Tiger Woods facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Tiger Woods
Woods at the White House in 2025
Personal information
Full name	Eldrick Tont Woods
Nickname	Tiger
Born	(1975-12-30) December 30, 1975 (age 49) Cypress, California, U.S.
Height	6 ft 1 in
Weight	185 lb
Nationality	United States
Residence	Jupiter Island, Florida, U.S.
Spouse	Elin Nordegren ​ ​ (m. 2004; div. 2010)​
Partner	Lindsey Vonn (2013–2015) Vanessa Trump (2024–)
Children	2, including Charlie
Career
College	Stanford University
Turned professional	1996
Current tour(s)	PGA Tour (joined 1996)
Professional wins	110
Number of wins by tour
PGA Tour	82 (Tied-1st all-time)
European Tour	41 (3rd all-time)
Japan Golf Tour	3
Asian Tour	2
PGA Tour of Australasia	3
Other	17
Best results in Major Championships (Wins: 15)
The Masters Tournament	Won: 1997, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2019
U.S. Open	Won: 2000, 2002, 2008
The Open Championship	Won: 2000, 2005, 2006
PGA Championship	Won: 1999, 2000, 2006, 2007
Achievements and awards
World Golf Hall of Fame	2021
Haskins Award	1996
PGA Tour Rookie of the Year	1996
PGA Tour money list winner	1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2013
PGA Tour Player of the Year	1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2013
PGA Player of the Year	1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2013
Byron Nelson Award	1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Vardon Trophy	1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2013
Laureus World Sports Award Sportsman of the Year	2000, 2001
PGA Tour FedEx Cup winner	2007, 2009
Presidential Medal of Freedom	2019

Eldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods (born December 30, 1975) is an American professional golfer. He is known as one of the greatest golfers of all time. Tiger Woods has won many golf tournaments and holds several records. He is also a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame.

Woods became a professional golfer in 1996 when he was 20 years old. By April 1997, he had already won three PGA Tour events. He also won his first major championship, the 1997 Masters, by a huge margin. He quickly became the number one golfer in the world in June 1997. For much of the early 2000s, Woods was the top golfer. He was ranked number one for a very long time, from August 1999 to September 2004, and again from June 2005 to October 2010. During this time, he won 13 major championships. He was even named the "AP Athlete of the Decade."

Later in his career, Woods faced challenges with injuries. He had four back surgeries between 2014 and 2017. He played in very few tournaments during this time. However, he made an amazing comeback. He won his first tournament in five years in September 2018. Then, he won his first major championship in 11 years at the 2019 Masters.

Woods holds many golf records. He has been the world's number one player for more weeks than any other golfer. He has won the PGA Player of the Year award a record 11 times. He also won the Byron Nelson Award eight times for having the lowest average score. Woods has won 15 professional major golf championships. Only Jack Nicklaus has won more, with 18. Woods has also won 82 PGA Tour events, tying the record with Sam Snead. He is the youngest golfer to achieve the career Grand Slam. This means he won all four major championships. He is also one of only two golfers to achieve the Grand Slam three times.

Woods has won 18 World Golf Championships. He was also part of the American team that won the 1999 Ryder Cup. In May 2019, President Trump gave Woods the Presidential Medal of Freedom. This is a very high honor in the United States.

On February 23, 2021, Woods was in a serious car accident. He had emergency surgery for injuries to his right leg and ankle. In November 2021, he said he would no longer play golf full-time. He planned to play only a few events each year. He returned to the PGA Tour at the 2022 Masters. As of June 2025, his net worth is estimated to be over $1.3 billion.

Early Life and Family

Woods and his father Earl in 2004

Woods was born on December 30, 1975, in Cypress, California. His parents are Earl and Kultida "Tida" Woods. He is their only child. His father, Earl, was a retired U.S. Army officer and a Vietnam War veteran. Earl was of African-American, European, and Native American descent. His mother, Kultida, is from Thailand. She is of mixed Thai, Chinese, and Dutch ancestry. Tiger has described his background as "Cablinasian." This word combines Caucasian, Black, American Indian, and Asian.

