Jim Nantz Defends Cbs Masters After Criticism Over Coverage
jim nantz defends cbs masters coverage after a sharp round of criticism from golf analyst Kevin Kisner, with the dispute centered on how the final round of the 2026 Masters was presented on Sunday in Augusta National. The conversation landed just as CBS said the final round drew an average of 13. 995 million viewers, the most-watched Masters final round since 2015. The network also said the broadcast peaked at 20. 049 million viewers, the largest peak since 2013.
Jim Nantz Defends Cbs Masters Amid Viewers Debate
On the call for Sunday’s final round, Jim Nantz was part of a broadcast that delivered McIlroy’s victory, Scottie Scheffler’s strong finish, and the network’s highest Masters final-round average in 11 years. But the coverage also drew complaints over apparent broadcast lag and shots that some viewers felt were arriving out of sequence.
Kevin Kisner, who served as a guest analyst during SiriusXM’s coverage of Saturday’s and Sunday’s rounds, said he was confused by what he was seeing during the telecast. He said the feed felt delayed and argued that it was difficult to follow what was happening in real time.
That criticism has placed Jim Nantz defends Cbs Masters coverage at the center of a broader debate over how golf is televised when multiple players are active across a large course at once. The issue was most visible after McIlroy’s second shot on the 18th hole, when cameras lost track of the ball after it landed in the woods to the right of the fairway.
What CBS Said After The Broadcast
CBS announced Tuesday that the final round averaged 13. 995 million viewers, up 8% from last year. The network said the 2026 final round reached its highest point at 20. 049 million viewers, topping last year’s peak of 19. 543 million.
The figures arrived in a week when McIlroy’s finish made the telecast must-see viewing. He became the fourth golfer to win back-to-back green jackets, joining Jack Nicklaus, Nick Faldo and Tiger Woods.
The network also pointed to a key qualification: Nielsen shifted to a new methodology last fall that combines its traditional panel with Big Data from smart TVs and set-top boxes. That change has lifted many sports broadcasts, but the strength of the audience still underscored the size of the Masters stage.
Kisner’s Complaint And The Timing Problem
Kisner said the presentation was out of sync and compared the experience to watching a major event with the action already behind the live moment. He also said he texted Colt Knost during the show to ask whether viewers were ever being shown a live shot.
His criticism focused on the tension between polished coverage and live accuracy, especially during an event with limited commercial interruption and many shots happening at once across Augusta National.
Jim Nantz defends Cbs Masters coverage in a moment when the numbers were strong, the drama was real, and the scrutiny was just as immediate. The next test will be whether future Masters broadcasts can keep the pace, the polish and the live feel aligned as viewers expect both precision and urgency from the sport’s biggest stage.
