Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Tiger Woods
From career breakthroughs to professional milestones, explore how Tiger Woods made an impact.
Tiger Woods is a highly accomplished American professional golfer, considered one of the greatest of all time. He is tied for the most PGA Tour wins and ranks second in major championships. A World Golf Hall of Fame inductee, Woods holds numerous records and is a globally recognized athlete.
1989: Tiger Woods Plays in the Big I Tournament
In 1989, at age 13, Tiger Woods participated in the Big I, his first major national junior tournament, and played alongside pro John Daly.
1993: Woods Begins Working with Butch Harmon
In mid-1993, while still an amateur, Tiger Woods began working almost exclusively with leading swing coach Butch Harmon.
1995: Tiger Woods Plays in Walker Cup
In 1995, Tiger Woods participated in the Walker Cup as a member of the American team.
August 1996: Tiger Woods Turns Professional
In August 1996, at age 20, Tiger Woods turned professional and signed lucrative advertising deals with Nike, Inc. and Titleist.
1996: Establishment of the Tiger Woods Foundation
In 1996, Tiger Woods and his father Earl established the Tiger Woods Foundation, initially named the Tiger Woods Foundation, to promote golf among inner-city children.
1996: Tiger Woods Wins Three Consecutive U.S. Amateur Titles
In 1996, at age 20, Tiger Woods became the first golfer to win three consecutive U.S. Amateur titles and won the NCAA individual golf championship. He also left college and turned professional.
1996: Tiger Woods Turns Professional
In 1996, at the age of 20, Tiger Woods officially turned professional, marking the beginning of his professional golfing career.
1996: Endorsement Deals
Shortly after his 21st birthday in 1996, Tiger Woods signed endorsement deals with numerous companies, including General Motors, Titleist, General Mills, American Express, Accenture, and Nike.
April 13, 1997: Tiger Woods Wins the Masters
On April 13, 1997, Tiger Woods won his first major, the Masters, becoming the tournament's youngest winner at age 21.
April 1997: Tiger Woods Wins the Masters
In April 1997, Tiger Woods won the Masters by a record-breaking 12 strokes, marking his first major championship victory.
1997: Harmon and Woods Fashion Major Swing Redevelopment
From mid-1997, Butch Harmon and Tiger Woods worked together on a major redevelopment of Woods' full swing, aiming for greater consistency, distance control, and better kinesiology.
1997: Record-Breaking Masters Win
Since Tiger Wood's record-breaking win at the 1997 Masters, his presence in tournaments has drawn a huge fan following, increasing prize money in golf, generating new audiences, and drawing the largest TV ratings in golf history.
1998: Tiger Woods had a lackluster season
Tiger Woods had a lackluster season in 1998.
March 1999: Woods Dismissed Caddie Fluff Cowan
In March 1999, Tiger Woods dismissed his caddie Fluff Cowan, who had served since the start of his professional career, and replaced him with Steve Williams.
August 1999: Tiger Woods Ranked World Number One
In August 1999, Tiger Woods became the top-ranked golfer in the world, starting a streak that would last 264 consecutive weeks.
1999: Tiger Woods Finishes Season with Eight Wins
In 1999, Tiger Woods finished the season with eight wins, including the PGA Championship, a feat not achieved since 1974.
1999: Tiger Woods Plays on Ryder Cup Winning Team
In 1999, Tiger Woods was part of the American team that won the Ryder Cup.
1999: Swing Changes Begin to Pay Off
In 1999, the swing changes made by Tiger Woods and Butch Harmon began to produce positive results.
2000: Won tournament on 100th tour starts
In 2000, Tiger Woods won golf tournaments in his 100th tour start.
2000: Consecutively won four major championships
In 2000-2001 seasons, Tiger Woods consecutively won all four major championships open to professionals, accomplishing the feat in the 2000–2001 seasons.
2001: Consecutively won four major championships
In 2000-2001 seasons, Tiger Woods consecutively won all four major championships open to professionals, accomplishing the feat in the 2000–2001 seasons.
2001: Tiger Woods Wins 2001 Masters
In 2001, Tiger Woods won the Masters, becoming the only player to win four consecutive major professional golf titles, an achievement known as the "Tiger Slam".
2002: Tiger Woods Dominates the Tour
Following a stellar 2001, Tiger Woods continued to dominate the tour in 2002.
2002: Involvement in Buick Rendezvous Launch
In 2002, Tiger Woods was involved in every aspect of the launch of Buick's Rendezvous SUV, with over 130,000 vehicles sold in 2002 and 2003. Buick cited his endorsement as a key factor.
