CBS’s Masters Broadcast Blew It at the End of Rory McIlroy’s Dramatic Victory at Augusta National

Rory McIlroy won his second straight Masters on Sunday. | Erick W. Rasco/Sports Illustrated

Rory McIlroy won his second straight Masters on Sunday, making a bogey on the final hole to beat Scottie Scheffler. It was a thrilling end to another wild final round at Augusta National but there was just one problem in the closing moments of the broadcast: CBS uncharacteristically whiffed when it mattered the most.

The CBS broadcast had plenty of rough moments during Sunday’s final round but it struggled the most on McIIroy’s closing hole and a few moves left viewers watching from home understandably upset.

Let’s break it all down.

Where things went wrong for CBS on McIlroy’s final hole

First, McIIroy’s tee shot sailed well right, leaving him a tricky shot from the trees.

Rory's drive on No. 18 goes right.

He has a two-shot lead on the final hole as he looks to repeat as Masters Champion. pic.twitter.com/KWCFNodoCU

— Golf on CBS ⛳ (@GolfonCBS) April 12, 2026

After weighing his options he opted to play a high draw over the trouble. Once he struck his shot the CBS cameras lost sight of the ball and we had to wait to see where it ended up. It was so bad that the great Jim Nantz could only say that he imagined the ball was up somewhere around the green.

Here’s where McIlroy hit that second shot from:

Here's what Rory McIlroy was looking at with his approach shot on 18.

Image courtesy of our very own, Cameron Hurdus. pic.twitter.com/NlfX6V2Uyt

— Fried Egg Golf (@fried_egg_golf) April 12, 2026

This was obviously a pivotal moment, because if McIlory made a double bogey on the hole he would have gone to a playoff with Scottie Scheffler. And with all the difficulty faced with that shot, the ball could have gone anywhere.

Things got worse as McIlroy walked up to the green. A ball was clearly sitting in the left bunker but CBS didn’t know if it was McIlory’s or Cameron Young’s, partly because CBS lost Young’s approach shot as well. After what seemed like forever it was decided that it was McIlroy’s in the bunker and he was in a good spot to make bogey or better to secure the win.

Speaking of the win, McIlroy ended up tapping in from less than a foot. The CBS angle of that final putt, however, was rough as we couldn’t see if it went in or not. McIlroy’s reaction left some doubt, too, because, again, we couldn’t see the hole.

Here’s how that played out:

"Rory is a rare repeat winner at Augusta!" pic.twitter.com/f9GLKxvGZM

— Golf on CBS ⛳ (@GolfonCBS) April 12, 2026

The chance of McIlroy missing that putt were slim to none. But not being able to see it go in was definitely not ideal.

Those weren’t the only trouble spots for CBS on Sunday. The broadcast was often well behind the live action, including earlier in the round when Scheffler made a birdie on the third hole but the broadcast didn’t show it until minutes after it happened.

CBS messed up another Rory McIlroy moment down the stretch

Earlier in the round McIlroy hit his tee shot on the par-5 15th hole and the cameras completely lost it. First they zoomed out on the fairway, desperate to spot a ball somewhere in the short stuff. Young then hit his tee shot and moments later CBS finally spotted McIlroy’s ball, which was in the rough by a tree way over on the right side of the hole.

Again, a big moment where viewers at home had no idea what was going on.

Here’s how that played out:

This has been a brutal broadcast for CBS. When the folks from Augusta sit down with them this year, you can bet they’ll talk about this 15 seconds where we have no idea where Rory’s ball went, and Dottie moans. #TheMasters pic.twitter.com/ak3mkpIN7V

— Ryan (@PossiblyRy) April 12, 2026

CBS didn’t show us anything from Haotong Li’s stunning 10 on the par-5 13th

Haotong Li made a 10 on the par-5 13th hole on Sunday. | Michael Madrid-Imagn Images

Haotong Li was playing with Scheffler in one of the last groups and made a 10 on the par-5 13th that included a putt that rolled off the green and into the water. CBS didn’t show us any of that, however. Instead, the only mention of it was about how Scheffler had to wait a while because Li took a long time looking for his ball after his first bad shot and then later putted the ball into the water. That putt would have been very fun to see.

It also would have been fun to see all of this, which almost never happens down the stretch on Sunday at Augusta:

Golf is hard.

Haotong Li makes a quintuple bogey 10 on the par-5 13th to move from T10 to T38. pic.twitter.com/XPD0W2q4Jb

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) April 12, 2026

CBS has been so good in recent years, which made Sunday such a surprise

Broadcasting a live golf tournament isn’t the easiest thing to do. Tracking balls in flight can be very difficult and there are lots of variables—wind, trees, etc.—that can make it even harder.

But CBS has covered this event since basically the beginning of time and the current CBS golf crew is by far the best in the game. They have added so many things to their golf broadcasts in recent years that have made NBC and others step up their games. Nantz is the voice of the Masters and Dottie Pepper has been the best on-course reporter for years.

That’s what made Sunday’s failings so disappointing. And also very stunning.

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