Professional golfer Tiger Woods became the youngest man and the first African American to win the U.S. Masters in 1997 and is now one of the winningest players in the sport.
By Biography.com Editors and Tyler PiccottiUpdated: Apr 09, 2024 2:55 PM EDT
tiger woods smiling at the conclusion of a golf tournament
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Tiger Woods News: Golfer Returning to Course for Hero World Challenge
Golfer Tiger Woods is set to play his first competitive tournament since the 2023 Masters in April, teeing off in the Hero World Challenge on November 30.
Woods hosts the annual event, which is limited to 20 of the world’s best golfers, at the Albany Golf Club in The Bahamas.
The 47-year-old announced the field for his exclusive tournament in October, including a spot for a “TBA Tournament Exemption” that he will now fill.
The 15-time major champion has played in only five PGA tournaments since suffering significant injuries in a February 2021 car accident in California.
He is currently ranked No. 1,307 in the Official World Golf Ranking because of his inactivity. Woods underwent fusion surgery on his right ankle in April after withdrawing from the Masters with plantar fasciitis. “My ankle is fine.
Where they fused my ankle, I have absolutely zero issue whatsoever. That pain is completely gone,” Woods told the Associated Press earlier this month.
Professional golfer Tiger Woods has won 82 PGA Tour events—tied with Sam Snead for the most ever—and 15 major championships, the second-most in history.
Woods broke onto the scene at age 21 by winning the 1997 Masters with a record score, making him the youngest man and the first African American to earn the title. Over the next 12 years, Woods won 13 more majors and was named the PGA Player of the Year 10 times.
He became one of the highest-earning athletes in any sport, thanks in large part to a lucrative endorsement deal with Nike, and is considered one of the most famous athletes of the 21st century.
However, Woods has struggled to regain his top form after a string of personal problems surfaced in 2009, followed by a series of injuries. A 2021 car accident in California subsequently ended his career as a full-time professional, but he continues competing in select tournaments.
Eldrick Tont Woods, better known as Tiger Woods, was born on December 30, 1975, in Cypress, California, the only child of a Black father and a Thai mother. His dad, Earl, was an officer in the Army and met his mom, Kultida, while stationed in Thailand during the Vietnam War.
Earl began calling his son “Tiger” when he was a child in honor of a fellow soldier and friend who had the same moniker. The nickname stuck. The father and son were very close. “My dad was my best friend and greatest role model,” Tiger shared on his website announcing Earl’s May 2006 death from prostate cancer.
Earl was the person who first introduced young Tiger to golf. The future champion learned to play as a young boy, with his dad serving as his teacher and mentor.
By the age of 8, Tiger had become extremely proficient at the game, even showing off his skills on television shows such as Good Morning America. Woods eventually studied at Stanford University and won a number of amateur U.S. golf titles before turning professional in 1996 at age 20.
Early Career (1997-2009)
Woods shot to fame after winning the Masters in 1997—with a record score of 270—at age 21. He became the youngest person to earn the title and the first Black person to accomplish this feat.
In his first appearance at the British Open later that year, Woods tied the course record of 64. The next few years brought even more successes, including four U.S. PGA titles, three U.S. Open wins, three Open Championship wins, and three Masters wins.
