CBS says Masters was the highest rated in 9 years

Ratings on CBS for the final round of the Masters on Sunday, when Phil Mickelson held off Lee Westwood and posted a three-stroke victory, was the third highest-rated Masters final round since ratings were kept, according to CBS and the Nielsen Ratings Service. But it fell far short of the record set by Tiger Woods’ first Masters title in 1997.

Sunday’s final round, in which Woods made a brief run to the lead before falling away, had a 12.0 rating and a 25 share and was 36% above last year’s final when Angel Cabrera won in a two-hole playoff (8.8/21).

This was the highest-rated Masters in nine years and the third-highest ranked final round of any golf tournament since 1986, as far back as CBS Nielsen data is available.

Woods this time around was coming back from a five-month hiatus after being caught up in a sex scandal. His final round in 1997, when he won his first green jacket at Augusta, remains the highest-rated final round golf telecast (15.8/32). The second-highest was the 2001 Masters final round when Woods won his second Masters title.