Thrilling finish not enough to boost Masters ratings.

The Tiger (and Phil) effect was in full force during the biggest golf event of the year.

Final round coverage of The Masters, featuring a three-way playoff to decide the winner, drew an 8.8 overnight rating on CBS Sunday, down 1% from an 8.9 for final round coverage last year, and down 3% from a 9.1 in ’07.

Due to the playoff, coverage bled into prime time. From 7-7:30 PM, when Angel Cabrera won on the second sudden-death playoff hole, coverage of The Masters drew an 11.1/23.

The 8.8 overnight is the lowest for the final round of The Masters since ’04, and the second-lowest since ’95.

There is little doubt that the ratings would have been higher had Tiger Woods and Phil Mickleson remained in contention. From 5-6 PM ET, the “final hour of the Tiger and Phil Show,” ratings rose to a 9.8 — before dropping to a 9.3 during the following hour.

Overnight ratings for the final round of The Masters since ’95.

Date	Time	Winner	Net	Rating
Sun., 4/12/09	2:00 PM	Cabrera	CBS	8.8/-
Sun., 4/13/08	2:30 PM	Immelman	CBS	8.9/18
Sun., 4/8/07	3:00 PM	Johnson	CBS	9.1/21
Sun., 4/9/06	2:30 PM	Mickelson	CBS	9.0/19
Sun., 4/10/05	2:30 PM	Woods	CBS	10.3/21
Sun., 4/11/04	1:30 PM	Mickelson	CBS	7.3/18
Sun., 4/13/03	2:30 PM	Weir	CBS	9.3/19
Sun., 4/14/02	1:30 PM	Woods	CBS	9.9/21
Sun., 4/8/01	N/A	Woods	CBS	12.9/27
Sun., 4/9/00	4:00 PM	Singh	CBS	10.1/21
Sun., 4/11/99	4:00 PM	Olaz?bal	CBS	10.7/21
Sun., 4/12/98	4:00 PM	O’Meara	CBS	9.9/26
Sun., 4/13/97	N/A	Woods	CBS	15.8/32
Sun., 4/14/96	N/A	Faldo	CBS	9.6/20
Sun., 4/9/95	N/A	Crenshaw	CBS	9.2/20