2003: Phil Mickelson Jokes About Woods' "Inferior Equipment"
In 2003, Phil Mickelson made a joke about Tiger Woods using "inferior equipment," which upset Nike, Titleist, and Woods, as he was still using True Temper Dynamic Gold steel-shafted clubs and smaller steel clubheads.
2003: Buick Rendezvous Sales
In 2003, more than 130,000 Buick Rendezvous vehicles were sold, exceeding the company's forecasts and attributed to Tiger Woods's endorsement.
2003: Hank Haney Became Tiger Woods' Coach
In 2010, it was mentioned that Hank Haney had been Tiger Woods' coach since 2003.
2003: Tiger Woods Slump
Tiger Woods's career hit a slump in 2003 and he did not win a major.
February 2004: Endorsement Contract Renewal with Buick
In February 2004, Buick renewed Tiger Woods's endorsement contract for another five years, in a deal reportedly worth $40 million.
March 2004: Woods Hired Hank Haney as Coach
In March 2004, Tiger Woods began being coached by Hank Haney, who focused on flattening his swing plane.
September 2004: End of First Reign as World Number One
In September 2004, Tiger Woods's 264-week streak as the top-ranked golfer in the world ended.
2004: Woods Upgrades Driver Technology
In 2004, Tiger Woods upgraded his driver technology to a larger clubhead and graphite shaft, regaining his position as one of the tour's longest players off the tee.
2004: Winning a Major
In 2009, it was mentioned that the year was the first time since 2004 that Tiger Woods did not win a major.
April 2005: Release of the TAG Heuer Professional Golf Watch
In April 2005, Tiger Woods collaborated with TAG Heuer to develop and release the world's first professional golf watch, designed to withstand high levels of shock and facilitate wearing the watch while playing the game.
June 2005: Tiger Woods Reclaims World Number One Ranking
In June 2005, Tiger Woods once again became the top-ranked golfer in the world, beginning another dominant stretch.
November 2006: Woods Announces Golf Course Design Company
In November 2006, Tiger Woods announced his intention to begin designing golf courses around the world through a new company, Tiger Woods Design.
2006: Dominant start, Father's death, and six consecutive tour wins
In 2006, Tiger Woods began the year dominantly, winning his first two PGA tournaments. Following the death of his father in May, Woods took time off and appeared rusty upon his return at the U.S. Open. However, he quickly regained form and ended the year by winning six consecutive tour events. By the close of the 2006 season, Woods had 54 total wins, including 12 majors.
2006: Won tournament on 200th tour starts
In 2006, Tiger Woods won golf tournaments in his 200th tour start.
2006: Opening of the Tiger Woods Learning Center
In 2006, the Tiger Woods Learning Center (TWLC), a $50-million facility in Anaheim, California, opened, providing college-access programs for underserved youth.
February 2007: Ambassador for Gillette Champions Campaign
In February 2007, Tiger Woods, along with Roger Federer and Thierry Henry, became an ambassador for the "Gillette Champions" marketing campaign.
August 2007: Woods announced The Cliffs at High Carolina
In August 2007, Tiger Woods announced The Cliffs at High Carolina, a private course in the Blue Ridge Mountains near Asheville, North Carolina.
October 2007: Announcement of Gatorade Tiger Brand
In October 2007, Gatorade announced that Tiger Woods would have his own brand of sports drink, "Gatorade Tiger", starting in March 2008.
2007: Continued excellence
In 2007, Tiger Woods continued to excel, maintaining a high level of performance throughout the year.
March 2008: Launch of Gatorade Tiger
In March 2008, Gatorade launched "Gatorade Tiger", Tiger Woods's first U.S. deal with a beverage company and his first licensing agreement.
April 2008: Knee surgery, U.S. Open Victory, and season-ending surgery
In April 2008, Tiger Woods underwent knee surgery and missed two months of the tour. He returned for the 2008 U.S. Open, where he claimed a dramatic sudden death victory over Rocco Mediate, followed by additional knee surgery two days later that would cause Woods to miss the remainder of the season due to severe damage.
November 2008: Groundbreaking for The Cliffs at High Carolina
In November 2008, there was a groundbreaking for The Cliffs at High Carolina project.
January 2009: Speech at Obama Inaugural Celebration
In January 2009, Tiger Woods delivered a speech commemorating the military at the We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial.
April 2009: Visit to the White House
In April 2009, Tiger Woods visited the White House while promoting the AT&T National golf tournament.
