Challenges in the Life of Tiger Woods in a Detailed Timeline

A closer look at the defining struggles that shaped Tiger Woods's life and career.

Tiger Woods is a highly decorated American professional golfer, tied for the lead in PGA Tour wins and second in major championships. Celebrated as one of golf's all-time greats and a prominent athlete, he holds numerous records and is a World Golf Hall of Fame inductee.

Sections (6)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals

1998: Lackluster Season

1998 was a lackluster season for Tiger Woods. In that year he did not perform to the best of his abilities.

2003: Tiger's slump in 2003

During his slump in 2003, the scores of highly skilled golfers are nearly one stroke higher when playing against Woods.

2003: No Major Win

In 2003, Tiger Woods did not win a major championship, marking a slump in his otherwise dominant career.

September 2004: Loses Top World Ranking

In September 2004, Tiger Woods lost the top spot in the Official World Golf Ranking, ending his impressive streak of 264 consecutive weeks at number one.

2006: Dominant start to the year, wins and family tragedy

In 2006, Tiger Woods started the year dominantly by winning his first two PGA tournaments. In May 2006, following the death of his father, Woods took time off from the tour and returned at the U.S. Open but missed the cut. He quickly regained form, winning six consecutive tour events and finishing the year with 54 total wins, including 12 majors.

2007: Undergoes Second Laser Eye Surgery

In 2007, Tiger Woods underwent laser eye surgery for a second time after his vision began to deteriorate again, aiming to maintain his competitive edge.

April 2008: Knee Surgery and U.S. Open Victory

In April 2008, Tiger Woods underwent knee surgery and missed two months of the tour. He returned for the 2008 U.S. Open and won a dramatic sudden-death victory over Rocco Mediate, followed by an 18-hole playoff. Two days later, Woods announced that he would miss the rest of the season due to further knee surgery.

November 2008: Groundbreaking at The Cliffs

In November 2008, after a groundbreaking, The Cliffs at High Carolina project suffered cash flow problems and suspended construction.

November 2009: Infidelity Allegations and Car Accident

In November 2009, the National Enquirer published a story alleging Tiger Woods had an extramarital affair with Rachel Uchitel. Shortly after, on November 27, Woods crashed his Cadillac Escalade SUV near his Florida mansion, resulting in minor injuries and a careless driving ticket.

December 2009: Takes Hiatus from Golf

In December 2009, Tiger Woods took a self-imposed hiatus from professional golf to address marital issues, a personal challenge that impacted his career.

December 2009: Sponsorship Deals Re-Evaluated

In December 2009, after Woods admitted to multiple infidelities, companies like Accenture, AT&T, Gatorade, and General Motors ended their sponsorship deals. TAG Heuer dropped Woods from advertising.

2009: Comeback and Marital Infidelity

In 2009, Tiger Woods had a highly anticipated return to golf and performed well, including a strong showing at the 2009 Presidents Cup. However, he failed to win a major, the first time since 2004. At the end of 2009, his marital infidelities became public, and he announced an indefinite break from competitive golf in December.

2009: Factors Behind Project Problems

In 2009, problems encountered by Tiger Woods' design projects were attributed to overly optimistic estimates, declines in the global economy, and decreased marketability following his infidelity scandal.

2009: Gatorade discontinues Gatorade Tiger

In early fall 2009, Gatorade decided to discontinue the "Gatorade Tiger" drink due to weak sales.

February 2010: Golf Digest Suspends Woods' Column

In February 2010, Golf Digest magazine suspended Tiger Woods's monthly column, beginning with the February 2010 issue.

February 2010: Televised Apology and Endorsement Losses

In February 2010, Tiger Woods delivered a televised apology for his behavior, admitting he was wrong and foolish. During this period, several companies ended their endorsement deals with Woods.

February 19, 2010: Televised Statement and Apology

On February 19, 2010, Tiger Woods gave a televised statement in which he apologized for his actions and discussed his 45-day therapy program, which began at the end of December. He also said he didn't know when he would be returning to golf.

August 23, 2010: Divorce from Elin Nordegren

After six years of marriage, Tiger Woods and Elin Nordegren divorced on August 23, 2010.

October 2010: Loses Top World Ranking Again

In October 2010, Tiger Woods's second long run as the top-ranked golfer in the world ended, marking a shift in the professional golf landscape.

2010: Return to Competition, Coaching Changes, and Winless Season

In 2010, Tiger Woods returned to competition at the Masters, finishing tied for fourth. He had poor performances at subsequent events, leading to Hank Haney's resignation as his coach. Woods hired Sean Foley as Haney's replacement. He failed to win a single event in 2010, though he finished the season ranked No. 2 in the world.

April 2011: Al Ruwaya Golf Course Shelved

In April 2011, The New York Times reported that The Tiger Woods Dubai project had been shelved permanently.

August 2011: TAG Heuer Ends Deal

In August 2011, TAG Heuer officially ended their deal with Tiger Woods when his contract expired.

