Woods helps draw TV viewers

NEW YORK -- Tiger Woods' return to action drew TV ratings more than double what the PGA TOUR was averaging this season.

Woods' runaway, four-stroke victory at the Buick Invitational on Sunday produced a 6.9 overnight rating on CBS.

That is 92 percent higher than the 3.6 the tournament's final round drew in 2001, when Woods finished strong with a 66 to tie for fifth place behind José Maria Olazábal .

This year's third round got a 4.5 overnight rating Saturday, a 105 percent jump from 2001.

Woods missed the first five tournaments this season because of knee surgery.

None of those tournaments -- three shown by CBS, two by ESPN -- had a final-round rating higher than 3.5.

Sunday's final round shaped up as a battle between him and Phil Mickelson, who criticized Woods' equipment recently. But Mickelson faded to six shots behind Woods after starting the day two back.

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