His first name, Eldrick, was chosen by his mother. It starts with "E" for Earl and ends with "K" for Kultida. His middle name, Tont, is a traditional Thai name. He was nicknamed Tiger after his father's friend, Colonel Vuong Dang Phong. Colonel Phong was also known as Tiger. Woods has a niece, Cheyenne Woods, who is also a professional golfer.

Earl Woods passed away on May 3, 2006. Kultida Woods passed away on February 4, 2025. Woods honored his mother, saying she was essential to his success.

Becoming a Golf Star

Childhood and Amateur Golf

Woods grew up in Orange County, California. He was a very talented child. His father, Earl, introduced him to golf before he was two years old. Earl was a good amateur golfer. Woods once said he wanted to be a baseball player like his dad. But he changed his mind after an injury.

In 1978, Woods appeared on The Mike Douglas Show and putted against comedian Bob Hope. At age three, he shot a score of 48 over nine holes. At age five, he was featured in Golf Digest magazine and on the TV show That's Incredible! He won the Under Age 10 Drive, Pitch, and Putt competition before he turned seven. In 1984, at age eight, he won the 9–10 boys' event at the Junior World Golf Championships. He won this championship six times, including four years in a row. His father wrote that Tiger first beat him in golf when Tiger was 11. Woods first scored under 70 on a golf course at age 12.

When Woods was 13, he played in his first big national junior tournament. He was paired with professional golfer John Daly. Woods was 15 when he became the youngest U.S. Junior Amateur champion. This record stood until 2010. In 1992, he won the U.S. Junior Amateur Championship again. He was the first person to win it twice. He also played in his first PGA Tour event that year. In 1993, he won his third U.S. Junior Amateur in a row. He is still the only golfer to do this. In 1994, he became the youngest winner of the U.S. Amateur. He was also part of the American team that won the 1994 Eisenhower Trophy.

Woods finished high school in 1994. He was voted "Most Likely to Succeed." He also learned to manage his stuttering as a child. He once wrote a letter to a boy, explaining that he also stuttered and learned to overcome it.

College Golf Career

Woods chose to attend Stanford University on a golf scholarship in 1994. He won his first college event that September. He studied economics. In 1995, he won his U.S. Amateur title again. He was named Pac-10 Player of the Year.

At age 19, Woods played in his first major PGA Tour event, the 1995 Masters. He was the only amateur to make the cut. In 1996, at age 20, he became the first golfer to win three U.S. Amateur titles in a row. He also won the NCAA individual golf championship. He left college after two years to become a professional golfer.

Professional Golf Career

Woods in 1997

Woods became a professional golfer in August 1996. He quickly signed big advertising deals with Nike, Inc. and Titleist. These were the largest endorsement deals in golf at the time. Sports Illustrated named him their 1996 Sportsman of the Year. He was also named PGA Tour Rookie of the Year. On April 13, 1997, he won his first major, the Masters. He was the youngest winner at 21. Two months later, he became the fastest golfer to reach No. 1 in the world rankings. After a quieter 1998, Woods won eight events in 1999, including the PGA Championship.

Woods had laser eye surgery in 1999 to improve his eyesight. He immediately started winning tournaments again. In 2000, Woods won six PGA Tour events in a row. This was the longest winning streak since 1948. One of these wins was the U.S. Open. He broke or tied nine tournament records there. Sports Illustrated called it "the greatest performance in golf history." Woods won by a record 15 strokes. At age 24, he became the youngest golfer to achieve the Career Grand Slam. By the end of 2000, Woods had won nine of the twenty PGA Tour events he played. He also set a record for the lowest scoring average in tour history.

Woods at the 2004 Ryder Cup

When Woods won the 2001 Masters, he became the only player to win four major professional golf titles in a row. This amazing achievement was called the "Tiger Slam." Woods continued to dominate in 2001 and 2002. However, he did not win a major in 2003 or 2004. In September 2004, Vijay Singh took over Woods's No. 1 ranking. This ended Woods's record streak of 264 weeks at the top.

Woods bounced back in 2005, winning six PGA Tour events. He regained the top spot in July.

In 2006, Woods started strong, winning his first two tournaments. But he did not win the Masters that April. After his father passed away in May, Woods took a break. He returned to form quickly and won six tournaments in a row. By the end of 2006, Woods had 54 total wins, including 12 majors. He broke tour records for both total wins and major wins over eleven seasons.

