Rory McIlroy blew a six-stroke lead Saturday, then fell two strokes behind early Sunday. But a day that could have fostered a historic Masters letdown instead featured McIlroy’s latest triumph as the Northern Irish icon roared back in front and stayed there to become the fourth golfer to win back-to-back green jackets, joining Jack Nicklaus, Nick Faldo and Tiger Woods.
It was must-watch TV, and the broadcast reeled in an average of 13.995 million viewers, making Sunday the most-watched Masters final round in 11 years, CBS Sports announced Tuesday.
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That number was up 8% from last year, when McIlroy secured his career grand slam in a dramatic playoff against Justin Rose, and it’s the biggest since the network averaged exactly 14 million viewers in 2015, when a 21-year-old Jordan Spieth led wire-to-wire at Augusta National and won his first major championship.
Sunday came with the Masters’ largest coverage peak since 2013. That year, Adam Scott emerged victorious. CBS reported a 2026 peak of 20.049 million viewers.
Last year, for reference, viewership maxed out at 19.543 million.
In addition to McIlroy’s title defense, Sunday showcased a valiant finish by the world’s No. 1 golfer. Scottie Scheffler, who trailed McIlroy by a dozen strokes entering the weekend, rebounded to shoot -11, placing second.
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Ultimately, after McIlroy bogeyed on No. 18, Scheffler was only one stroke shy of forcing a playoff.
Although the figures CBS released Tuesday are impressive, it’s important to note that Nielsen shifted to a new methodology last fall that couples its traditional panel with “Big Data” from smart TVs and set-top boxes.
That change has benefited various sports broadcasts, often resulting in higher ratings. Nonetheless, there’s no denying the pull McIlroy has, both for golf’s most avid fans and for its more casual observers.
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