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 an American professional golfer, considered one of the greatest of all time. He is tied for first in PGA Tour wins and ranks second in men's major championships, holding numerous golf records. Woods is a World Golf Hall of Fame inductee and a globally recognized athlete.

Sections (6)

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

1998: Lackluster Season

In 1998, Woods had a lackluster season.

2003: Slump Begins

In 2003, Tiger Woods' career hit a slump, as he did not win a major.

September 2004: Loses Top Ranking

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: Last Major Win Until 2009

In 2009, Tiger Woods failed to win a major, the first year since 2004 that he did not do so.

2006: Dominant Performance and Father's Death

In 2006, Tiger Woods began the year dominantly, winning his first two PGA tournaments, but took time off after the death of his father in May.

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

In April 2008, Tiger Woods underwent knee surgery and missed two months of the tour. Despite struggling on the first day of the 2008 U.S. Open, he went on to win in a dramatic sudden death victory. Two days later, he announced he would miss the rest of the season for more knee surgery.

October 2008: Announcement of Punta Brava Course

In October 2008, Tiger Woods Design announced a third course in Punta Brava, Mexico, but the project faced delays due to permitting and environmental impact study issues.

November 2008: Groundbreaking for The Cliffs at High Carolina

In November 2008, Tiger Woods Design broke ground on The Cliffs at High Carolina project; however, construction was later suspended due to cash flow problems.

November 2009: Woods's Car Accident and Subsequent Actions

In November 2009, Tiger Woods faced a series of events: the National Enquirer published a story alleging an extramarital affair, followed by Woods crashing his Cadillac Escalade SUV near his home. He received a ticket for careless driving and later announced he would not appear at his charity golf tournament due to injuries.

December 2009: Hiatus from Golf

In December 2009, Woods took a self-imposed hiatus from professional golf to resolve marital issues.

December 2009: Companies Re-Evaluated Relationships

In December 2009, following Woods' admission of multiple infidelities, companies like TAG Heuer dropped Woods from advertising, and a study estimated the shareholder loss to be between $5 billion and $12 billion. Nike and Electronic Arts continued their support.

2009: Comeback, Infidelity Scandal, and Break from Golf

In 2009, Tiger Woods had a comeback to golf, performing well including at the 2009 Presidents Cup, but failed to win a major. After marital infidelities came to light, Woods announced in December 2009 that he would be taking an indefinite break from competitive golf.

2009: Al Ruwaya Golf Course Expected Completion

In 2009, the Al Ruwaya Golf Course was initially expected to finish construction.

2009: Factors Attributed to Project Problems

In 2009, various Tiger Woods Design projects encountered problems attributed to factors such as overly optimistic estimates of their value, declines throughout the global economy, and the decreased appeal and marketability of Woods following his infidelity scandal.

2009: Gatorade Tiger Discontinued

In early fall of 2009, Gatorade discontinued the "Gatorade Tiger" sports drink due to weak sales.

February 2010: Al Ruwaya Golf Course Stalled

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

February 2010: Golf Digest Suspended Woods's Column

In February 2010, Golf Digest magazine suspended Tiger Woods's monthly column, following Woods's admission of multiple infidelities.

February 2010: Televised Apology and Endorsement Losses

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

February 19, 2010: Woods Gave Televised Statement

On February 19, 2010, Tiger Woods gave a televised statement in which he apologized for his actions and spoke about undergoing a 45-day therapy program that began at the end of December. He admitted to feeling entitled and taking temptations around him for granted.

August 23, 2010: Woods and Nordegren Divorced

On August 23, 2010, Tiger Woods and Elin Nordegren divorced after six years of marriage.

October 2010: Loses Top Ranking Again

In October 2010, Woods lost the number one ranking in the Official World Golf Ranking again.

2010: Return to Competition and Coaching Changes

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, his coach since 2003, resigned, and Woods hired Sean Foley as his replacement. Woods failed to win a single event in 2010.

April 2011: Al Ruwaya 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.

August 2011: End of TAG Heuer Deal

In August 2011, TAG Heuer officially ended their deal with Tiger Woods when his contract expired, following their initial suspension of advertising featuring him in December 2009.

November 2011: World Ranking Drops

In November 2011, Woods's world ranking fell to number 58.

