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Top 20 Sensational Facts about Tiger Woods

*Originally published by  Diana K on April 2022 and Updated by Vanessa R on May 2023 and Updated by DianaK  in January 2024

Eldrick Tont Woods, better known as Tiger Woods, was born on December 30, 1975, in Cypress, California, the only child of an African American Army officer father and a Thai mother.

He is the first golfer of African American or Asian descent to win the Masters Tournament, one of the most prestigious events in golf.

If you are a fan of sports, you have probably heard the name Tiger Woods.

His sensational play since he burst onto the scene over 25 years ago has made him an absolute icon of world sport.

He is one of the richest golfers in the world. Tiger Woods became a real legend and made a lot of contributions to the development of golf.

However, when you look into his life away from the fairways and the greens, he is an intriguing character and there are many things that you may not have known.

From career highs to scandalous past, we will dive into every detail. Let鈥檚 have a look at interesting facts about this person.

1.  Tiger Woods is a Buddhist

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Tiger’s mother, Kultida raised him as a Buddhist and as a child, he actively practised the Buddhist faith.

However, in 1996, Woods said that he did not agree with every Buddhist teaching, but he still practised it.

Woods practised meditation and had attended the temple with his mother.

The aspect of Buddhism that appealed to him most was inner growth through spirituality.

Woods has fallen back on his religion after his near-death accident in February 2021.

In 2010 after admitting to sexual addiction and  marital infidelity his Buddhist faith played a key part in his quest to put his life back together.

Tiger definitely made the faith get more attention in media.

2. Tiger Woods Overcame Childhood Stuttering

Tiger Woods told CBS’s 60 Minutes that it takes hard work and a competitive spirit to overcome childhood stuttering.

 “The words got lost, you know, somewhere between the brain and the mouth. And it was very difficult, but I fought through it. I went to a school to try and get over that, and I just would work my tail off,” Woods told the news program.

He used to speak to his dog in order to train himself not to stutter and this personal challenge became a motivation to achieve other goals.

Tiger Woods is a good example of how many hours of practice and hard work to win in sports are no different from the long hours spent in therapy for stuttering.

3. His Father was his Best Friend

In an interview with his father Earl Photo by K Kassen-

Tiger’s dad Earl Wood was a star baseball player at Kansas State and had a military career with the special forces in Vietnam.

Earl picked up golf after his retirement from the military  and when he became a father for the last time, his son Tiger would watch him hit balls from his high chair.

As soon as Tiger could stand, he was swinging a golf club. Under Earl’s tutelage, he went on to the most storied amateur career in golf history.

Tiger Woods is on record for saying his dad was his best friend and greatest role model.

According to him, he was an amazing dad, coach, mentor, soldier, husband and friend

His death in 2006 was a great tragedy for the sportsman.

4. Tiger is not his Real Name

Although Tiger is a great name to have, it was not the name he was given at birth.

Woods’s first name, Eldrick, was chosen by his mother because it began with “E” (for Earl) and ended with “K” (for Kultida). His middle name Tont is a traditional Thai name.

As the middle name, it is a traditional Thai name, which his mother hails from, loosely translating to mean “beginning” in English.

One of Earl Woods’ Army buddies during the Vietnam War was a South Vietnamese soldier named Col. Vuong Dang Phong.

Phong’s nickname was Tiger, and Earl began calling his son that as a homage to him.

Woods has never changed his name formally to Tiger, with documents relating to his divorce from Elin Nordegren referring to him as Eldrick Tont Woods.

The initials ETW, are what Woods has used as the name of one of his companies, ETW Corporation and continues to use Eldrick Tont on all official records had never legally changed to Tiger.

5. Tiger Woods Started Playing Golf Very Young

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Just at 18 months, Earl used to take Tiger to the practice range at the Navy course. Using a cut-down iron, he emptied buckets. Then played his first hole on a par-4, 410-yard hole, recording an 11.

 At 2 Years Tiger got his first media exposure. Los Angeles sports anchor Jim Hill did a piece on Tiger, concluding, “This young man is going to be to golf what Jimmy Connors and Chris Evert are to tennis.”

Tiger enters a pitch-and-putt competition for kids 10 and under–and wins.

At age 3  he Broke 50 on nine holes for the first time, shooting a 48 on the Destroyer Course at the Navy facility. Jack Nicklaus didn’t break 50 for nine holes until he was 9.

At the age of 4, Tiger hooked up with his first pro, Rudy Duran, who runs a junior program at Heartwell Golf Park.