Woods at the 2006 Masters

Woods continued to play well in 2007 and early 2008. In April 2008, he had knee surgery. He returned for the 2008 U.S. Open. He won a dramatic playoff against Rocco Mediate. Mediate said, "This guy does things that are just not normal." Woods later said his knee was more damaged than thought. He called his U.S. Open win "my greatest ever championship."

Woods competing at the Earl Woods Memorial Pro-Am (July 1, 2009)

Woods returned to golf in 2009 and played well. He had a great performance at the 2009 Presidents Cup. However, he did not win a major that year. This was the first time since 2004. Woods took a break from golf at the end of 2009. Several companies ended their endorsement deals with him during this time.

Woods returned to competition in April 2010 at the 2010 Masters. He finished tied for fourth place. He then had some less successful showings. In August, he hired Sean Foley as his new coach. Woods did not win any events in 2010, which was a first since he turned professional. However, he still finished the season ranked No. 2 in the world.

Woods at a Chevron World Challenge charity event (2011)

In 2011, Woods's performance continued to be challenging. His ranking dropped to No. 58. He then broke his winless streak with a victory at the Chevron World Challenge in December.

Woods started 2012 with some ups and downs. He won the Arnold Palmer Invitational, his first PGA Tour win since September 2009. In June, he won his 73rd PGA Tour event at the Memorial Tournament. This tied him with Jack Nicklaus for second most PGA Tour victories. A month later, Woods surpassed Nicklaus with a win at the AT&T National. He now trailed only Sam Snead, who had 82 PGA Tour wins.

The year 2013 saw Woods return to his dominant play. In January, he won the Farmers Insurance Open for his 75th PGA Tour win. In March, he won the WGC-Cadillac Championship for the seventh time. Two weeks later, he won the Arnold Palmer Invitational for a record-tying eighth time. This win moved him back to the top of the world rankings.

During the 2013 Masters, Woods faced a penalty for an illegal drop. He finished tied for fourth. Woods won The Players Championship in May 2013. This was his fourth win of the 2013 season. It was the fastest he had reached four wins in any season of his career.

Woods practicing in a bunker before the 2014 Quicken Loans National

Woods had a difficult 2014 due to an elbow injury and back pain. He missed the Masters for the first time since 1994 after back surgery. He returned at the Quicken Loans National in June but struggled. He also missed the cut at the 2014 PGA Championship. In August 2014, Woods and his swing coach, Sean Foley, decided to stop working together.

On February 5, 2015, Woods withdrew from the Farmers Insurance Open due to another back injury. He returned for the Masters, finishing tied for 17th. He then missed the cut at the 2015 U.S. Open and Open Championship. This was the first time he missed the cut at two major championships in a row. In August 2015, he played well at the Wyndham Championship, finishing tied for 10th.

Woods practicing a chip-shot at the 2018 U.S. Open

Woods had back surgery in September 2015. He missed the Masters in 2016 while recovering. He missed all four major championships that year due to his back problems. In October 2016, he said he still wanted to break Jack Nicklaus's record of 18 major titles. Woods had another back surgery in December 2016. He spent the next 15 months off the Tour. He returned to competitive golf at the Hero World Challenge.

Woods's back problems continued in 2017. He announced in March that he would not play in the 2017 Masters Tournament. In April, he had his fourth back surgery since 2014. This meant he would not play professional golf for the rest of the year. Woods returned to competitive golf at the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas. His world ranking jumped significantly after this event.

On March 11, 2018, he finished tied for second at the Valspar Championship. This was his first top-five finish on the PGA Tour since 2013. He then tied for sixth at the 2018 Open Championship. At the last major of the year, the 2018 PGA Championship, Woods finished second. This was his best result in a major since 2009.

Woods won his 80th PGA Tour event on September 23, 2018. He won the season-ending Tour Championship for the third time.

On April 14, 2019, Woods won the Masters. This was his first major championship win in eleven years and his 15th major overall. At 43, he became the second oldest golfer to win the Masters. In August 2019, Woods had knee surgery to repair minor cartilage damage.

Woods played in his first 2020 PGA Tour event at the Zozo Championship in October 2019. This was the first PGA Tour event ever played in Japan. Woods won the tournament, giving him his 82nd PGA Tour victory. This tied him with Sam Snead for the most wins all time on the PGA Tour.

