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 and famous American professional golfer. Tied for the most PGA Tour wins and second in major championships, he holds numerous records and is considered one of the greatest golfers ever. His achievements led to his induction into the World Golf Hall of Fame.
1948: Ben Hogan's Winning Streak
In 1948, Ben Hogan achieved a winning streak that Tiger Woods matched in 2000.
1974: Johnny Miller Wins PGA Championship
In 1974, Johnny Miller achieved a feat that Tiger Woods would repeat in 1999.
1989: Tiger Woods Plays in the Big I
In 1989, at age 13, Tiger Woods played in his first major national junior tournament, the Big I, and was paired with John Daly in the final round.
1992: Tiger Woods Defends U.S. Junior Amateur Championship
In 1992, Tiger Woods defended his title at the U.S. Junior Amateur Championship, becoming the tournament's first two-time winner. He also competed in his first PGA Tour event, the Nissan Los Angeles Open, and was named Golf Digest Amateur Player of the Year, Golf World Player of the Year, and Golfweek National Amateur of the Year.
1993: Woods Worked with Butch Harmon
In 1993, while still an amateur, Tiger Woods began working with swing coach Butch Harmon to improve his golf swing.
1995: Tiger Woods Played in Walker Cup
In 1995, Tiger Woods participated in the Walker Cup.
1995: Tiger Woods Defends U.S. Amateur Title
In 1995, Tiger Woods successfully defended his U.S. Amateur title and received several accolades.
August 1996: Tiger Woods Turns Professional
In August 1996, Tiger Woods turned professional and signed lucrative advertising deals with Nike, Inc. and Titleist.
1996: Earnings from 1996 to 2007
According to Golf Digest, Woods earned $769,440,709 from 1996 to 2007.
1996: Establishment of the TGR Foundation
In 1996, Tiger Woods and his father Earl established the TGR Foundation, originally named the Tiger Woods Foundation, with the aim of promoting golf among inner-city children.
1996: Tiger Woods Wins NCAA Individual Golf Championship
In 1996, Tiger Woods won the NCAA individual golf championship and became the first golfer to win three consecutive U.S. Amateur titles.
1996: Tiger Woods Turns Professional
In 1996, Tiger Woods, at the age of 20, transitioned into professional golf after a successful amateur career.
1996: Woods Signed Endorsement Deals
Shortly after his 21st birthday in 1996, Woods signed endorsement deals with numerous companies, including General Motors, Titleist, General Mills, American Express, Accenture, and Nike.
1996: Woods Joins PGA Tour
When Woods first joined the PGA Tour in 1996, his long drives had a large impact on the world of golf.
April 13, 1997: Tiger Woods Wins The Masters
On April 13, 1997, Tiger Woods won his first major, The Masters, in record-breaking fashion and became the tournament's youngest winner at age 21.
April 1997: Tiger Woods Wins 1997 Masters
In April 1997, Tiger Woods secured victory at the Masters Tournament, marking his first major win with a record-breaking 12-stroke lead.
1997: Woods and Harmon's Swing Redevelopment
From mid-1997, Tiger Woods and Butch Harmon began a major redevelopment of Woods's full swing, aiming for greater consistency, distance control, and improved kinesiology.
1998: Tiger Woods's Lackluster Season
1998 was a lackluster year for Tiger Woods.
March 1999: Woods Dismissed Caddie Fluff Cowan
In March 1999, Tiger Woods dismissed his caddie Fluff Cowan, who had been with him since the start of his professional career.
August 1999: Tiger Woods Top-Ranked Golfer
In August 1999, Woods became the top-ranked golfer in the world, starting a dominant period that would last for 264 consecutive weeks.
1999: Swing changes paid off
In 1999, The changes to Tiger Woods swing, made with Butch Harmon, began to pay off.
1999: Tiger Woods Wins PGA Championship
In 1999, Tiger Woods finished the season with eight wins, including the PGA Championship.
