Tiger Woods’ much-hyped return to golf delivered solid audiences for TSN and Global, which both saw an uptick in viewers for the 2010 Masters Tournament.

TSN, which had coverage of the first and second rounds, nabbed an average audience of 742,000 on Thursday – which marks a 63% increase over last year’s first round action. It was Woods’ first tournament after a five-month absence from golf in the wake of a bizarre car accident and sex scandal. (All numbers 2+ and based on PPM data.)

The hype wore off slightly on Friday, when 616,000 viewers tuned in to TSN for day two of the Masters.

Weekend coverage on Global was up 60% versus last year, with Saturday’s third round generating one million viewers, up to 1.7 million on Sunday. Viewing peaked at 2.6 million at 6:40 p.m. during the final round as Phil Mickelson won his third green jacket by three strokes over Lee Westwood.

Global says nine million viewers tuned in at some point during the two-day broadcast.

Ratings were also on US ‘caster CBS, which saw its highest numbers in nine years for the final round of coverage, according to the New York Daily News.

From Playback Daily