Masters drove CBS ratings
Rory McIlroy’s successful title defense produced CBS’s best Masters ratings in 11 years. (reuters.com) Reuters reports McIlroy shared the lead after Round 1, built a record six‑shot lead after 36 holes, then saw that margin evaporate so he and Cameron Young were tied heading into the final round — a sequence Reuters links to the viewership surge. (reuters.com)
CBS drew its biggest Masters final-round audience in 11 years after Rory McIlroy won a second straight green jacket at Augusta National. (reuters.com) The Sunday broadcast averaged 13.995 million viewers, up 8% from the 12.71 million who watched McIlroy complete the career Grand Slam in April 2025, according to Reuters and CBS figures cited by sports media outlets. (reuters.com) (frontofficesports.com) CBS’s audience peaked at 20.05 million viewers late Sunday, and Sports Media Watch said the telecast posted a 7.0 rating, the highest Masters final-round rating since 2018 even as total viewers reached their best mark since Jordan Spieth’s 2015 win. (golfweek.usatoday.com) (sportsmediawatch.com) The tournament gave television the kind of arc networks want from a major: McIlroy shared the first-round lead, built a record six-shot advantage after 36 holes, then lost it before Sunday. Reuters said that sequence helped fuel the surge. (reuters.com) (masters.com) By Saturday night, Cameron Young had erased an eight-shot deficit through 36 holes with a 7-under 65 and pulled even with McIlroy at 11-under 205 heading into the final round. Augusta National’s recap called Young’s charge a “remarkable comeback.” (masters.com 1) (masters.com 2) Sunday stayed crowded deep into the back nine. McIlroy closed with a 71 to finish at 12-under 276, one shot ahead of Scottie Scheffler, while Young, Justin Rose, Tyrrell Hatton and Russell Henley tied for third at 10-under. (masters.com 1) (masters.com 2) The audience jump also came as CBS expanded its weekend coverage again in 2026. Paramount Press Express said CBS and Paramount+ carried the Masters on April 9-12, with more than 100 hours of “Masters Live” feeds alongside the main weekend windows. (paramountpressexpress.com) ESPN handled the first two rounds and said its 2026 Masters coverage included more than 140 hours across ESPN platforms, with live telecasts on April 9 and April 10 plus featured groups and featured holes on the ESPN app. (espnpressroom.com 1) (espnpressroom.com 2) For CBS, the result extended a long run at Augusta. The network’s 2026 tournament was its 71st straight Masters broadcast, and this year’s finish gave it its largest final-day crowd there since 2015. (paramountpressexpress.com) (reuters.com)
