Tiger Woods
Tiger Woods is the most dominant golfer in modern history, a five-time Masters champion who turned a sport worn by country-club elites into a global obsession and became the first athlete to earn $1 billion in career earnings.
Eldrick “Tiger” Woods (born December 30, 1975) is an American professional golfer widely regarded as one of the greatest athletes of all time. He turned professional in 1996, immediately rewrote the record books, and by his early 30s had reshaped golf’s commercial landscape almost single-handedly. His 15 major championships trail only Jack Nicklaus’s all-time record of 18.
Woods’s career has been defined by extraordinary highs and brutal lows, multiple knee and back surgeries, a highly publicized personal scandal in 2009, a near-fatal car crash in February 2021, and a 2017 DUI arrest. Yet he keeps coming back. His 2019 Masters win, after an 11-year major drought, is broadly called one of the greatest sporting comebacks ever.
Beyond the scorecard, Tiger fundamentally changed the economics of professional golf. Tournament purses, TV deals, and sponsorship revenues all ballooned in the “Tiger effect” era. Nike, Rolex, TaylorMade, and other brands have paid him hundreds of millions over his career.
He is also the founder of the TGR Foundation, which funds STEM-focused education programs for underserved youth across the United States, and TGR Design, his golf course design firm. His business and philanthropic footprint now rivals his playing legacy.
People search for Tiger Woods constantly, for tournament news, his health status, his personal life after the 2009 scandal, and the never-ending question of whether he can still compete at the highest level. He remains one of the most Googled athletes on the planet even in years he barely plays.