Broadcast gripe and star struggles
Analyst Kevin Kisner publicly criticized CBS’s Masters feed for lagging behind live play — he said the broadcast was showing shots that 'happened ten minutes ago' — and coverage notes that Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau struggled relative to expectations. The comments added to a post‑tournament conversation about how the event was presented, beyond who won (foxnews.com) (nationaltoday.com).
Kevin Kisner turned the 2026 Masters broadcast into part of the story when he said CBS was showing shots that had happened “ten minutes ago” during Sunday’s final round. (usatoday.com) Kisner, now NBC Sports’ lead golf analyst, said on Barstool Sports’ *Fore Play* podcast that viewers were not getting enough live golf and asked, “Do y’all ever show a live shot?” after a weekend that included missed camera angles on key moments at Augusta National. (tennessean.com) Jim Nantz answered the criticism on April 15 by calling CBS’s crew “the best in the business” and saying, “It’s live television, we all make mistakes,” after complaints about the network missing Rory McIlroy’s approach at 18 and giving viewers an obstructed angle on his winning putt. (golfweek.usatoday.com) The complaints landed after one of the tournament’s biggest TV days: the final round averaged 14 million viewers as McIlroy won his second straight Masters on April 12. (sports.yahoo.com) That debate ran alongside a second post-tournament theme: two of the most watched LIV Golf players never seriously threatened the leaders at Augusta. Jon Rahm finished tied for 38th at 1 over par, and Bryson DeChambeau missed the cut. (espn.com) Rahm opened with a 78, recovered with rounds of 70, 73 and 68, and still ended 13 shots behind McIlroy’s winning total of 12 under. DeChambeau’s week ended Friday at 6 over after a closing triple bogey on the 18th hole. (golfchannel.com) (cbssports.com) The contrast mattered because Rahm and DeChambeau arrived as two of the most prominent LIV entrants in a field that included 10 players from the circuit. Pre-tournament betting coverage and preview stories had treated both as realistic contenders at Augusta. (usatoday.com) (msn.com) Instead, the leaderboard was topped by McIlroy at 12 under, with Scottie Scheffler second at 11 under and Justin Rose, Russell Henley, Tyrrell Hatton and Cameron Young tied for third at 10 under. Rahm was the only one of the two headliners to play the weekend. (masters.com) (apnews.com) By midweek, the Masters conversation had split in two directions at once: a champion’s repeat on one side, and a broadcast and contender debate on the other. Kisner’s complaint stuck because it gave a blunt line to what many viewers had already seen on Sunday. (si.com)