2009: 2009 PGA Championship
At the 2018 PGA Championship, Woods finished second, two shots behind the winner Brooks Koepka. It was his best result in a major since 2009 (second at the 2009 PGA Championship).
2009: Comeback, Presidents Cup performance, marital infidelities revealed.
In 2009, Tiger Woods made a highly anticipated return to golf and performed well, including a spectacular performance at the 2009 Presidents Cup. However, he failed to win a major that year. At the end of 2009, his marital infidelities came to light, receiving massive media coverage.
2009: Last Block Party Concert Event
In 2009, the Block Party concert event, which benefited the Tiger Woods Foundation, was last held in Anaheim.
2009: 17th WGC title
In 2013, it was mentioned that it was his first since 2009 for the WGC-Cadillac Championship.
2009: Discontinuation of Gatorade Tiger
In early fall 2009, Gatorade decided to discontinue the "Gatorade Tiger" drink due to weak sales.
April 2010: Tiger Woods Returns to Golf
In early April 2010, Tiger Woods returned to professional golf after taking a hiatus to resolve personal issues.
May 2010: Hank Haney Resigned as Woods' Coach
In May 2010, Hank Haney resigned as Tiger Woods' coach under questionable circumstances and was replaced by Sean Foley.
October 2010: End of Second Reign as World Number One
In October 2010, Tiger Woods's second dominant stretch as the top-ranked golfer in the world came to an end.
December 2010: TWF Employment Numbers
As of December 2010, the Tiger Woods Foundation (TWF) employed approximately 55 people.
2010: Return to competition, Coaching change, and Winless Season
In 2010, Tiger Woods returned to competition at the Masters, finishing tied for fourth place. He then had poor showings and withdrew from the Players Championship due to injury. Hank Haney resigned as his coach, and Sean Foley was hired as his replacement. Woods failed to win a single event in 2010, despite finishing the season ranked No. 2 in the world.
June 2011: Woods Dismisses Caddie Steve Williams
In June 2011, Tiger Woods dismissed his caddie Steve Williams, who had caddied for Adam Scott in the U.S. Open, and replaced him on an interim basis with his friend Bryon Bell.
October 2011: First Tiger Woods Invitational Hosted
In October 2011, the Tiger Woods Foundation hosted the first Tiger Woods Invitational at Pebble Beach.
November 2011: Tiger Woods's World Ranking Drops
In November 2011, Tiger Woods's world ranking fell to number 58.
2011: Ranking decline, Leg injuries, Caddie change, and winless streak broken
In 2011, Tiger Woods's performance continued to suffer, impacting his ranking. Despite a strong showing at the Masters, leg injuries caused him to miss several summer stops. He fired his caddie Steve Williams and eventually hired Joe LaCava. His ranking fell to #58 before rising to No. 50. Woods broke his winless streak with a victory at the Chevron World Challenge in December 2011.
October 2012: Endorsement Deal with Fuse Science, Inc
In October 2012, it was announced that Tiger Woods signed an exclusive endorsement deal with Fuse Science, Inc, a sports nutrition firm.
2012: Putting Technique Revision, Arnold Palmer Invitational Win, and PGA Tour wins tie and surpass Jack Nicklaus
In 2012, Tiger Woods started the season with struggles in final rounds, revised his putting technique after a missed putt at the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship, and tied for second at The Honda Classic. After a leg injury, Woods won the Arnold Palmer Invitational, his first win on the PGA Tour since September 2009. In June 2012, he notched his 73rd PGA Tour win at the Memorial Tournament, tying Jack Nicklaus, and then surpassed Nicklaus with a win at the AT&T National.
March 2013: Tiger Woods Ascends to Number One Ranking Again
In March 2013, Tiger Woods regained the number one ranking in the world.
May 2013: The Players Championship Win
In May 2013, Tiger Woods won The Players Championship, his second career win at the event, marking his fourth win of the 2013 season, achieving this milestone quicker than in any other season of his professional career.
2013: Elbow Injury, Poor U.S. Open Showing, and WGC-Bridgestone Invitational Win
In 2013, Tiger Woods had a poor showing at the U.S. Open due to an elbow injury. He returned at the Open Championship after a break. He then won the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, recording his 5th win of the season. He did not win a major in 2013, being in contention in only two of the four majors.
2013: Return to Dominating Play and Nike ad launch
In 2013, Tiger Woods returned to dominating play, winning the Farmers Insurance Open and the WGC-Cadillac Championship for the seventh time each. He also won the Arnold Palmer Invitational for a record-tying eighth time, moving him back to the top of the world rankings. Nike launched an ad with the tagline "winning takes care of everything" to commemorate his achievement.
