Tiger Woods

by Gregg A. Johnson ~ Last Updated:

In August of 1996, the face of golf was forever changed when a very successful amateur player named Tiger Woods officially became a professional golfer. Tiger has been credited with renewing interest in the game of golf. At just twenty-one years old, he brought youth and vitality to the game of golf with his great game and his outgoing attitude.

Woods was a child prodigy who began to play golf at the age of two. In 1978, he putted against comedian Bob Hope in a television appearance on The Mike Douglas Show. At age three, Woods shot a 48 over nine holes at the Navy Golf Club in Cypress, California, and at age five, he appeared in Golf Digest and on ABC's That's Incredible.

At the age of 15 Tiger Woods became the youngest U.S. Junior Amateur Open Champion in golf history. He would go on to win the tournament three more times making him the event's only multiple winner as well as the youngest. Continuing his record breaking career, Woods was the youngest to win the U.S. Amateur Championship which bought him a ticket into the PGA Masters. He tied for 41st making him the only amateur to make the cut.

His professional career has been just as prolific. Immediately upon turn pro, Tiger signed endorsement deals worth $60 million with Nike and Titleist. He played his first round of professional golf at the Greater Milwaukee Open. He tied for 60th place in his pro debut, but would go on to win two events in the next three months, and qualify for the Tour Championship.

Tiger Woods is the only golfer to win the PGA Player of the Year award in the year following his rookie season. The following April, Woods won his first golf major, The Masters, by a record margin of 12 strokes, became the youngest Masters winner, and the first winner of African or Asian descent.

He eventually set a total of 20 Masters records and tied 6 others, and has been the highest-profile golfer in the world ever since. He would go on to win an additional three PGA Tour events that year, and on June 15, 1997, Woods rose to the number one spot in the Official World Golf Rankings for the first time. Tiger Woods achieved this in only his 42nd week as a professional -- the fastest ever ascent to the No. 1 ranking.

Currently ranked #1 in the world, there's no doubt about it that Tiger Woods is one of the greatest golfers of all time. He has made the game of golf fun again as we all watch to see him continue to break records and win tournaments.

Tiger Woods In The News


 Fresh off divorce, Tiger Woods takes out $54 million mortgage on Fla. estate - FOX News

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 21:37:00 GMT

Tiger Woods has ... payments to an entity called JRD Florida Ventures LLC. That is a Virginia company whose registered agent is an attorney with the firm that represented Woods' ex-wife, Elin Nordegren , in their ...


 Why would Tiger Woods ever want to be involved with Rachel Uchitel again? - Metrowny.com

Wed, 25 Aug 2010 21:39:00 GMT

Is Rachel Uchitel in love with Tiger Woods? Is Tiger Woods in love with Rachel Uchitel? Will Tiger renew his sexual relationship with his former mistress Rachel Uchitel? TMZ claims Rachel Uchitel wants to reconcile ...


 Hurricane Earl Expected to Hit Deutsche Bank Championship as Tiger Woods Tees Off - NESN.com

Fri, 03 Sep 2010 15:23:00 GMT

When all was right in the world of Tiger Woods ... case at the Deutsche Bank Championship. Woods is among the late starters when the second round of the PGA Tour playoffs gets under way Friday at the TPC Boston.


 Tiger Woods shares early second round lead at Barclays - FOX News

Fri, 27 Aug 2010 18:38:00 GMT

PARAMUS, New Jersey (Reuters) - Tiger Woods picked up where he left off with a birdie on his second hole to retain a share of the lead early in the second round of the Barclays tournament on Friday. Woods ...


 Tiger Woods Advances in FedEx Cup Golf Standings After The Barclays - Transworld News

Mon, 30 Aug 2010 20:07:00 GMT

Tiger Woods advanced in the FedEx Cup golf standings after a much-improved showing in The Barclays at Ridgewood Country Club in Paramus, NJ on Sunday. Woods, who started the playoffs at No. 112 in the standings, closed ...