Masters ratings hit a five-year high on ESPN Friday.
It was the highest rated and most-watched Masters telecast on ESPN in five years, since second round coverage in 2013 had a 3.0 and 4.2 million.
Overall, it delivered the fifth-largest Masters audience ever on ESPN (22 telecasts dating back to 2008), behind the second rounds in 2013, 2012 (4.05M) and 2010 (3.91M) and the first round in 2010 (4.9M).
Compared to 2015, the last time Tiger Woods played in the tournament, ratings increased 24% (from 2.1) and viewership 32% (from 2.95M). That is a big turnaround from Thursday’s opening round, which posted a modest decline compared to ’15.
ESPN averaged 3.46 million viewers for its two-day coverage of the Masters, up 46% from last year (2.4M). This year ranks as the third-most watched Masters ever on ESPN. The 2010 tournament averaged 4.4 million viewers on the network, and the 2013 edition averaged 3.54 million.
Second Round Masters Ratings, Viewership, Past Decade
[Fri. numbers from ESPN]
