Eldrick Tont “Tiger” Woods is widely considered one of the finest exponents of the game of golf in the sport’s illustrious history. He’s one of the most recognizable professional sports people on the planet and also very wealthy, with Forbes estimating his net worth at approximately $1.3 billion in 2024.
Now aged 48, Woods’ career has been curbed by serious accidents and injuries in recent times, to the point that he’s made just ten appearances on the PGA Tour in the last five years. It’s a far cry from when Woods became the youngest golfer to win the Masters at Augusta, a record which was almost equaled by Jordan Spieth in 2015. In the mid-2010s, Spieth was in irresistible form, but his performances have deserted him of late. He’s won just two PGA Tour titles since July 2017. Nevertheless, Jordan Spieth is the favorite player to champion on Oddschecker, as he’s still got all the tools to make a deep run in big field events.
Woods’ rise to stardom
Woods had an aptitude for golf from a very young age. Learning under the watchful eye of his father Earl, Woods was already demonstrating insane skills as a three-year-old. He was regularly invited onto television shows to demonstrate his abilities.
As an amateur, Woods was almost unbeatable, landing a trio of successive U.S. Junior Amateur championships, followed by three U.S. Amateur titles back-to-back.
The “Woods Era”
In 1996, aged 20, Woods took the bold decision to become a professional. With so much hype and discussion surrounding Woods’ ability and his potential to dominate the sport, it was no surprise that the likes of Nike and Titleist were quick to sign him up to advertising deals. At the time, Titleist’s deal with Woods was the most lucrative in the history of the sport.
Less than nine months after turning pro, Woods landed his first golf major. He became the youngest Masters winner at Augusta, aged just 21. His iconic celebration on the 18th green became an enduring image in sporting history.
The late 1990s and early 2000s were a period of pure dominance for Woods. He spent an eye-watering 281 non-stop weeks at number one in the golf world rankings. Between 2000 and 2001, Woods achieved the major Grand Slam by holding all for major titles.
His personal and physical setbacks – followed by the big comeback
In 2009, Woods’ life was turned upside down following a highly publicized divorce, which resulted in his temporary hiatus from the sport. This emotional turmoil was compounding by a string of debilitating injury setbacks, with his back and knee issues proving particularly troublesome.
Woods required multiple surgeries on his back and knees to prevent his golf career from ending prematurely. He returned to the circuit in 2010 but the next seven years saw him dip in and out of action, still plagued by chronic back pain.
When all appeared lost for Woods, he somehow achieved the ‘Miracle of Augusta’ at the 2019 Masters. Most fans are just delighted to see him competing at one of his favorite courses, but few could have envisaged what would happen across those four days. Woods somehow kept his nose in front to land his 15th major by one shot, ahead of compatriots Brooks Koepka, Dustin Johnson and Xander Schauffele.
Woods’ back issues would continue to plague him. In December 2020, he went under the knife for a fifth microdiscectomy surgery. Just a few months later, Woods was involved in a serious car accident and required emergency surgery on his right leg.
He made a comeback appearance at Augusta for the 2022 Masters. Despite visibly struggling physically, Woods somehow made the cut. Two years later, Woods returned for the 2024 Masters, making the cut again for a 24th successive Masters event.
Woods has been keen to play in the majors when his body allows, but his appearances continue to be few and far between. Woods’ legacy has been a transformative figure in golf, despite the deeply fragmented latter stages of his career. He’s successfully broken racial barriers, while his Tiger Woods Foundation continues to offer opportunities to the youth. His achievements and desire to battle at the highest level, no matter how many hurdles to overcome, demonstrates the essence of a true sporting legend.
