McIlroy Defends Masters as Sky Sports Expands Coverage
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- The Masters 2026 will be the 90th edition of the tournament, held at Augusta National and broadcast live on Sky Sports Golf with coverage starting at 2 pm Thursday and 4:30 pm Friday.
- Rory McIlroy returns as defending champion after completing a career Grand Slam at last year's Masters, and is listed among the favourites for the title.
- Scottie Scheffler, world No. 1, will attempt to regain his 2022 and 2024 titles but enters the event in poor form, having missed the top‑20 in his last two tournaments.
- Tiger Woods will miss his second consecutive Masters after a DUI arrest in Florida; he has entered a not‑guilty plea and announced a break from golf to focus on health.
- The field consists of 91 players (as of 4 April) including the top 50 world‑ranking, previous major winners, and a new exemption for winners of six national Opens.
- The Champions Dinner menu, chosen by McIlroy, features yellowfin tuna carpaccio, wagyu filet mignon or seared salmon, Irish champ, bacon‑wrapped dates, and sticky toffee pudding, possibly the first inclusion of Brussels sprouts.
- Prize money for 2026 remains similar to 2025, with a total purse of $21 million and the winner receiving about $4.2 million.
Why it matters: Golf fans gain unprecedented access to multiple featured groups and hole‑by‑hole streams via Sky Sports+, while the field’s expanded exemption list adds six national Open winners, and Tiger Woods’ legal troubles remove a marquee player, potentially shifting viewership dynamics for broadcasters and sponsors.
