Rory McIlroy’s victory at the 2026 Masters is still making headlines, with the tournament now credited with delivering the biggest final-round US television audience for the event in 11 years. Reuters reported that CBS drew nearly 14 million viewers for Sunday’s broadcast, an 8% increase on last year’s figure, showing just how strongly McIlroy’s success resonated with golf fans.

The Northern Irish star secured his second straight Green Jacket at Augusta after finishing 12-under par, holding off world number one Scottie Scheffler by a single stroke. Reuters said the final-round audience peaked at more than 20 million viewers, the highest for the Masters since 2013, underlining the wider attention created by McIlroy’s latest major triumph. 

The scale of the audience matters because McIlroy is no longer just a golf story. His latest win has reinforced his status as one of the biggest names in world sport, especially after claiming a sixth major title and becoming only the fourth player to win back-to-back Masters titles. That combination of history, drama and a tight finish helped turn the tournament into one of the biggest sports talking points of the week.

The attention around Augusta has also quickly fed into the wider sports conversation in the UK. TalkSport reported that McIlroy has moved to the front of the market for this year’s BBC Sports Personality of the Year after his latest Masters success, showing how strongly the win has shifted public and media momentum in his favour.

For readers following trending stories, this is the kind of result that travels well beyond golf itself. McIlroy’s win was already a major headline, but the huge ratings surge confirms that it was also one of the most watched and widely discussed sporting moments of the year so far.