1999: Tiger Woods Played in 1999 Ryder Cup
In 1999, Tiger Woods was part of the American winning team at the Ryder Cup.
2000: Nike Contract Extension
In 2000, 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 significantly contributed to Nike Golf becoming a leading golf apparel company.
2000: Woods won golf tournaments
In 2000, Woods won golf tournaments in his 100th tour starts.
2000: Career Grand Slam
Woods is the only player to have consecutively won all four major championships open to professionals, accomplishing the feat in the 2000–2001 seasons.
2001: Tiger Woods Achieves "Tiger Slam"
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: Career Grand Slam
Woods is the only player to have consecutively won all four major championships open to professionals, accomplishing the feat in the 2000–2001 seasons.
2002: Tiger Woods Dominates Tour
In 2002, Tiger Woods continued to dominate the PGA tour.
2002: Woods Involved in Buick Rendezvous Launch
In 2002, Woods was involved in every aspect of the launch of Buick's Rendezvous SUV.
2003: Tiger Woods Did Not Win a Major
In 2003, Tiger Woods did not win a major golf championship.
2003: Hiring of Hank Haney
In 2003, Tiger Woods hired Hank Haney as his coach.
2003: Buick Rendezvous SUV sales
In 2003, more than 130,000 Buick Rendezvous vehicles were sold.
February 2004: Buick Endorsement Contract Renewal
In February 2004, Buick renewed Woods's endorsement contract for another five years, 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. This change led to Woods continuing to win tournaments, but his driving accuracy declined significantly.
September 2004: End of First Top Ranking Streak
In September 2004, Tiger Woods's reign as the top-ranked golfer ended after 264 consecutive weeks.
2004: Woods Upgrades Driver Technology
During 2004, Woods finally upgraded his driver technology to a larger clubhead and graphite shaft, again making him one of the tour's longest players off the tee.
April 2005: Release of TAG Heuer Professional Golf Watch
In April 2005, Woods collaborated with TAG Heuer to develop the world's first professional golf watch. The watch is lightweight, titanium-constructed, and capable of absorbing up to 5,000 Gs of shock.
November 2006: Woods Announced Tiger Woods Design
In November 2006, Tiger Woods announced his intention to begin designing golf courses around the world through a new company, Tiger Woods Design.
2006: Tiger Woods Wins Six Consecutive Tour Events
Following a period of time off due to the death of his father, Tiger Woods ended 2006 by winning six consecutive tour events and breaking tour records for total wins and total majors wins over eleven seasons.
2006: Tiger Woods Wins First Two PGA Tournaments
In 2006, Tiger Woods began the year dominantly, winning his first two PGA tournaments but failing to capture the Masters championship in April.
2006: Woods won golf tournaments
In 2006, Woods won golf tournaments in his 200th tour starts.
2006: Opening of the Tiger Woods Learning Center
In 2006, the Tiger Woods Learning Center (TWLC) opened in Anaheim, California. The 35,000-square-foot facility provides college-access programs for underserved youth.
February 2007: Gillette Champions Ambassador
In February 2007, Woods, Roger Federer, and Thierry Henry became ambassadors for the "Gillette Champions" marketing campaign.
August 2007: Announcement of 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, designed by Tiger Woods Design.
October 2007: Gatorade Tiger Announcement
In October 2007, Gatorade announced that Woods would have his own brand of sports drink starting in March 2008.
2007: Earnings from 1996 to 2007
According to Golf Digest, Woods earned $769,440,709 from 1996 to 2007.
2007: Excellence in Golf
In 2007, Tiger Woods continued to excel at golf.
March 2008: Launch of Gatorade Tiger
In March 2008, Woods's branded sports drink, Gatorade Tiger, was launched.
April 2008: Knee Surgery and U.S. Open Victory
In April 2008, Tiger Woods underwent knee surgery, causing him to miss two months of the tour. He then returned for the 2008 U.S. Open, where he won in a dramatic sudden-death victory. Following the victory, he announced he would miss the rest of the season due to more knee surgery.
