Widely regarded as the greatest golfer of all time, Woods enjoyed a successful junior, college and amateur golf career, before turning to the professional game in 1996 and immediately signing advertising deals with Nike and Titleist that ranked as the most lucrative endorsement contracts in golf history at that time.
He won in only his fifth PGA Tour start at the Las Vegas Invitational before picking up a second title just two weeks later at the Walt Disney Classic, redefining a game that had never been dominated by a black golfer. The 46 year old has gone on to win 82 PGA Tour titles, including 15 Majors, as well as becoming the only modern pro to win all four Major titles in succession, taking the U.S. Open, Open Championship and PGA Championship in 2000 and the Masters Tournament in 2001.
Here, we take a look at seven of his most memorable moments that have shaped the career of the G.O.A.T.
Not only did Tiger Woods break racial barriers by winning his maiden Major at the 1997 Masters, he also set 20 Masters records and tied seven others in what was his arrival on the world stage. The greatest of those records was perhaps the margin of victory – a whopping 12 shots over Tom Kite in second while becoming the youngster ever winner of the event at just 21 years old.
Peak Tiger arguably started with his resounding victory at Pebble Beach, where he stormed to an unprecedented 15 stroke victory over his nearest rival – It was a display of dominance unrivaled in more than 125 years of Major Championship golf. After taking the lead during the opening round, Woods never looked back as he shattered records on the way to victory. He became the first player in the event’s history to finish in double figures under par, and a margin of victory that beat the previous Major record of 13 strokes held by Old Tom Morris at the 1862 Open Championship. Tiger would go on to win the next three Majors, which was later coined as the ‘Tiger Slam’.
Woods donned the iconic Green Jacket for a fourth time in 2005, where his play-off triumph over Chris DiMarco will always be remembered for a remarkable moment at the par-three 16th. After finding the rough at the back of the 16th green with a poor tee shot, Woods had left some 50-feet from the pin and facing a difficult up-and-down to save par. But this is Tiger Woods we’re talking about. The game’s greatest golfer pitched to some 20 feet to the left of the hole, before watching the ball feed down the slope towards the flag. Just as it was about to disappear into the cup, it came to agonising rest on the lip for what seemed an eternity, only for it then to drop in for a miraculous birdie and secure arguably the most famous shot in golfing history.
Remember when Tiger won a Major after playing 91 holes with a broken leg and a torn anterior cruciate ligament? Woods’ orthopedic doctor advised him not to play the U.S. Open because he could do permanent damage after being diagnosed with a double stress fracture in his left tibia along with a torn ACL. Woods was having none of it. After grimacing his way through the first 48 holes, Woods found some magic on the back nine in the third round to claim the 54-hole lead. A messy final round left him needing birdie on the 72nd hole to tie Rocco Mediate. Tiger duly delivered. An 18-hole play-off the following day still couldn’t split the pair but Woods edged the Italian on the first hole of sudden death to seal an astonishing triumph. Not long after Woods underwent surgery and was sidelined for seven and a half months.
Less than a year after being ranked 1,199 in the world after spinal fusion surgery, Woods produced the unthinkable by winning the PGA Tour’s season-ending Tour Championship for his first victory in five years. Thousands of fans ran on to the 18th fairway to follow Woods after his approach found a bunker on the edge of the green. The American star finished with a par to post an 11 under par total, before holding his arms aloft in celebration as the emotional victory sunk in.
Woods well and truly announced his return with a scintillating victory at Augusta National to secure his 15th Major triumph, and his first since the U.S. Open triumph in 2008. There were wild celebrations around the 18th green as Woods finished with a two-under-par 70 to win on 13 under, one clear of fellow Americans Dustin Johnson, Xander Schauffele and Brooks Koepka.
With the PGA Tour heading to Japan for the very first time, no one expected Woods to secure his 82nd Tour victory after coming off his fifth knee surgery just two months before, but Woods is no ordinary golfer. He would go on to post 64-64-66-67 to beat home favourite Hideki Matsuyama by three strokes, all while tying Sam Snead’s record of 82 PGA Tour victories – the most in history.