2011: Ranking Decline, Injury, and Caddie Change

In 2011, Tiger Woods's performance continued to suffer, impacting his ranking. He tied for fourth at the Masters but missed several summer stops due to leg injuries. He fired his caddie Steve Williams and eventually hired Joe LaCava. His ranking fell to #58 before rising to No. 50 after a third-place finish. He ended his winless streak at the Chevron World Challenge in December 2011.

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

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 then won the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, his 5th win of the season. However, he did not win a major in 2013, being in contention in only two of the four majors.

2013: Partnership Dissolved

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

March 2014: Injury at The Honda Classic

In March 2014, Tiger Woods sustained an injury during the final round of The Honda Classic and withdrew after the 13th hole due to back pain.

May 2014: Falls from Number One

In May 2014, Woods fell from the number-one ranking.

2014: Masters Absence Due to Back Problems

In March 2016, Tiger Woods announced that he would miss the Masters while recovering from back surgery; he had also missed the 2014 Masters due to a back problem.

2014: Woods's Fourth Back Surgery

On April 20, 2017, Woods announced that he had undergone his fourth back surgery since 2014 to alleviate back and leg pain. Recovery time required up to six months, meaning that Woods would spend the rest of the year without playing any professional golf.

February 5, 2015: Withdrawal from Farmers Insurance Open

On February 5, 2015, Tiger Woods withdrew from the Farmers Insurance Open due to another back injury.

August 2015: Limited Tournament Appearances

From August 2015 to January 2018, Woods competed in only one tournament.

September 16, 2015: Back Surgery

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

March 2016: Missing the Masters

In late March 2016, Tiger Woods announced that he would miss the Masters while recovering from back surgery; he had also missed the 2014 Masters due to a back problem.

December 2016: Back Surgery

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

May 29, 2017: Woods Arrested for DUI

On May 29, 2017, Tiger Woods was arrested near his home in Jupiter Island, Florida, for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. He was found asleep in his car, which was stationary in a traffic lane with its engine running. Woods later stated he had taken prescription drugs and didn't realize the interaction.

July 3, 2017: Woods Completed Intensive Program

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

August 9, 2017: Woods Pleaded Not Guilty

On August 9, 2017, at his arraignment, Tiger Woods' attorney submitted a not guilty plea for him, and Woods agreed to participate in a first-time DUI offender program and attend another arraignment on October 25.

October 27, 2017: Woods Pleaded Guilty to Reckless Driving

On October 27, 2017, Tiger Woods pleaded guilty to reckless driving. He received a year of probation, a $250 fine, and was ordered to undergo 50 hours of community service along with regular drug tests. He was prohibited from drinking alcohol during probation and faced 90 days in jail with an additional $500 fine for violations.

2017: Multiple Back Surgeries

Between 2014 and 2017, Tiger Woods underwent four back surgeries due to injuries.

2017: Continued Back Problems and Fourth Back Surgery

In 2017, Tiger Woods continued to struggle with back problems, missing events and ultimately undergoing his fourth back surgery since 2014. Recovery time meant he would spend the rest of the year without playing professional golf. He returned to competitive golf at the Hero World Challenge.

January 2018: Drops out of Top 1000

By January 2018, Woods dropped off the list of the world's top 1,000 golfers.

August 2019: Knee Surgery

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

2019: Sale of The Cliffs at High Carolina Site

In 2019, the 800-acre site of The Cliffs at High Carolina was sold for $19.3 million after the project suffered cash flow problems and suspended construction.

December 2020: Woods Undergoes Fifth Microdiscectomy Surgery

In December 2020, Tiger Woods underwent microdiscectomy surgery on his back for the fifth time to remove a pressurized disc fragment causing him pain.

February 23, 2021: Car Accident and Hospitalization

On February 23, 2021, Tiger Woods was hospitalized in serious but stable condition after a single-car collision and underwent emergency surgery to repair compound fractures sustained in his right leg in addition to a shattered ankle.

2023: Herman Filed Suit Against Woods

In early 2023, Erica Herman filed suit against Tiger Woods in relation to a non-disclosure agreement, alleging it violated the Speak Out Act and claiming she was owed $30 million due to breached oral agreements.

2024: Listing of Land from The Cliffs at High Carolina

In 2024, 550 acres of the original 800-acre site of The Cliffs at High Carolina was listed for about $19.3 million, indicating that development plans were still on file.