November 2008: Groundbreaking of The Cliffs at High Carolina
In November 2008, groundbreaking occurred for The Cliffs at High Carolina course, but the project later suffered cash flow problems and suspended construction.
September 2009: Last PGA Tour Win Before 2012
In September 2009, Tiger Woods won the BMW Championship, his last PGA Tour win before his 2012 victory at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
2009: Billion Dollar Earnings
In 2009, Forbes confirmed that Woods was indeed the world's first professional athlete to earn over a billion dollars in his career, after accounting for the $10 million bonus Woods received for the FedEx Cup title. The same year, Forbes estimated his net worth to be $600 million, making him the second richest person of color in the United States.
2009: Comeback and Marital Infidelity
In 2009, Tiger Woods had a much-anticipated return to golf, including a performance at the 2009 Presidents Cup. At the end of 2009, after his marital infidelities came to light, Woods announced he would take an indefinite break from golf.
2009: Last Block Party Concert Event
In 2009, the last Block Party concert event, which benefitted the TGR Foundation, was held in Anaheim.
2009: First WGC Title Since 2009
In 2013, Tiger Woods won the WGC-Cadillac Championship, his first since 2009.
2009: Best Result in a Major Since 2009
In 2018 at the PGA Championship, Woods finished second, his best result in a major since 2009.
2009: Discontinuation of Gatorade Tiger
In early fall 2009, the company 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 a hiatus.
May 2010: Hank Haney Resigned
In May 2010, Hank Haney resigned as Tiger Woods' coach under questionable circumstances.
October 2010: End of Second Top Ranking Streak
In October 2010, Tiger Woods's second long streak as the top-ranked golfer concluded after 281 consecutive weeks.
2010: Predicted Billion Dollar Earnings
Golf Digest predicted that Woods would pass a billion dollars in earnings by 2010.
2010: Return to Competition and Coaching Changes
In 2010, Tiger Woods returned to competition at the Masters, finishing tied for fourth. Following poor showings and an injury, Hank Haney resigned as his coach, and Woods hired Sean Foley as the replacement. He also failed to win an event in 2010.
June 2011: Woods Dismissed Caddie Steve Williams
In June 2011, Tiger Woods dismissed Steve Williams, his caddie, after Williams caddied for Adam Scott in the U.S. Open. Bryon Bell was brought on as an interim replacement.
October 2011: First Tiger Woods Invitational
In October 2011, the TGR Foundation hosted the first Tiger Woods Invitational at Pebble Beach.
November 2011: Tiger Woods World Ranking Drops
In November 2011, Tiger Woods's world ranking fell to number 58.
2011: Ranking Decline, Injuries, and Caddie Change
In 2011, Tiger Woods's performance suffered, impacting his ranking. He missed summer stops on the PGA Tour due to leg injuries. He fired his caddie Steve Williams and eventually hired Joe LaCava. His ranking fell to a low of #58, but he later broke his winless streak at the Chevron World Challenge.
October 2012: Endorsement Deal with Fuse Science
In October 2012, Woods signed an exclusive endorsement deal with Fuse Science, Inc, a sports nutrition firm.
2012: Putting Technique Revision and PGA Tour Wins
In 2012, Tiger Woods revised his putting technique after being knocked out of the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship. He then tied for second at The Honda Classic and won the Arnold Palmer Invitational. Woods also notched his 73rd PGA Tour win at the Memorial Tournament and surpassed Jack Nicklaus with a win at the AT&T National.
March 2013: Tiger Woods Ascends to Number One Ranking
In March 2013, Tiger Woods regained the number-one ranking in golf.
May 2013: The Players Championship Win
In May 2013, Tiger Woods won The Players Championship, his second career win at the event and his fourth win of the 2013 season.