In December 2020, Woods had his fifth back surgery. He returned to play in his first professional tournament since his 2021 car crash at the 2022 Masters Tournament. He made the cut and finished in 47th place.

In August 2022, Woods, Rory McIlroy, and others announced the creation of TGL. This is a new six-team virtual golf league. In November 2023, Woods announced he was a co-owner and player for Jupiter Links Golf Club.

Awards and Recognition

Woods receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Donald Trump in May 2019

On August 20, 2007, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger announced that Woods would be inducted into the California Hall of Fame. He was inducted on December 5, 2007. In May 2019, after winning the 2019 Masters Tournament, Woods received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Donald Trump.

Wax statue of Woods at Madame Tussauds, London

In 2000 and 2001, Woods was named the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year. He was the first person to receive this award. In 2000, he also received the BBC Sports Personality World Sport Star of the Year award. Woods has been named Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year a record-tying four times. He was named "Athlete of the Decade" by the Associated Press in 2009. He is one of only two people to be named Sports Illustrated's Sportsman of the Year more than once.

Since his record-breaking win at the 1997 Masters, Woods has been golf's biggest star. His presence in tournaments attracts many fans. Some say he greatly increased prize money in golf. He also brought new audiences to PGA tournaments and drew the largest TV ratings in golf history. He is recognized as one of the most famous athletes in modern history. There is even a wax statue of him at Madame Tussauds.

Endorsement Deals

During the first ten years of his professional career, Woods was the most marketable athlete in the world. After his 21st birthday in 1996, he signed endorsement deals with many companies. These included General Motors, Titleist, General Mills, American Express, Accenture, and Nike. In 2000, he signed a huge contract extension with Nike for $105 million. This was the largest endorsement deal for a professional athlete at that time.

Woods's endorsements helped the Nike Golf brand grow a lot. It went from a new company to a leading golf apparel company. Nike Golf is one of the fastest-growing brands in the sport. Woods often wears Nike gear during tournaments and in advertisements. He even has a building named after him at Nike's headquarters.

Woods visiting aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN-73) in the Persian Gulf before participating in the 2004 Dubai Desert Classic

In 2002, Woods helped launch Buick's Rendezvous SUV. Buick was very happy with his endorsement. They sold many Rendezvous vehicles in 2002 and 2003. In February 2004, Buick renewed Woods's contract for another five years. This deal was reportedly worth $40 million.

Woods worked with TAG Heuer to create the world's first professional golf watch. It was released in April 2005. This lightweight watch was designed to be worn while playing golf. It could handle strong impacts from a golf swing. In 2006, the TAG Heuer Professional Golf Watch won a design award.

Woods preparing for a photo shoot in 2006

Woods also endorsed the Tiger Woods PGA Tour series of video games since 1999. In 2006, he signed a six-year contract with Electronic Arts, the game's publisher.

In February 2007, Woods, Roger Federer, and Thierry Henry became ambassadors for the "Gillette Champions" marketing campaign. In October 2007, Gatorade announced that Woods would have his own sports drink. "Gatorade Tiger" was his first U.S. deal with a beverage company. The drink was discontinued in late 2009 due to low sales.

In October 2012, Woods signed an exclusive endorsement deal with Fuse Science, Inc., a sports nutrition company.

In August 2016, Woods announced he would look for a new golf equipment partner. This was because Nike was leaving the equipment industry. On January 25, 2017, he signed a new club deal with TaylorMade. He also added Monster Energy as his main bag sponsor.

On January 8, 2024, Woods announced he was ending his 27-year partnership with Nike. This was one of the most successful endorsement deals for any athlete.

Wealth and Impact

Woods has often appeared on the Forbes list of the world's highest-paid athletes. According to Golf Digest, Woods earned over $769 million from 1996 to 2007. In 2009, Forbes confirmed that Woods was the first professional athlete to earn over a billion dollars in his career. In 2015, Woods ranked ninth on Forbes' list of highest-paid athletes. As of 2017, he was the highest-paid golfer in the world. In 2022, Woods became the first golfer with a net worth over one billion dollars.

"Tiger-Proofing" Golf Courses

When Woods first started playing professionally, some golf experts worried about his impact on the game. They thought he might make golf less competitive. Some feared he would make existing courses too easy for him. This would make other players only compete for second place.

