Who is Tiger Woods?

Figure 1 Tiger Woods is known even outside of golf

There are not many golfers who can claim to have transcended the sport. Even most of the biggest names in golf have not been able to make a dent in the consciousness of non-golf fans. But Tiger Woods has.

Not only have there probably been more golf bets placed on Tiger Woods than any other player in the history of the sport, but he is also known in circles completely unattached to sports. His celebrity and iconic stature once made him one of the most well known people on the planet. There have been some highly public downfalls since then, but Tiger Woods is still a name that is instantly recognized by many.

Who is Tiger Woods?

Eldrick Tont Woods, better known as Tiger, is regarded as one of the greatest golfers of all time and revolutionized the sport after turning professional in 1996. He has won countless tournaments and awards during his career and has been credited with helping to break the color bar that was associated with golf for decades.

Woods is tied first for the most PGA Tour wins ever and ranks second in the number of major championships won during his career. Although he is not at the very top of the sport any more, Tiger Woods is still a name that fans and the media look out for, thanks to his immense popularity.

Tiger Woods Net Worth

Forbes now estimates Tiger Woods to be worth around $1.1 billion after taxes and fees. He is the third sports billionaire after Michael Jordan and LeBron James. He has made much of his money from his 27-year career in golf – and that includes prize money won, as well as a range of multi-million dollar endorsements.

Even after a serious injury in 2021 slowed down his ability to play golf professionally, Woods still earned around $70 million from his celebrity endorsements. He continues to be one of the top earners in sports, even after turning down an eye-watering deal with LIV Golf. As well as property in Florida and elsewhere, Woods has spent some of his fortune on classic cars and boats.

Tiger Woods Age

Woods was born on December 30th, 1975 in Cypress, California and is now 47 years old. His father is Earl, a retired US Army officer, and Kultida, a Thai woman who his father met while he was stationed in the country. Tiger was given the name Eldrick because his birth name begins with the “E” of Earl and ends with the “K” of Kultida.

The nickname Tiger came from a friend of Earl’s in the South Vietnamese army who was also known by that name. Woods grew up in Orange County, California and was first taken to the golf course by his father at just two years old. He showed an unnatural talent for the sport and eventually attended Stanford University on a golf scholarship. He spent two years at college before leaving to turn professional.

Tiger Woods Career

Tiger Woods burst onto the professional golf circuit and became known for his powerful long drives. After winning so many tournaments so early there was a lot of talk about how his dominance might even be bad for the sport, as other players would lose enthusiasm constantly playing for second place. There were also instances of “Tiger-proofing”, in which golf courses extended their fairways in an attempt to take away the advantage enjoyed by Woods thanks to his drives. These changes failed to stop Woods from winning just about everything going in the early years of his career, however.

Woods signed a number of lucrative endorsements as soon as he turned professional and won his first major, the Masters, just eight months after his first professional tournament. He has since gone on to win 14 more majors, the most recent in 2019 – a full 11 years after his previous triumph. He is one of just five golfers to ever win all four major championships – and was the youngest to do so.

To date, Tiger Woods has won 82 PGA Tour titles and has only ever lost one major when going into the final round with at least a share of a lead. This has added another facet to his long list of skills in that he is regarded as one of the calmest and most deadly closers in the sport of golf.

Although Woods has dealt with injuries for the entirety of his career, it was in 2021 when he suffered a serious injury in a vehicle crash. That has impeded his ability to challenge for major championships – and he has not won one of the big four since then.

Figure 2 Tiger Woods is one of the greatest golfers of all time

Tiger Woods Personal Life

Woods married Erin Nordegren in 2007 and they have two children together – a daughter born in 2007 and a son born in 2009. But later in 2009, it was discovered that Woods had been conducting a number of extramarital affairs. The couple eventually divorced in 2010.

Although Woods has not remarried since his divorce, he has had a number of relatively long-term relationships, most recently with restaurant manager Erica Herman. They split up earlier this year, however.

Woods was raised as a Buddhist and is registered as an independent voter. He has visited the White House to meet with President Obama and later played golf with President Trump.

Tiger Woods Legacy

Even though his very public fall from grace threatened his legacy as a cultural figure, Tiger Woods is still one of the most well-known and well-respected athletes in the sport. His ability to bring golf to a new audience cannot be underestimated and he continues to be an icon.

Woods is still competing on the PGA Tour and at the four major championships and was a very vocal opponent of the LIV Golf organization before the sport’s ruling bodies were amalgamated earlier in 2023. His comeback in 2018 will go down as one of the greatest moments in golf and the sign of a true champion.