Tiger Woods still proves to be draw for television audience

Memorial tourney ratings up 138% compared with last year, when he wasn’t entered.

No matter where Tiger Woods’ shots land this summer, one thing is clear about his play: It still makes TV ratings veer off course.

Woods’ win in the Memorial Tournament on CBS on Sunday drew a 3.8 overnight, which translates to 3.8% of households in the 56 urban markets measured for overnights. That’s up 138% from CBS’ comparable coverage last year — when Woods wasn’t entered — and the event’s highest final-round coverage in eight years.

Woods’ late charge — he birdied three of the final four holes — helped the rating peak at 5.7 for the last half-hour. That 5.7 peak is comparable with overall ratings for some of golf’s major events. And the Woods effect was seen in Saturday’s coverage, when CBS drew a 2.5 overnight, up 38% from last year.

After Woods pitched in on the 16th hole Sunday — and resurrected his famous fist pump — CBS’ Jim Nantz suggested, “This is the one moment people have been waiting for for three years.”

Such people would presumably include everybody at NBC Sports, which carries the U.S. Open starting June 14. Woods will be going for a record-tying fourth U.S. Open win; four golfers have won four Opens. NBC has to love the Vegas odds: Woods was 12-1 to win the Open coming into the weekend but cut that in half by Monday, when he was a 6-1 favorite.