A study found that other golfers scored worse when Woods was in a tournament. Their scores were nearly one stroke higher when playing against him. This effect was stronger when he was on winning streaks. Many courses on the PGA Tour started adding length to their tees. This was done to reduce the advantage of long hitters like Woods. This strategy became known as "Tiger-proofing." Woods said he liked the changes, as adding length did not stop him from winning.

Career Achievements

Woods has won 82 official PGA Tour events, including 15 majors. He has a strong record when leading a major in the final round. Many golf experts call Woods "the greatest closer in history." He has the lowest career scoring average and the most career earnings of any player in PGA Tour history.

Woods's victory at the 2013 Players Championship was his 300th PGA Tour start. He also won tournaments in his 100th (in 2000) and 200th (in 2006) tour starts.

Woods has spent the most consecutive and total weeks as the world's top-ranked golfer. He is one of six players to have won all four major championships in his career, known as the Career Grand Slam. He was the youngest to achieve this. Woods is the only player to have won all four major championships open to professionals in a row, which he did in the 2000–2001 seasons.

• PGA Tour wins (82)
• European Tour wins (41)
• Japan Golf Tour wins (3)
• Asian PGA Tour wins (2)
• PGA Tour of Australasia wins (3)
• Other wins (17)
• Amateur wins (21)

Major Championships

Wins (15)

Year	Championship	54 holes	Winning score	Margin	Runner(s)-up
1997	Masters Tournament	9 shot lead	−18 (70-66-65-69=270)	12 strokes	Tom Kite
1999	PGA Championship	Tied for lead	−11 (70-67-68-72=277)	1 stroke	Sergio García
2000	U.S. Open	10 shot lead	−12 (65-69-71-67=272)	15 strokes	Ernie Els, Miguel Ángel Jiménez
2000	The Open Championship	6 shot lead	−19 (67-66-67-69=269)	8 strokes	Thomas Bjørn, Ernie Els
2000	PGA Championship (2)	1 shot lead	−18 (66-67-70-67=270)	Playoff1	Bob May
2001	Masters Tournament (2)	1 shot lead	−16 (70-66-68-68=272)	2 strokes	David Duval
2002	Masters Tournament (3)	Tied for lead	−12 (70-69-66-71=276)	3 strokes	Retief Goosen
2002	U.S. Open (2)	4 shot lead	−3 (67-68-70-72=277)	3 strokes	Phil Mickelson
2005	Masters Tournament (4)	3 shot lead	−12 (74-66-65-71=276)	Playoff2	Chris DiMarco
2005	The Open Championship (2)	2 shot lead	−14 (66-67-71-70=274)	5 strokes	Colin Montgomerie
2006	The Open Championship (3)	1 shot lead	−18 (67-65-71-67=270)	2 strokes	Chris DiMarco
2006	PGA Championship (3)	Tied for lead	−18 (69-68-65-68=270)	5 strokes	Shaun Micheel
2007	PGA Championship (4)	3 shot lead	−8 (71-63-69-69=272)	2 strokes	Woody Austin
2008	U.S. Open (3)	1 shot lead	−1 (72-68-70-73=283)	Playoff3	Rocco Mediate
2019	Masters Tournament (5)	2 shot deficit	−13 (70-68-67-70=275)	1 stroke	Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka, Xander Schauffele

¹Defeated May in three-hole playoff by 1 stroke: Woods (3–4–5=12), May (4–4–5=13)
²Defeated DiMarco in a sudden-death playoff: Woods (3), DiMarco (4).
³Defeated Mediate with a par on 1st sudden death hole after 18-hole playoff was tied at even par. This was the final time an 18-hole playoff was used in competition.

Results Timeline

     Win      Top 10      Did not play LA = low amateur
CUT = missed the half-way cut
WD = withdrew
"T" indicates a tie for a place.
NT = no tournament due to COVID-19 pandemic

Summary of Major Championships

• Most consecutive cuts made – 39 (1996 U.S. Open – 2006 Masters)
• Longest streak of top-10s – 8 (1999 U.S. Open – 2001 Masters)

The Players Championship

Wins (2)

Year	Championship	54 holes	Winning score	Margin	Runner(s)-up
2001	The Players Championship	2 shot deficit	−14 (72-69-66-67=274)	1 stroke	Vijay Singh
2013	The Players Championship (2)	Tied for lead	−13 (67-67-71-70=275)	2 strokes	David Lingmerth, Jeff Maggert, Kevin Streelman

Results Timeline

     Win      Top 10      Did not play WD = withdrew
"T" indicates a tie for a place.

