Scandal-rocked Tiger Woods making his return to golf at next month's Masters after a five-month layoff will rival the inauguration of US President Barack Obama as a television spectacle.

That's the opinion of Sean McManus, the CBS News and Sports president whose division will produce US coverage of a global ratings blockbuster from April 8-11 at Augusta National Golf Club following Woods' comeback announcement on Tuesday.

"I think the first tournament Tiger Woods plays ... will be the biggest media event other than the Obama inauguration in the past 10 or 15 years," McManus told Sports Illustrated before Woods announced his return plans.

"It is hard to overestimate how much interest there will be. Tiger Woods is the most famous, most recognized, most accomplished athlete in the world, and his celebrity and prominence is even larger than it was.

"Whatever he does on the golf course for the first time since Thanksgiving will be of interest to almost every man and woman in this country."

ESPN will televise US coverage of the first two rounds of the Masters with CBS taking over for weekend coverage.

Woods drew a global audience on Feb 19 in his first public appearance simply to watch him stand at a podium and apologize for his misdeeds, an adultery scandal in which more than a dozen women claimed sex affairs with him.

"When you look at the fact he gave a very simple press statement with no questions and every broadcast and cable news network in America carried it with great interest, I think that's an indication that whatever he does has enormous interest."