May 2014: Tiger Woods Falls From Number One Ranking
In May 2014, Tiger Woods lost the number one ranking again.
August 25, 2014: Parting ways with Swing Coach Sean Foley
On August 25, 2014, Tiger Woods and his swing coach Sean Foley parted ways. Woods had won eight times but no majors in the four years under Foley. There was no timetable to find a replacement swing coach.
August 2015: Tiger Woods takes time off due to Injuries
In August 2015, Tiger Woods competed in his last tournament for an extended period, due to injuries.
August 2015: Strong Performance at Wyndham Championship
In late August 2015, Tiger Woods played well at the Wyndham Championship, finishing the tournament at 13-under, four strokes behind the winner, and tied for 10th place. Woods said it was "just my hip" but offered no specifics.
August 2016: Seeking New Golf Equipment Partner
In August 2016, Tiger Woods announced that he would be seeking a new golf equipment partner after the news of Nike's exit from the equipment industry.
October 2016: Desire to break Nicklaus's record
In October 2016, Tiger Woods told Charlie Rose on PBS that he still wanted to break Jack Nicklaus's record of 18 major titles.
January 25, 2017: Signs Club Deal with TaylorMade
On January 25, 2017, it was announced that Tiger Woods would be signing a new club deal with TaylorMade. He added the 2016 M2 driver along with the 2017 M1 fairway woods, with irons to be custom made at a later date. He also added his Scotty Cameron Newport 2 GSS.
March 2017: Publication of "The 1997 Masters: My Story"
In March 2017, Tiger Woods published a memoir, "The 1997 Masters: My Story", co-authored by Lorne Rubenstein, focusing on his first Masters win.
2017: Back problems continue, fourth back surgery, and return to competitive golf
In 2017, Tiger Woods's back problems continued to hinder him. He missed the cut at the Farmers Insurance Open, pulled out of a European Tour event, and announced he would not play in the 2017 Masters Tournament. Woods underwent his fourth back surgery since 2014 and returned to competitive golf at the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas. His world ranking jumped from 1,199th to 668th.
January 2018: Tiger Woods Returns to Competition
In January 2018, Tiger Woods returned to regular competition after a long absence due to injuries.
September 2018: Tiger Woods Wins Tour Championship
In September 2018, Tiger Woods won the Tour Championship, marking his first tournament win in five years.
September 23, 2018: Tour Championship Win
On September 23, 2018, Tiger Woods returned to the winner's circle for the 80th time in his PGA Tour career, winning the season-ending Tour Championship at East Lake Golf Club.
April 14, 2019: Woods Wins the Masters
On April 14, 2019, Tiger Woods won the Masters Tournament, marking his first major championship win in eleven years and his 15th major overall. He finished 13 under par, winning by one stroke. At 43, he became the second oldest golfer to win the Masters.
October 2019: Announcement of Memoir "Back"
In October 2019, Tiger Woods announced that he would be writing a memoir titled "Back".
2019: Sale of The Cliffs at High Carolina Site
In 2019 the 800-acre site for The Cliffs at High Carolina was sold for $19.3 million.
2019: Tiger Woods Wins the Masters
In 2019, Tiger Woods won the Masters, marking his first major win in 11 years.
September 28, 2021: Launch of Tiger Woods' NFT Collection
On September 28, 2021, Tiger Woods' "Iconic Fist Pumps Collection," his first digital Non-fungible token (NFT) collection, launched on the DraftKings Marketplace in collaboration with Autograph.io.
August 2022: Formation of TGL Announced
In August 2022, Tiger Woods, along with Rory McIlroy, Mike McCarley, and the PGA Tour, announced the formation of TGL, a six-team virtual golfing league.
2022: Woods Returns to Play at Masters Tournament
In 2022, Tiger Woods returned to professional play at the Masters Tournament following his 2021 motor vehicle crash. He made the cut and finished 47th, 23 shots behind the winner.
January 8, 2024: Parting Ways with Nike
On January 8, 2024, Tiger Woods announced that he would be parting ways with Nike after 27 years, ending one of the most lucrative endorsements any athlete has had.
February 12, 2024: Announcement of "Sun Day Red" Apparel Line
On February 12, 2024, Tiger Woods partnered with TaylorMade to launch his golf apparel line, dubbed "Sun Day Red," featuring his signature red shirt.
2024: 550 Acres of the Cliffs at High Carolina Site Listed
In 2024 550 acres of the Cliffs at High Carolina site was listed for about the same price of $19.3 million.
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