Woods had his debut with fame when he was just two years old. The young golf prodigy appeared on “The Mike Douglas Show” in 1978, winning a laying competition with comedian Bob Hope.
Woods, age 6, reaches the size of a pitcher in Los Alamitos, California, in 1982. His real name is Eldrick, but his father named him “Tiger” after a South Vietnamese soldier who fought alongside him during the Vietnam War.
Woods and his father, Earl, celebrated after the 15-year-old Tiger won the U.S. Amateur Junior Championships in 1991. He won the event in 1992 and 1993 as well.
Woods, aged 16, competed at the 1992 Los Angeles Open. That was his first PGA Tour taste, albeit an amateur. He missed cutting 36 holes.
Woods played for the United States during the Amateur World Cup, which was held in France in 1994.
Woods hits a tee during the 1995 Walker Cup, an international team event.
Woods speaks to the media after winning the US Amateur third place in 1996. Throughout his life, Woods has worn red on the last day of a major tournament.
Woods played two years of golf at Stanford University. He won the NCAA singles golf title in 1996.
Woods turned pro in August 1996, and it didn’t take long for him to win his first championship. Six weeks after he announced he was going to be a professional – with a popular Nike “Hello, world” ad campaign – Woods won the Las Vegas Invitational invitation. That earned him such a big selection, a two-year waivers on the PGA Tour and a place on the Masters the following year.
Woods made history at the 1997 Masters, blasting the court by 12 strokes to win his first major. At that time, the master’s degree was also very low with 18 degrees below average.
Woods embraces his father, Earl, after winning the 1997 Masters. A former Green Beret, Earl is credited with developing his son’s incredible talent and propelling him to be the ultimate contender.
Woods arriving at Hamburg Airport, Germany, in May 2000.
Woods plays a ninth-lane shot during the 2000 US Open in Pebble Beach, California. Woods won the tournament by 15 shots, a record for any major. It was Woods’ third major title at this point; He also won the 1999 PGA Championship.
A month after the US Open, Woods won the 2000 British Open at Old Course in St Andrews, Scotland. That gave him a Grand Slam run – a win in each of the four different disciplines – at the age of 24.
Woods got off the hook at the 2000 PGA Championship in Louisville, Kentucky. Throughout his career, Woods has always had the biggest showrooms, with thousands of people flocking from hole to hole to watch him play. He has also been credited with bringing millions of new fans to the sport.
Woods reacts when he sinks a blow during a playoff match at the 2000 PGA Championship. Woods defeated Bob May in the playoff to win his third consecutive major championship.
Fans watch Woods blast off on the 18th hole at the 2001 Masters. Woods went on to win the event and complete what is now called Tiger Slam – four consecutive major titles.
Woods speaks with golf legend Jack Nicklaus at the Memorial Championships in June 2001. The two are widely considered the greatest golfers in history, and only Nicklaus has won titles greater than Woods.
Woods arrives in a military vehicle before a golf fair in Fort Bragg, North Carolina, in 2004. Woods spent the week training with the Army before hosting a junior golf clinic for the Tiger Woods Foundation. Woods’ father, Earl, was stationed at the base in the 1960s.
Woods and Phil Mickelson line up during the final round of the Ford Championship in March 2005. For most of Woods’ career, Mickelson was considered his biggest competitor.
Woods celebrates with his boxer, Steve Williams, after his famous chips at the 2005 Masters. Woods went on to win his fourth green jacket.
Woods embraces Williams after winning the British Open in Holick, England in 2006. It was Woods’ first major win since his father’s death just two months ago.
Woods stands with his mother, Kultida, and daughter, Sam, as a statue of him and his father is unveiled at Tiger Woods Education Center in Anaheim, California, in January 2008.
Woods had a broken leg and torn a ligament in his knee, but he won a playoff against Rocco Medet at the 2008 US Open. It was his third US Open win and his 14th title.
President Barack Obama hosted Woods in the Oval Office of the White House in April 2009.
Woods hits a bullet during the PGA Championship practice round in August 2009.
Woods holds his daughter, Sam, as he and his wife Eileen attend a soccer game at Stanford in November 2009. Woods married Elaine, a model, in 2004. The couple also has a son, Charlie.
Woods plays virtual golf with talk show host Jimmy Fallon in 2011.
Woods flirted with great golfer Arnold Palmer after his victory at the Bay Hill Invitational in March 2013 and regained his place as the best golfer in the world.
Woods falls to the ground in pain after being shot at by Barclays in August 2013. A few months later, he will have back surgery for a pinched nerve.
From left, Woods, Jason Dufner and Mickelson spend time at Muirfield Village Golf Club, where the Presidents Cup was being held in Dublin, Ohio, in October 2013.
Woods kissed his then-girlfriend, ski star Lindsey Vonn, at an event in Beaver Creek, Colorado, in 2015. The two dated for two years.
Woods led the US team to victory in the Presidents Cup in December 2019.
Woods during the second round of the Masters in November 2020.
“Infuriatingly humble internet trailblazer. Twitter buff. Beer nerd. Bacon scholar. Coffee practitioner.”
