Tiger Woods celebrates his 50th birthday. We look back on a nearly unrivaled professional golf career.
Eldrick Tont Woods was born on December 30, 1975, in Cypress, California, to Kultida Woods, originally from Thailand, and Earl Woods, a lieutenant colonel in the United States Army. Nicknamed \”Tiger\” in early childhood by his father in honor of a Vietnam War comrade, he grew up with two half-brothers and a half-sister near Los Angeles. At six months old, young Tiger reportedly imitated his father’s golf swings, and before his second birthday, he appeared as a golf prodigy with his father on the Mike Douglas Show alongside comedian Bob Hope.
From College Star to Amateur Champion
Tiger Woods earned his first significant amateur success at age eight by winning the 1984 Junior World Golf Championship. He went on to collect more junior amateur titles, culminating in winning the NCAA Championship in 1994 as a student of economics at Stanford University, gaining nationwide recognition. Turning pro in August 1996, Woods signed some of the highest-valued endorsement deals in golf history, including a $40 million contract with Nike. In his rookie season, he won two tournaments and qualified for the Tour Championship, earning Sports Illustrated’s Sportsman of the Year and PGA Tour Rookie of the Year honors.
His first major triumph came in 1997 at the Masters Tournament with a remarkable 18-under-par score and a winning margin of 12 strokes at Augusta National. Woods became the first African American Masters champion, breaking racial barriers in a predominantly white professional golf scene. By June 1997, just 42 weeks after turning professional, he reached the world number one ranking for the first time.
The Tiger Slam: Unprecedented Dominance
Woods’s following achievements are unparalleled. After winning the 1999 PGA Championship, he completed the ‘Tiger Slam’ in 2000 and 2001 by holding all four major titles simultaneously, the only modern-era golfer to do so. Domination of the PGA Tour in the late 1990s and 2000s brought him 14 major titles, eventually reaching a total of 15 with his 2019 Masters win. Holding 82 PGA Tour victories, he shares the record with Sam Snead. Despite participating in eight Ryder Cups for the American team, team victory came only once in 1999.
Known for his unique blend of raw power, precision, and mental fortitude, Woods redefined professional golf with his aggressive yet technically near-perfect swing. He held the world number one spot for a total of 683 weeks, including a record 281 consecutive weeks. His trademark red shirt worn on final rounds symbolizes his competitive spirit and was inspired by his mother’s designation of red as his ‘power color.’
2008 US Open Victory: Triumph Through Pain
In 2008, Woods faced setbacks due to an unnoticed torn ACL, ligament tears, and