunday projected a 20 percent chance of rain and storms.
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The backlash on social media started when one fan wrote, “It’s been over an hour, people have thousands of dollars riding on these results. This is unacceptable.” Another viewer sarcastically added, “And it only took an hour to inform the fan base. Good job all around.”
CBS’s handling of the blackout was also blasted, with a fan adding, “Clearly not a reliable company anymore. Please keep this malpractice in mind the next time you’re negotiating broadcast contracts. I don’t recall this ever happening with any other network broadcaster.”
While CBS scrambled to show replays from last year’s Zurich Classic to fill the dead air, LIV’s Mexico event streamed and provided an alternative on Fox Sports platforms. “LIV’s on. We’re good,” said a fan under the post, while another chimed in, “Gonna be a MASSIVE ratings day for LIV.”
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With play suspended for a total of 93 minutes, fans were left to watch old footage of Shane Lowry and Rory McIlroy pocketing over $1.2 million each after surviving a playoff against Chad Ramey and France’s Martin Trainer. Duos are battling for their share of a $9.2 million purse this season, a significant increase from past years.
The unique tournament is the only one on the schedule that features a format with two-player teams. Louisiana has hosted the event annually since 2005, outside of a year off due to Hurricane Katrina.
