One of the most prolific professional athletes of all-time, Eldrick (Tiger) Woods is a household name that has transcended sports. Often attributed for increasing the global scope and popularity of pro golf, Woods’ unprecedented career has thrived since he joined the professional ranks in 1996. A 14-time Major Champion, he has won 98 tournaments, 74 of those on the PGA Tour, including the 1997, 2001, 2002 and 2005 Masters Tournaments; 1999, 2000, 2006 and 2007 PGA Championships; 2000, 2002, and 2008 U.S. Open Championships; and 2000, 2005 and 2006 Open Championships. With his second Masters victory in 2001, Woods became the first to hold all four pro Major Championship titles at the same time. He is the career victories leader among active players on the PGA Tour, as well as the career money list leader.
In winning the 2000 British Open, Woods became the youngest to complete the career Grand Slam of pro Major Championships and only the fifth to ever do so. He also was the youngest Masters Champion ever at the age of 21, and the first Major Championship winner of African-American or Asian heritage. Woods holds or shares the record for the low score in relation to par in each of the four Major Championships. His records are 270 (18-under par) in the 1997 Masters, 272 (12-under par) in the 2000 U.S. Open, 269 (19-under par) in the 2000 Open Championship, and he shares the record of 270 (18-under par) with Bob May in the 2000 PGA Championship, which Woods won by one stroke in a three-hole playoff.
The U.S. Open and Masters victories came by record margins, 15 strokes and 12 strokes, respectively, and the U.S. Open triumph swept aside the 13-stroke Major Championship standard which had stood for 138 years, established by Old Tom Morris in the 1862 British Open. The record margin for the U.S. Open had been 11 strokes by Willie Smith in 1899. In The Masters, Woods broke the record margin of nine strokes set by Nicklaus in 1965, and won the Open Championship by eight strokes, the largest margin since J. H. Taylor in 1913.
Woods was named “Athlete of the Decade” by the Associated Press in 2009, inducted into the California Hall of Fame in 1997, and named Sports Illustrated’s “Sportsman of the Year” multiple times. For more information, visit www.tigerwoods.com, and follow Woods on Twitter @TigerWoods.
Full Name: Eldrick "Tiger" Woods· Residence: Orlando, Fla.
Children: Sam Alexis (6/18/2007), Charlie Axel (2/8/2009)
Parents: Earl and Kultida Woods
Born: December 30, 1975 (Cypress, Calif.)
High School: Western H.S. (Anaheim, Calif.)
College: Stanford University (Palo Alto, Calif.)
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 185
Turned Pro: 1996
