Rory McIlroy Wins Back-to-Back Masters Titles in Most-Watched Broadcast in Over a Decade

The final round of the 2026 Masters drew an average of 13.995 million viewers, the largest audience since 2015.

Apr. 15, 2026 at 12:54am

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting the final round of the 2026 Masters golf tournament, with overlapping planes of green fairways, sand traps, and golfers in motion, capturing the dynamic energy and competition of the event.Rory McIlroy's historic back-to-back Masters victories captivated viewers with an exciting final round that saw multiple contenders in the mix.Augusta Today

Rory McIlroy was crowned Masters champion for the second consecutive year on Sunday, becoming just the fourth golfer in history to win back-to-back titles at Augusta National. The final round of the 2026 tournament drew an average of 13.995 million viewers on CBS, an 8% increase from 2025 and the largest Masters audience in 11 years.

Why it matters

The high viewership numbers come despite criticism of CBS's coverage, which was delayed at times and failed to show some key shots. The strong ratings demonstrate the continued popularity of the Masters and golf's ability to draw casual and diehard fans alike, especially for an exciting final round with multiple contenders in the mix.

The details

Heading into the final round, McIlroy was tied with Cameron Young at 11-under par, with six other golfers within four strokes of the lead. The close competition made for an unpredictable and thrilling conclusion that captivated viewers. The final round peaked at 20.049 million viewers, the largest Masters audience since 2013.

  • Rory McIlroy won the 2026 Masters on Sunday, April 13, 2026.
  • The final round of the 2026 Masters was the most-watched in 11 years, since Jordan Spieth's win in 2015.

The players

Rory McIlroy

A professional golfer from Northern Ireland who won his second consecutive Masters title in 2026.

Cameron Young

An American professional golfer who was tied with McIlroy for the lead heading into the final round of the 2026 Masters.

Scottie Scheffler

A two-time Masters champion who was within four strokes of the lead in the final round of the 2026 tournament.

Justin Rose

An English professional golfer who was the runner-up at the 2025 Masters and was also within four strokes of the lead in 2026.

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What they’re saying

“They were literally showing s--- that I knew happened 10 minutes ago all day long. What are we doing, man? You have no commercials. Play live shots. … I have no idea what they're doing. Literally no idea. They're showing every shot on tape. I don't even know how the announcers call it. I don't know how Colt [Knost] can act like he doesn't know what's happening when it's already happened. There were a couple of shots in the two days that were seven to 10 minutes behind. It was unbelievable, dude.”

— Kevin Kisner, NBC Analyst and Professional Golfer

“It's live television. We all make mistakes. I can't speak to the difficulty and some of the decision-making, and some of the other things that people are responsible for. I just know that our crew is the best in the business.”

— Jim Nantz, CBS Sports Broadcaster

What’s next

CBS will likely review its Masters coverage and make adjustments to improve the viewer experience for future tournaments.

The takeaway

Despite some technical issues with the broadcast, the strong viewership numbers for the 2026 Masters demonstrate the enduring popularity of golf's premier event and Rory McIlroy's status as one of the sport's biggest stars. The back-to-back wins cement McIlroy's legacy as one of the greatest golfers of his generation.