November 2011: Falls to Number 58 in World Rankings

In November 2011, Tiger Woods experienced a significant drop in the world rankings, falling to number 58, reflecting the challenges he faced during that period.

2011: Suffering Performance, Caddie Change, and Victory at Chevron World Challenge

In 2011, Tiger Woods's performance continued to decline, impacting his ranking. He missed several PGA Tour stops due to leg injuries and fired his longtime caddie, Steve Williams. He ended his winless streak with a victory at December's Chevron World Challenge.

2013: Elbow Injury, Poor Showing at U.S. Open, and WGC-Bridgestone Invitational Win

In 2013, Tiger Woods had a poor showing at the U.S. Open due to an elbow injury. He later returned at the Open Championship and finished tied for 6th. He won the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational for his 5th win of the season. However, he was not in contention at the PGA Championship, making 2013 his fifth full season without winning a major.

2013: Dissolution of Partnership

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

March 2014: Injury at The Honda Classic and Skipping Arnold Palmer Invitational

In March 2014, Tiger Woods sustained an injury during the final round of The Honda Classic and withdrew from the tournament due to back pain. He then skipped the Arnold Palmer Invitational at the end of March 2014.

May 2014: Loses Number One Ranking

In May 2014, Tiger Woods's time at the top of the world rankings came to an end, marking a period of challenges and setbacks in his career.

2014: Missed Masters Tournament

In 2014, Tiger Woods missed the Masters due to a back problem.

2014: Multiple Back Surgeries

Tiger Woods underwent his fourth back surgery since 2014 to alleviate back and leg pain.

February 5, 2015: Withdrawal from Farmers Insurance Open Due to Back Injury

On February 5, 2015, Tiger Woods withdrew from the Farmers Insurance Open due to another back injury. He stated it was unrelated to his previous surgery and would take a break from golf until his back healed.

August 2015: Last Tournament Before Injury

August 2015 marks the last tournament Tiger Woods competed in before a series of injuries and surgeries sidelined him, impacting his career trajectory.

September 16, 2015: Back Surgery

On September 16, 2015, Tiger Woods underwent back surgery.

March 2016: Missing Masters Tournament

In late March 2016, Tiger Woods announced that he would miss the Masters as he recovered from back surgery.

December 2016: Back Surgery and Time Off

In December 2016, Tiger Woods underwent back surgery and spent the next 15 months off the Tour.

May 29, 2017: Arrested for DUI

On May 29, 2017, Tiger Woods was arrested for driving under the influence near his home in Jupiter Island, Florida. He was found asleep in his car, which was stationary in a traffic lane with its engine running. He later stated that he took prescription drugs and did not realize how they might interact together.

July 3, 2017: Completes Intensive Program

On July 3, 2017, Tiger Woods tweeted that he completed an out-of-state intensive program to tackle an unspecified issue.

August 9, 2017: Arraignment for DUI

At his arraignment on August 9, 2017, Tiger Woods had his attorney submit a not guilty plea for him, agreed to take part in a first-time driving under the influence offender program, and agreed to attend another arraignment on October 25.

October 27, 2017: Pleads Guilty to Reckless Driving

At a hearing on October 27, 2017, Tiger Woods pleaded guilty to reckless driving and received a year of probation, a $250 fine, 50 hours of community service, regular drug tests, and was prohibited from drinking alcohol during his probation.

2017: Undergoes Back Surgeries

Between 2014 and 2017, Tiger Woods underwent four back surgeries, impacting his ability to compete and raising questions about his future in golf. 2017 was the last year of back surgeries.

2017: Continued Back Problems and Fourth Back Surgery

In 2017, Tiger Woods's back problems persisted. He missed the cut at the Farmers Insurance Open, pulled out of a European Tour event in Dubai, and announced he would not play in the 2017 Masters Tournament. In April 2017, he underwent his fourth back surgery since 2014.

August 2019: Woods undergoes knee surgery

In August 2019, Tiger Woods announced via social media that he underwent knee surgery to repair minor cartilage damage and had an arthroscopic procedure during the Tour Championship. He confirmed he was walking and planned to play in Japan in October.

2019: Sale of Cliffs at High Carolina Site

In 2019, the 800-acre site of The Cliffs at High Carolina was sold for $19.3 million.

December 2020: Woods undergoes back surgery

In December 2020, Tiger Woods underwent microdiscectomy surgery on his back for the fifth time to alleviate nerve pain experienced during the PNC Championship.

February 23, 2021: Hospitalized After Car Accident

On February 23, 2021, Tiger Woods was hospitalized after a single-car collision and underwent emergency surgery for serious leg injuries, posing significant challenges to his career.

2021: Woods involved in motor vehicle crash

In 2021, Tiger Woods was involved in a motor vehicle crash, which impacted his career and led to a period of recovery before returning to professional play.

2024: Listing of Portion of Cliffs at High Carolina Site

In 2024, 550 acres of the Cliffs at High Carolina were listed for about $19.3 million, with development plans still on file, but no evidence of Tiger Woods's involvement has been found.