World Golf Championships

Wins (18)

Year	Championship	54 holes	Winning score	Margin	Runner(s)-up
1999	WGC-NEC Invitational	5 shot lead	−10 (66-71-62-71=270)	1 stroke	Phil Mickelson
1999	WGC-American Express Championship	1 shot deficit	−6 (71-69-70-68=278)	Playoff	Miguel Ángel Jiménez
2000	WGC-NEC Invitational (2)	9 shot lead	−21 (64-61-67-67=259)	11 strokes	Justin Leonard, Phillip Price
2001	WGC-NEC Invitational (3)	2 shot deficit	−12 (66-67-66-69=268)	Playoff	Jim Furyk
2002	WGC-American Express Championship (2)	5 shot lead	−25 (65-65-67-66=263)	1 stroke	Retief Goosen
2003	WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship	n/a	2 and 1		David Toms
2003	WGC-American Express Championship (3)	2 shot lead	−6 (67-66-69-72=274)	2 strokes	Stuart Appleby, Tim Herron, Vijay Singh
2004	WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship (2)	n/a	3 and 2		Davis Love III
2005	WGC-NEC Invitational (4)	Tied for lead	−6 (66-70-67-71=274)	1 stroke	Chris DiMarco
2005	WGC-American Express Championship (4)	2 shot deficit	−10 (67-68-68-67=270)	Playoff	John Daly
2006	WGC-Bridgestone Invitational (5)	1 shot deficit	−10 (67-64-71-68=270)	Playoff	Stewart Cink
2006	WGC-American Express Championship (5)	6 shot lead	−23 (63-64-67-67=261)	8 strokes	Ian Poulter, Adam Scott
2007	WGC-CA Championship (6)	4 shot lead	−10 (71-66-68-73=278)	2 strokes	Brett Wetterich
2007	WGC-Bridgestone Invitational (6)	1 shot deficit	−8 (68-70-69-65=272)	8 strokes	Justin Rose, Rory Sabbatini
2008	WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship (3)	n/a	8 and 7		Stewart Cink
2009	WGC-Bridgestone Invitational (7)	3 shot deficit	−12 (68-70-65-65=268)	4 strokes	Robert Allenby, Pádraig Harrington
2013	WGC-Cadillac Championship (7)	4 shot lead	−19 (66-65-67-71=269)	2 strokes	Steve Stricker
2013	WGC-Bridgestone Invitational (8)	7 shot lead	−15 (66-61-68-70=265)	7 strokes	Keegan Bradley, Henrik Stenson

Results Timeline

Results not in chronological order before 2015.

¹Cancelled due to 9/11
     Win      Top 10      Did not play QF, R16, R32, R64 = Round in which player lost in match play
WD = withdrew
NT = No tournament
"T" = tied
Note that the HSBC Champions did not become a WGC event until 2009.

PGA Tour Career Summary

*As of 2024 season

Playing Style and Coaches

Woods practicing before 2004 Ryder Cup at Oakland Hills Country Club in Bloomfield Township, Michigan

When Woods first joined the PGA Tour in 1996, his long drives made a big impact. He used steel-shafted clubs and smaller clubheads. These helped him with accuracy. Many opponents started to catch up to him. In 2004, Woods updated his driver technology. He started using a larger clubhead and a graphite shaft. This made him one of the longest players off the tee again.

Woods has always focused on having a great all-around game. While his driving accuracy has sometimes been lower, his iron play is usually very accurate. His ability to recover from tough spots and play from bunkers is strong. His putting, especially under pressure, is one of his best skills. He helped change professional golf by showing the importance of being athletic. He is also known for practicing more hours than most other golfers.

From 1993 until 2004, Woods worked with swing coach Butch Harmon. They worked to improve Woods's full swing. This helped him achieve more consistency and better control. Woods and Harmon later stopped working together. From 2004 to 2010, Woods was coached by Hank Haney. Woods continued to win tournaments with Haney. Haney resigned in May 2010. Sean Foley then became Woods's coach.

