Scottie Scheffler’s Stardom Questioned as Embarrassing Masters’ Ratings Disappoint Golf Fans

Less than 10 million people were interested in watching Scottie Scheffler Don the Green Jacket twice in three years. For comparison, Caitlin Clark’s NCAA Championship match against South Carolina drew 18.7 million viewers on ESPN and ABC. This year’s final round ratings were a 22.8% decline year over year as well.

Last year, Jon Rahm’s four-shot triumph over Brooks Koepka drew an average of 12.59 million eyeballs to the TV. Comparably, this year’s coverage at this peak, when Scheffler’s round ended, was at 12.562 million. The 88th edition, in fact, ranks as the least-watched Masters since 1993, Jay Busbee of Yahoo Sports reports. The jarring numbers have put the World No. 1 stardom in front of an ever-growing question mark.

Disconnect between Scheffler and golf fans?

Notably, the 9.59 million viewership is lower than Scheffler’s maiden green jacket, which averaged 10.17 million. While Scheffler’s ball-striking is reminiscent of peak Tiger Woods, his personality doesn’t match the 15-time Major Champion’s electrifying presence.

Previously, Scheffler’s triumph at the Arnold Palmer Invitational witnessed a 30% drop. Moreover, despite a thrilling PLAYERS Championship final round, there was a 15% drop. Comments like “Whilst Scheffler is a great player he does not attract new viewers,” “He’s too dominant and boring,” and “Scottie Schefflers boring persona” filled the internet. But there appears to be some caveat here.