Sports
Judge grants Oklahoma LB Heinecke extra year
Oklahoma linebacker Owen Heinecke granted an extra year of eligibility for 2026 after court ruling.
ESPN News1 min read
Sports
Masters 2026 final round viewership peaked at 20 million viewers
TL;DR
The 2026 Masters final round attracted an average of nearly 14 million viewers, peaking at over 20 million, marking the highest viewership for a final round in 11 years. Saturday's third round also saw significant interest, averaging 8.1 million viewers, a 14% increase from 2025.
The Masters drew some eyeballs in 2026. CBS Sports, which has carried the major championship for more than seven decades, announced on Tuesday that Sunday's final round averaged nearly 14 million viewers.
That's up eight percent from a year ago and the most for a final round at Augusta National in 11 years. The peak number was even higher as more than 20 million sports fans were tuned in to see Rory McIlroy win his second straight green jacket.
Further, CBS revealed that Saturday was also big for viewership, as the third round averaged 8.109 million viewers. That's a bump up of 14 percent from 2025. It was also the most watched third round of the Masters since 2019.
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Masters TV ratings: CBS peaked at 20 million viewers Sunday final round
Q&A
What was the peak viewership for the 2026 Masters final round?
The peak viewership for the 2026 Masters final round was over 20 million viewers.
How did the 2026 Masters final round viewership compare to previous years?
The final round viewership was up eight percent from the previous year and the highest in 11 years.
