Tiger is back and so are the ratings.
Going into yesterday’s final round, the 2012 US Open has seen its biggest audience in 10 years, according to early reports.
Third round coverage of the US Open Saturday evening was up more than 50 percent from last year — and drew the highest ratings since 2002.
Friday’s second round was up 64 percent from last year.
Woods, who won his first tournament in nearly two years last month, was tied for the lead when play began on Saturday but fell behind the leaders by the end of the day when he shot a 75.
It also helped the ratings that, because the Open is being played in San Francisco, much of the action was being shown in prime time on the East Coast.
The Open was shown on NBC and ESPN this year.
The record audience, incidentally, does not include the historic 2008 US Open playoff between Woods and Rocco Mediate, which drew 4.762 million.