McIlroy Wins Second Straight Masters, Lifting Ratings and Viewership

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Rory McIlroy's dramatic victory at the 2026 Masters golf tournament lifted ratings and viewership for the final round to their highest levels in several years. Sunday's final round averaged a 7.0 rating and just under 14 million viewers on CBS, marking the highest-rated and most-watched Masters final round since 2018 and 2015, respectively.

Why it matters

McIlroy's back-to-back Masters wins have proven to be a major draw for golf fans, with the tournament's television numbers rebounding after a few down years. The increased viewership and ratings underscore the continued popularity of golf's marquee event and McIlroy's status as one of the sport's biggest stars.

The details

The final round's ratings increased 13% and viewership increased 8% from McIlroy's victory in 2025. Ratings also surpassed Tiger Woods' 2019 win, which had previously been the highest-rated Masters final round since 2018. The full final hour of the 2026 Masters averaged 19.3 million viewers, with the broadcast peaking at 20.05 million viewers in the 6:45 PM ET quarter-hour.

• The final round of the 2026 Masters took place on Sunday, April 13.
• The third round on Saturday, April 12 averaged a 4.3 rating and 8.11 million viewers, up 14% from the previous year and the largest third round audience since 2019.
• ESPN's coverage of the opening two rounds on Thursday, April 10 and Friday, April 11 averaged 3.1 million viewers, up 16% from 2025 and the highest since 2022.