Tiger Woods's Success and Achievements in Timeline

A closer look at the biggest achievements of Tiger Woods. Awards, milestones, and records that define success.

Tiger Woods is an American professional golfer, considered one of the greatest of all time. He is tied for first in PGA Tour wins, second in men's major championships, and holds numerous golf records. Woods is an inductee of the World Golf Hall of Fame and is one of the most famous athletes in modern history.

Sections (6)

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

1984: Junior World Golf Championships Win

In 1984, at age eight, Tiger Woods won the 9-10 boys' event at the Junior World Golf Championships.

1986: Jack Nicklaus Wins Masters

In 1986, Jack Nicklaus was the oldest golfer ever to win the Masters at 46.

1988: Junior World Championships

In 1988, Tiger Woods won the Junior World Championships.

1991: Southern California Amateur Player of the Year

In 1991, Tiger Woods was named the Southern California Amateur Player of the Year, and the Golf Digest Junior Amateur Player of the Year.

1991: Junior World Championships

In 1991, Tiger Woods won the Junior World Championships.

1992: Second U.S. Junior Amateur Title

In 1992, Tiger Woods successfully defended his U.S. Junior Amateur title, becoming the event's first two-time winner. He also competed in his first PGA Tour event, the Nissan Los Angeles Open.

1994: Youngest U.S. Amateur Winner

In 1994, at TPC Sawgrass in Florida, Tiger Woods became the youngest winner of the U.S. Amateur.

1995: U.S. Amateur Title

In 1995, Tiger Woods defended his U.S. Amateur title at the Newport Country Club in Rhode Island and was voted Pac-10 Player of the Year, NCAA First Team All-American, and Stanford's Male Freshman of the Year.

1996: 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.

April 13, 1997: Won 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: Won 1997 Masters

In April 1997, Tiger Woods won the Masters Tournament by 12 strokes, setting a record.

June 1997: Reached World Number One

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

August 1999: Began Record-Setting Reign at World Number One

In August 1999, Tiger Woods began his record-setting reign as the world's top-ranked golfer, holding the position for 264 consecutive weeks.

1999: Laser Eye Surgery

In 1999, Tiger Woods underwent successful laser eye surgery to correct his severe myopia and immediately resumed winning tour events.

1999: Ryder Cup Win

In 1999, Tiger Woods was a member of the winning United States team at the Ryder Cup.

1999: Swing Changes Begin Paying Off

In 1999, the swing changes made with Butch Harmon began to yield positive results for Tiger Woods.

1999: Finished Season with Eight Wins

Tiger Woods finished the 1999 season with eight wins, including the PGA Championship, a feat not achieved since Johnny Miller did it in 1974.

2000: Laureus World Sportsman of the Year and BBC Overseas Sports Personality of the Year

In 2000, Tiger Woods was named the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year, becoming the inaugural recipient of the award. He also received the BBC Overseas Sports Personality of the Year.

2000: Six Consecutive PGA Tour Wins

In 2000, Tiger Woods won six consecutive events on the PGA Tour, the longest winning streak since Ben Hogan in 1948. He also won the U.S. Open, breaking or tying nine tournament records.

2000: Consecutively won all four major championships

Tiger 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: Laureus World Sportsman of the Year

In 2001, Tiger Woods was named the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year for the second consecutive year.

2001: The "Tiger Slam"

In 2001, when Tiger Woods won the Masters, he became the only player to win four consecutive major professional golf titles, an achievement known as the "Tiger Slam".

2001: Consecutively won all four major championships

Tiger 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: Continued Dominance

2002 marked another stellar year for Tiger Woods as he continued to dominate the tour.

2004: Success on the Green

Tiger Woods won at least one major every year until 2004.

June 2005: Returned to World Number One

In June 2005, Tiger Woods reclaimed the world's top ranking in golf.

2005: Rebounded

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 over the first half of the year.

2006: Successes and Loss

In 2006, Tiger Woods started dominantly, winning his first two PGA tournaments. Following his father's death in May, he took time off and later won six consecutive tour events, ending the year with 54 total wins that included 12 majors.

2006: iF Product Design Award for TAG Heuer Watch

In 2006, the TAG Heuer Professional Golf Watch won the prestigious iF product design award in the Leisure/Lifestyle category.

August 20, 2007: Induction into California Hall of Fame Announced

On August 20, 2007, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and his wife Maria Shriver announced that Tiger Woods would be inducted into the California Hall of Fame.

December 5, 2007: Induction into California Hall of Fame

On December 5, 2007, Tiger Woods was officially inducted into the California Hall of Fame at The California Museum for History, Women and the Arts in Sacramento.

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 then returned for the 2008 U.S. Open, where he secured a dramatic victory after an 18-hole playoff, despite his knee injury. Two days later, he announced that he would miss the rest of the season for further knee surgery, revealing a more severe knee injury than initially reported.

2009: Associated Press Athlete of the Decade

In 2009, Tiger Woods was named "Athlete of the Decade" by the Associated Press.

April 2010: Return to Golf

In April 2010, Tiger Woods returned to professional golf after a hiatus.

2012: Putting Adjustment and PGA Tour Win

In 2012, after struggling in early tournaments, Tiger Woods revised his putting technique and achieved a low final-round score at The Honda Classic. Following a leg injury, he won the Arnold Palmer Invitational, his first PGA Tour win since the BMW Championship in September 2009. He then secured his 73rd PGA Tour win at the Memorial Tournament in June, tying Jack Nicklaus, and later surpassed Nicklaus with a win at the AT&T National.

March 2013: Returned to Number One Ranking

In March 2013, Tiger Woods returned to the number one position in the world golf rankings.

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.

2013: Dominating Play and World Ranking Return

The year 2013 marked a return to dominating play for Tiger Woods. In January, he won the Farmers Insurance Open, his 75th PGA Tour win. In March, he won the WGC-Cadillac Championship, and two weeks later, the Arnold Palmer Invitational. The wins moved him back to the top of the world rankings. Nike launched an ad with the tagline "winning takes care of everything".

2013: Victory at the Players Championship

Tiger Woods's victory at the 2013 Players Championship also marked a win in his 300th PGA Tour start.

January 2018: Return to Regular Competition

In January 2018, Tiger Woods returned to regular competition after a period of injuries and limited play.

March 11, 2018: Valspar Championship Finish

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

September 2018: Won the Tour Championship

In September 2018, Tiger Woods won the Tour Championship, marking his first victory 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, securing his 80th PGA Tour victory. He won by two strokes over Billy Horschel.

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. At age 43, he became the second oldest golfer to win the Masters.

May 2019: Received Presidential Medal of Freedom

In May 2019, Tiger Woods received the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

October 2019: Zozo Championship Victory

In October 2019, Tiger Woods won the Zozo Championship, marking the first-ever PGA Tour event played in Japan. Woods held at least a share of the lead after every round, securing a three-stroke victory over Hideki Matsuyama. This win was Woods's 82nd on the PGA Tour, tying him with Sam Snead for the most victories of all time.