2013: Elbow Injury and Mixed Results
In 2013, Tiger Woods had a poor showing at the U.S. Open due to an elbow injury. He returned at the Open Championship, finishing tied for 6th. He won the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational but did not win a major for the fifth full season.
2013: Return to Dominating Play and Top Ranking
In 2013, Tiger Woods returned to dominating play, winning the Farmers Insurance Open, the WGC-Cadillac Championship, and the Arnold Palmer Invitational. He moved back to the top of the world rankings.
2013: Woods won Players Championship
In 2013, Woods's victory at the Players Championship also marked a win in his 300th PGA Tour start.
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.
August 2015: Tiger Woods Limited Tournament Play
After August 2015, Tiger Woods competed in only one tournament before January 2018.
August 2015: Wyndham Championship Performance
In August 2015, Tiger Woods played well at the Wyndham Championship, finishing the tournament at 13-under and tied for 10th place.
2015: Woods Ranked Ninth in Forbes List
In 2015, Woods ranked ninth in Forbes list of the world's highest-paid athletes.
August 2016: Woods Announces Search for New Golf Equipment Partner
In August 2016, Woods announced that he would be seeking a new golf equipment partner following Nike's exit from the equipment industry.
January 25, 2017: New Club Deal with TaylorMade
On January 25, 2017, it was announced that Woods would be signing a new club deal with TaylorMade.
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: Highest-Paid Golfer in the World
As of 2017, Woods was considered to be the highest-paid golfer in the world.
2017: Continued Back Problems and Fourth Back Surgery
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. He underwent his fourth back surgery and returned to competitive golf at the Hero World Challenge.
January 2018: Tiger Woods' Ranking Drops
In January 2018, Tiger Woods dropped off the list of the world's top 1,000 golfers.
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 Victory
On September 23, 2018, Tiger Woods won the season-ending Tour Championship at East Lake Golf Club for the second time.
April 14, 2019: Masters Victory
On April 14, 2019, Tiger Woods won the Masters, his first major championship win in eleven years and his 15th major overall.
October 2019: Announcement of Memoir "Back"
In October 2019, Tiger Woods announced he would be writing a memoir book titled "Back".
2019: Sale of The Cliffs at High Carolina Site
In 2019 the 800-acre site of The Cliffs at High Carolina golf course was sold for $19.3 million after construction was suspended.
2019: Tiger Woods Wins 2019 Masters
In 2019, Tiger Woods won the Masters Tournament, achieving his first major win in 11 years.
September 28, 2021: Launch of "Iconic Fist Pumps Collection" NFT
On September 28, 2021, Tiger Woods' first digital Non-fungible token (NFT) collection, the "Iconic Fist Pumps Collection," launched on the DraftKings Marketplace in collaboration with Autograph.io. This collection offered 10,000 digital pictures of Tiger Woods' iconic moments, some accompanied by his official digital signature, granting fans unique access to exclusive content and events.
August 2022: Formation of TGL
In August 2022, Woods, along with Rory McIlroy, Mike McCarley, and the PGA Tour, announced the formation of TGL, a six-team virtual golfing league.
2022: Woods returned to play at the Masters Tournament
In 2022, Woods returned to play in his first professional tournament since his 2021 motor vehicle crash at the Masters Tournament. He finished in 47th place.
2022: Woods Net Worth over One Billion Dollars
In 2022, Woods was the first golfer to have a net worth over one billion dollars, making him one of the richest celebrities.
January 8, 2024: Woods Parts Ways with Nike
On January 8, 2024, 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: Launch of "Sun Day Red" Apparel Line
On February 12, 2024, Tiger Woods, in partnership with TaylorMade, announced his golf apparel line, "Sun Day Red," which features his signature red shirt.
2024: Listing of The Cliffs at High Carolina Land
In 2024, 550 acres of The Cliffs at High Carolina site was listed for sale for about $19.3 million, showing development plans are still on file.
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