Masters 'Huge Hit'... Viewership Ratings Up 33%

12.7 Million Viewers Tuned In for the Final Round Broadcast
Rory McIlroy's Quest for Career Grand Slam Draws Major Interest
Viewership Surges to 19.54 Million During Playoff Victory Birdie Moment

This year's 89th Masters was a huge hit.

Rory McIlroy is roaring immediately after winning the Masters in a playoff. Augusta=UPI Photo by Yonhap News

American CBS, which broadcast the Masters, announced on the 14th that the average number of viewers for the final round broadcast held on the 13th (local time) was 12.7 million. This is a 33% increase compared to the final round viewers of last year's Masters, where Scottie Scheffler (USA) won his second title. CBS explained that this year's final day ratings were the highest since 2018 and, excluding National Football League (NFL) games, it attracted the most viewers of any sporting event.

The tournament drew great attention due to Rory McIlroy's (Northern Ireland) attempt to achieve a career Grand Slam. McIlroy put on a one-man show, recovering from a mistake that cost him strokes in the final round with an amazing shot, and battled Justin Rose (England) into a playoff, keeping viewers on the edge of their seats. At one point between 7:00 and 7:15 PM Eastern Time, the viewership peaked at 19.54 million. This was the moment when McIlroy decided the match with a stunning second shot in the playoff and was seen kneeling on the green, sobbing.