The 2026 Masters had more broadcast options than ever before: Amazon, ESPN, CBS, and their official app. Yet the most reliable way to follow live action was not the television at all, and CBS’s Masters coverage is exactly the reason why. Kevin Kisner, a PGA Tour pro who also works as an NBC Golf analyst, was watching closely and had plenty to say.

Kevin Kisner went on the Fore Play Podcast to call out CBS directly. “So your entire Masters coverage is a fantasy world. It’s bullshit,” Kisner said, adding that shots were running as much as seven to ten minutes behind real-time action while announcers called them as if they were unfolding live. He compared it to watching a Super Bowl touchdown seven minutes after it happened while broadcasters acted like it was live. “Everybody in the stadium is taking a piss.”

The criticism carries weight because CBS holds exclusive weekend broadcast rights to the Masters, a deal dating back to 1956, meaning fans had no alternative TV option for Sunday’s final round. With no commercial breaks during key moments, the expectation has always been that every shot is seen live and clearly.

Kisner’s frustration ran deep enough that he texted CBS anchor Colt Knost during the broadcast itself. Knost replied that they “show it in order,” confirming the delay was a structural production issue rather than a one-off glitch. That response led Kisner to publicly credit his NBC production team, who operate under a clear standard: if a shot cannot be shown live, broadcasters must say “a moment ago” rather than present it as happening in real time.

CBS’s Masters production troubles are not new. In 2023, the network pulled its Saturday broadcast off the air just 15 minutes after it began at 3 p.m. ET, citing a weather delay, even though a full morning of play had already been completed at Augusta National. It was a rare and widely criticized decision that left fans without coverage of one of the year’s most anticipated rounds

This year followed a similar pattern.

On the 18th hole, CBS cameras completely missed tracking the landing spots of both Rory McIlroy‘s and Cam Young’s approach shots, including McIlroy’s wild shot through the woods that landed in the sand on the front left of the green. The broadcast cut to a wide shot but never zoomed in on the ball, apparently because the camera operator lost track of where it had stopped. Viewers only understood what had happened once the golfers walked to their balls. It got worse from there. CBS then botched the angle on McIlroy’s final putt, with McIlroy himself blocking the hole from the camera’s view.

For a broadcast with no commercial interruptions and 70 years of production experience behind it, fans expected better. Instead, many found the Masters app more reliable than their television set.

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While CBS struggled with delays, Amazon was busy rewriting the rulebook.

Amazon Prime Video’s 2026 Masters debut changes the broadcasting game

For the first time in 2026, Amazon Prime Video joined the Masters broadcast. And to make it a great viewing experience, they made a few changes. The first one is by adding two extra hours of live coverage on Thursday and Friday, hosted by Terry Gannon from Butler Cabin, featuring live play, pro interviews, and a special appearance from Jack Nicklaus.

The contrast with CBS Masters coverage could not have been sharper. Amazon introduced “Inside Amen Corner,” a data-driven alternate feed running 20-plus hours across all four days, featuring real-time shot tracing, swing analysis, advanced analytics, and camera angles viewers had never seen before at Augusta National.

Amazon also debuted two on-demand highlight tools. “Rapid Recap” offered curated highlights, while “Key Moments” let viewers select and rewatch specific shots updated in real time. For fans frustrated by CBS Masters delays, this felt like watching two completely different eras of sports broadcasting side by side.

Amazon’s Head of Global Live Sports Production, Jared Stacy, said the goal was to use data analytics to tell deeper stories, particularly around Amen Corner’s strategy and shot-making. While CBS Masters production was running seven minutes behind reality, Amazon was delivering real-time insights down to fairway slope measurements.