No Tiger Woods, No Problem: 48 Hours After the Masters, Staggering 12,000,000 Revelation Comes to Light About Augusta’s Sunday Marathon

The 2023 Masters ended with the 28-year-old Jon Rahm clinching his first-ever green jacket. The exciting major event saw Rahm edge past LIV golfer, Brooks Koepka to emerge victorious at the Augusta National. Despite bad weather halting play at the golf course a few times, viewers stayed on the edge of their seats until the Masters drew to an end.

Sunday featured nearly 10 hours of marathon coverage following dismal weather on previous days. Per a new report from CBS Sports, over 12,000,000 people tuned in to watch the action live.

Millions of viewers tune in for a thrilling final day at the Masters despite Tiger Woods’ absence

Brooks Koepka had a four-shot lead over his rival Tour’s Jon Rahm when the third round resumed at Augusta. It translated to a two-shot lead by the end of the round before the LIV golfer shot a 3-over-75 in the final.

Jon Rahm, who started his 2023 Masters journey with a disappointing four-putt, came from behind to beat Koepka. The new Augusta champion carded a 3-under-69 to finish on 12 shots and win by four shots. Golf enthusiasts joined in huge numbers to watch the thrilling PGA vs. LIV matchup.

Per CBS Sports, Rahm’s sensational victory led to 16.251 million viewers in combined average viewership. During Thursday’s first round, the viewership averaged 2.5 million, with the audience peaking at 2.9 million in the evening. Meanwhile, the Sunday telecast was the most-watched golf telecast on any network in 5 years, averaging 12.058 million viewers.

Viewership was up by a whopping 19% from last year. The 2018 edition wherein Patrick Reed emerged as the winner drew 13.045 million viewers.

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The strong viewership is a fantastic feat, as one key person was missing from the action – Tiger Woods, who made a record-tying 23rd consecutive cut this year, but had to withdraw from the event ahead of Sunday. The 47-year-old legend and 5-time Masters champion revealed his aggravated injury as the reason behind his disappointing decision. However, the absence of the golfing star didn’t stop people from catching the thrilling action live!

A LIV vs. PGA show at 2023 Masters

Ahead of the tournament, the golf world was eager to see how the PGA Tour vs. LIV Golf rivalry would play out at Augusta. It is safe to say that this year’s Masters delivered on the excitement and how! Despite Rahm edging past Koepka on the final day, the Saudi-backed faction will be happy with their performances. The four-time major champion, Koepka tied at T2 with fellow LIV golfer, Phil Mickelson.

Following his decision to join LIV Golf, Mickelson received a ton of criticism from fans and critics alike. However, the 52-year-old powered his way to the 2nd position on the leaderboard, silencing his detractors. 2018 Masters winner and LIV golfer, Patrick Reed tied at T4 with Russell Henley and Jordan Spieth.

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What did you think of LIV golfers’ performances at the Augusta National? What was your favorite moment from the Masters this year? Let us know in the comments below.