CBS Sports is facing backlash from fans for its mishandling of the telecast during this year’s Masters Tournament, notably missing the key moment when Rory McIlroy secured his victory against Cam Young.
On Sunday, McIlroy made history, becoming the first golfer since Tiger Woods in 2002 to win consecutive Masters titles. Unfortunately, CBS failed to capture any of the final shots taken by McIlroy and Young, leaving viewers in the dark about where the ball was, as reported by a major news outlet.
Compounding the issue, the camera was positioned behind McIlroy during his crucial winning putt, casting a shadow over the moment and leaving spectators to guess about the shot.
Fans did not hold back in their criticism of CBS’ poor coverage.
One viewer noted, “CBS’ failure to capture the locations of the final two approach shots is probably the worst broadcast in history,” sharing their frustration on social media.
Another chimed in with, “They spent truckloads of money on the Masters broadcast, and all we saw was Rory’s feet. Did they forget about mobile devices?”
It wasn’t just McIlroy’s putt that suffered from poor coverage. Neither the golfer’s nor Young’s approach shots made it into clear view for audiences at home, thanks to a confusing camera angle that obscured the action.
During their final approaches, the camera zoomed out to a far-off view of the green, which was too distant for viewers to see where the ball landed.
Another social media user expressed it succinctly: “The biggest 10 minutes of the year in golf, and you couldn’t tell where the ball was.”
One fan criticized the lack of focus, stating, “The camera was out of focus for almost 30 minutes while Rory walked toward the clubhouse. An iPhone could do better than this.”
The tournament was also a challenge for McIlroy. He started strong, leading by a record six strokes but experienced a downturn allowing Young to catch up and take the lead on several holes. In the end, however, McIlroy managed to reclaim his advantage and secure his second green jacket by winning the Masters again.
