Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Tiger Woods

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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.

1995: Tiger Woods Participates in First PGA Tour Major

In 1995, at the age of 19, Tiger Woods participated in his first PGA Tour major, the Masters, and tied for 41st.

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.

June 1997: Tiger Woods Reaches World Number One

In June 1997, Tiger Woods reached the number one position in the Official World Golf Ranking, less than a year after turning professional.

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.

1997: Woods Begins Writing for Golf Digest

Tiger Woods began writing a golf instruction column for Golf Digest magazine in 1997.

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.

1999: Endorsement of Tiger Woods PGA Tour Series

Since 1999, Tiger Woods has endorsed the Tiger Woods PGA Tour series of video games.

2000: Nike Contract Extension

In 2000, Tiger Woods signed a 5-year, $105 million contract extension with Nike, which was the largest endorsement package signed by a professional athlete at that time. Woods's endorsement helped Nike Golf become a leading golf apparel and equipment company.

2000: Won tournament on 100th tour starts

In 2000, Tiger Woods won golf tournaments in his 100th tour start.

2000: Tiger Woods Wins Six Consecutive PGA Tour Events

In 2000, Tiger Woods won six consecutive events on the PGA Tour, and won the U.S. Open by a record 15-stroke margin.

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".

2001: Publication of "How I Play Golf"

In 2001, Tiger Woods wrote a best-selling golf instruction book, "How I Play Golf", which had the largest print run for a golf book's first edition, with 1.5 million copies.

How I Play Golf
How I Play Golf

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.

September 2004: Vijay Singh Overtakes Tiger Woods

In September 2004, Vijay Singh overtook Tiger Woods in the Official World Golf Rankings, ending Woods's record streak of 264 weeks at No. 1.

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.

2005: Tiger Woods Rebounds and Reclaims Top Spot

In 2005, Tiger Woods rebounded, winning six PGA Tour events and reclaiming the top spot in July after swapping it back and forth with Singh.

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: Contract with Electronic Arts

In 2006, Tiger Woods signed a six-year contract with Electronic Arts, the publisher of the Tiger Woods PGA Tour series of video games.

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.

October 2008: Announcement of Punta Brava Course in Mexico

In October 2008, Tiger Woods Design announced a third course in Punta Brava, Mexico, but it incurred delays due to permit issues and an environmental impact study.

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.

September 2009: BMW Championship

In 2012, it was mentioned that Tiger Woods had his first win on the PGA Tour since the BMW Championship in September 2009.

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.

2009: Expected Completion of Al Ruwaya Golf Course

The Al Ruwaya Golf Course, part of The Tiger Woods Dubai development, was initially expected to finish construction in 2009.

February 2010: Al Ruwaya Golf Course Progress

As of February 2010, only seven holes had been completed on the Al Ruwaya Golf Course in Dubai, Tiger Woods Design's first project.

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.

February 2011: End of Woods' Golf Digest Column

February 2011 marked the end of Tiger Woods' golf instruction column for Golf Digest magazine, which had been running since 1997.

April 2011: The New York Times Reports Al Ruwaya Golf Course Project Shelved

In April 2011, The New York Times reported that The Tiger Woods Dubai project, including the Al Ruwaya Golf Course, had been shelved permanently.

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.

2013: Win at the Players Championship

In 2013, Tiger Woods's victory at the Players Championship marked a win in his 300th PGA Tour start. He also won golf tournaments in his 100th and 200th tour starts.

2013: Dissolution of Partnership Between Tiger Woods Design and Dubai Holding

In 2013, the partnership between Tiger Woods Design and Dubai Holding was dissolved.

2013: First top-five finish

In March 2018, it was mentioned that it was Tiger Wood's first top-five finish on the PGA Tour since 2013.

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.

The 1997 Masters: My Story
The 1997 Masters: My Story

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.

March 11, 2018: Top-Five Finish at Valspar Championship

On March 11, 2018, Tiger Woods finished one-shot back and tied for second at the Valspar Championship in Florida, his first top-five finish on the PGA Tour since 2013.

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".

Roaring Back: The Fall and Rise of Tiger Woods
Roaring Back: The Fall and Rise of Tiger Woods

October 2019: Woods wins Zozo Championship

In October 2019, Tiger Woods won the Zozo Championship, the first-ever PGA Tour event played in Japan, by three strokes over Hideki Matsuyama. This victory marked Woods's 82nd on the Tour, tying him with Sam Snead for the most all-time PGA Tour victories.

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.

2020: Woods Plays at Zozo Championship

In 2020, Tiger Woods played in his first PGA Tour event at the Zozo Championship in Japan, following his win at the same tournament in October 2019.

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.

November 2021: Tiger Woods Discusses His Career

In November 2021, in an interview with Golf Digest, Tiger Woods indicated that his full-time career as a professional golfer was likely over.

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.

2022: Tiger Woods Returns to PGA Tour

In 2022, Tiger Woods returned to the PGA Tour at the Masters tournament, marking his first appearance since his car crash.

November 2023: Woods Co-owns Jupiter Links Golf Club

In November 2023, Tiger Woods revealed himself as a co-owner and player for Jupiter Links Golf Club, founded with investments by David Blitzer.

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.