By the age of 5 years, Tiger gets his first set of clubs. Duran has them properly fitted.

He also appeared on  That’s Incredible, sitting on host Fran Tarkenton’s lap.

6. Tiger was the Youngest Champion Wins Coveted Green Jacket

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In 1997, at the age of 21, Tiger Woods stunned the golf world by winning the prestigious Masters Tournament, slipping on the iconic green jacket that is reserved for those skilled and poised enough to conquer Augusta National. With his record-shattering performance, Woods became the youngest player ever to capture a Masters title, breaking a record that had stood for over 40 years.

His groundbreaking victory signaled the dawn of a new era in golf dominated by his raw talent and competitive fire. Woods took the golf world by storm with his historic win, carding an 18-under-par 270 over 72 holes to finish 12 strokes ahead of Tom Kite.

His combination of power, precision, creativity and steely composure was unmatched by any player of his generation. By winning at such a young age on golf’s biggest stage, Woods served notice of his impending  greatness in the sport.

7. The Historic 鈥淭iger Slam鈥� Cemented Woods鈥� Dominance

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During a span from 2000 to 2001, Woods achieved a feat that is now known reverently as the 鈥淭iger Slam,” winning four major golf championships in a row 鈥� the 2000 U.S. Open, the 2000 Open Championship, the 2000 PGA Championship and the 2001 Masters Tournament. By claiming victory in four consecutive majors within a single season, Woods accomplished a milestone unparalleled in modern golf history.

This unprecedented display of dominance across all four majors cemented his status as an all-time legend of the sport. During his ‘Tiger Slam,’ Woods consistently showcased his immense talent under pressure, combining power and touch with a mental fortitude rarely witnessed on the course.

His signature fist pumps and emotion after sinking his final putts revealed the passion and desire fuelling his relentless pursuit of golf immortality. Woods’ feats may never be replicated.

8. Woods was World No.1 for 13 Years!

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Woods holds the record for the longest time atop the Official World Golf Rankings at 683 weeks, more than 13 years, between 15 June 1997 and 17 May 2014.

His time ranked No.1 is more than double that of anyone else, Greg Norman spending a total of 331 weeks at the top.

Tiger鈥檚 five-year-long streak between 12 June 2005 and 30 October 2010, 281 weeks in total, is the longest consecutive period as World No.1.

9. Tiger is One of the Richest Sportsmen in the World

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Tiger Woods is a skilled sportsman and he is considered to be the second richest African-American sportsman.

In his prime, Tiger was the best golfer the world had ever seen. Winning the U.S. Open Championship by 15 shots, the British Open by 11, the Masters by 12, and the 鈥淭iger Slam鈥� are just a few of the things that separate him from the others.

Tiger has made more than $1.4 billion since turning pro in 1996 and became the first sports billionaire.

Forbes has been tracking athlete earnings since before Tiger turned pro. Woods had earned a cumulative $895 million going into 2009.

 This amount was calculated from prize money, appearance fees, endorsements, bonuses and his golf course design business.

He is second to the basketball great Michael Jordan but the latter鈥檚 estimates begin from 1984.

10. Tiger Woods is a Golf Hall of Famer

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During his career, Woods has broken many golfing records, establishing himself as the greatest golfer of all time.

He made a record 142 consecutive cuts and was No. 1 in the Official World Golf Ranking for a record 683 weeks.

Tiger won a record 11 PGA Tour Player of the Year Awards. 

The American took 359 starts to achieve this milestone, according to the PGA Tour Stats Report, making for a record win percentage of 22.80%.

The induction ceremony took place the night before the first round of the 2022 Players Championship in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, at the PGA Tour鈥檚 Global Home headquarters.

The other 2022 inductees include Susie Maxwell Berning, who was the 1964 LPGA Tour Rookie of the Year and won 11 times including four majors, including three U.S. Women鈥檚 Open, former PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem and Marion Hollins, who was recognized posthumously.

Hollins won the 1921 U.S. Women鈥檚 Amateur and became known as a visionary golf course developer and architect.

These four bring the total number of Hall of Fame members to 164.

11. Tiger Woods is a Published Author.

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When not on the golf course Tiger Woods鈥� unwinds by reading books by Dean Koontz.

He likes reading and enjoys Koontz鈥檚 horror books and has often spoken about the same as well.