Fluff Cowan was Woods's caddie from the start of his professional career until 1999. Steve Williams then became his caddie and a close friend. In June 2011, Woods dismissed Williams. Joe LaCava became Woods's caddie shortly after. He has been Woods's caddie ever since.

Other Activities

TGR Foundation

The TGR Foundation was started in 1996 by Woods and his father, Earl. Its main goal is to encourage children in cities to play golf. The foundation has held junior golf clinics across the country. It also sponsors the Tiger Woods Foundation National Junior Golf Team.

The foundation runs the Tiger Woods Learning Center. This is a large facility in Anaheim, California. It helps young people get ready for college. The center opened in 2006. It has classrooms and an outdoor golf teaching area. The center has also opened four more locations in other cities.

Woods giving a speech at We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial (January 2009)

The foundation raises money through golf tournaments hosted by Woods. These include the annual Chevron World Challenge and AT&T National. Other fundraising events have included concerts like Block Party and Tiger Jam.

Tiger Woods Design

In November 2006, Woods announced he would start designing golf courses. His company, Tiger Woods Design, planned to build courses around the world. The first course was planned for Dubai. It was called The Tiger Woods Dubai. Construction was expected to finish in 2009. However, the project faced problems and was eventually stopped.

Tiger Woods Design also planned two other courses that did not get built. One was in North Carolina and another in Mexico. These projects faced delays due to economic problems and other issues.

Writings

Woods wrote a golf instruction column for Golf Digest magazine from 1997 to 2011. In 2001, he wrote a best-selling golf instruction book called How I Play Golf. It sold 1.5 million copies in its first printing. In March 2017, he published a memoir, The 1997 Masters: My Story. This book focuses on his first Masters win. In October 2019, Woods announced he would write another memoir called Back.

Digital Collectibles

Tiger Woods launched his first digital collectible (NFT) collection in September 2021. It was called "Iconic Fist Pumps Collection." These digital pictures showed famous moments from Woods's career. Some of these digital collectibles also came with his digital signature. Owning these digital items can give fans special access to content and events.

Sun Day Red

In February 2024, Woods partnered with TaylorMade to launch his own golf clothing line. It is called "Sun Day Red." The line features Woods's famous red shirt.

Personal Life

Woods after receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2019. From left to right: then girlfriend Erica Herman, mother Kultida Woods, daughter Sam Woods, son Charlie Woods, and Tiger Woods

Relationships and Children

In November 2003, Woods became engaged to Elin Nordegren. She is a Swedish former model. They met in 2001. They married on October 5, 2004, in Barbados. They lived in Windermere. In 2006, they bought a large property in Jupiter Island, Florida. Woods moved there in 2010 after their separation.

Woods and Nordegren had their first child, a daughter named Sam Alexis Woods, in 2007. Woods chose the name Sam because his father always called him Sam. Their son, Charlie Axel Woods, was born in 2009.

Woods and Nordegren separated in August 2010.

On March 18, 2013, Woods announced he was dating Olympic skier Lindsey Vonn. They separated in May 2015. From late 2017 to late 2022, Woods was in a relationship with Erica Herman. On March 23, 2025, he confirmed his relationship with Vanessa Trump.

2021 Car Accident

On February 23, 2021, Woods was in a serious car accident in Rancho Palos Verdes, California. He was the only person in the car. The car had major damage. Woods was taken to the hospital and had surgery for his leg injuries. No charges were filed after the investigation.

Other Interests

Woods meeting Barack Obama in the Oval Office, April 2009

Woods was raised as a Buddhist. He actively practiced his faith from childhood. He has said that Buddhism teaches him self-control.

Woods is registered as an independent voter. In January 2009, Woods gave a speech honoring the military. In April 2009, Woods visited the White House. In December 2016 and November 2017, Woods played golf with President Donald Trump.

See also

In Spanish: Tiger Woods para niños

• Career Grand Slam Champions
• List of golfers with most European Tour wins
• List of golfers with most PGA Tour wins
• List of golfers with most wins in one PGA Tour event
• List of longest PGA Tour win streaks
• List of men's major championships winning golfers
• List of world number one male golfers
• Most PGA Tour wins in a year