On many occasions during his career, he has put on clinics and tutorials for many golf fans to watch as he offered his pearls of wisdom. In 2011, he wrote “How I Play Golf“, a golf instruction booklet that sold over a million copies.

In the book, he revealed the five secrets to his amazing success – a combination of physical, metaphysical and psychological practices he uses daily to keep his game in top shape.

He published the second title The 1997 Masters: My Story (2017) To mark the anniversary of his historic win at the 1997 Masters, Tiger Woods will for the first time reflect on the record-setting win both on and off the course.

12.  In his 20鈥檚  Tiger Wood Ammased 46 PGA Tour Wins.

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In the early years of Woods’ career, he was simply unstoppable.

Woods reaches this milestone with 46 PGA Tour victories and 10 major championships.

His lifelong benchmark and the man widely acknowledged as the greatest golfer ever, Nicklaus, won 30 times before turning 30, including seven majors.

Woods鈥� 46 PGA Tour wins while in his 20s alone would put him 8th on the all-time list. Jack Nicklaus is second on that list with 30 wins in his 20s.

13. Red Shirt Sundays was a Tiger Woods Thing

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Woods is renowned in golf circles for wearing his trademark red shirt and black pants during the final rounds of tournaments, a competitive superstition that traces back to his college golf days. By continuing the tradition as a professional, his bold red top has become a symbol of his near-supernatural ability to separate from the field on Sundays. Red Shirt Sundays have coincided with over a third of Woods鈥� staggering 82 PGA Tour victories, associating the color with his dominance when tournament hardware is on the line. 

14. Tiger has Contributed Generously to Youth Causes

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Off the golf course, Woods has demonstrated a deep commitment to philanthropy, particularly for programs and initiatives aimed at providing educational access to underserved youth populations. In 1996, he founded the Tiger Woods Foundation shortly after turning professional.

The organization that has since funded college scholarships, built youth centers and enabled over 5 million hours of community outreach. Through generous apportions of his time, name recognition and personal wealth, Woods has bettered the lives of countless young people.

15. A Presidential Medal  of Honor Recipient for his Unmatched Resolve 

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In 2019, President Donald Trump recognized Wood’s unprecedented golf achievements and personal resilience by awarding him the Presidential Medal of Freedom. The honor placed Woods in rarefied company amongst a handful of athletic legends who have received America鈥檚 highest civilian honor in acknowledgment of their cultural influence beyond sports.

For Woods, the timing held special meaning as it came on the heels of turbulent years marked by career-threatening injuries and personal scandal, lending profound weight to his comeback. The ceremony highlighted not just his GOAT credentials as a golfer, but also his unmatched mental resolve.

16. Tiger Woods was the Comeback King

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Throughout his legendary yet turbulent career, Woods demonstrated almost superhuman resilience, determination and perseverance to overcome obstacles that would have defeated lesser athletes. His dramatic comeback from personal scandal, career-threatening injuries and decade-long major drought to win the electrifying 2019 Masters completed one of the sports’ most improbable redemptions. After plummeting from the pinnacle of athletic fame into a pit of physical brokenness and public shaming, Woods once again clawed his way back to glory through sheer will and defiant persistence.

17. Tiger Woods was so Good Golf Courses were made 鈥淭iger-Proof鈥�

Woods irrevocably altered the landscape of professional golf, forcing Augusta National and other major venues to undergo drastic changes to contain his dominance. With his unprecedented length off the tee and peerless precision, Woods laid waste to venerable courses built for a different era. In an effort dubbed “Tiger-proofing,” architects added hundreds of yards in distance, shifted doglegs, narrowed fairways and steepened greens. However, while these changes posed a formidable test for Woods’ challengers, he continued capturing victories at aclip that solidified him as possibly the most talented player to ever wield a 9-iron.

18. He Defied Convention with an Unorthodox Swing Molded for Greatness

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While Tiger crafted his game around resisting conformity and forging his own path, nothing embodied that renegade mentality more than his defiantly unorthodox swing. Though analysts urged him to smooth out his violent torque and recoil, Woods understood his  sequence uniquely harnessed his athletic gifts for maximum power.

Ultimately, he trusted in his progeny, refusing to compromise the mechanics that unleashed awe-inspiring drives and forged legends in hazard-lined pits across the world. In the end, Tiger’s signature swing bucked tradition yet achieved transcendental greatness 鈥� much like the man himself.

19. Tiger鈥檚 Entry to Golf Forever Changed the Game鈥檚 Trajectory 

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In 1996, the 20-year-old prodigy delivered a historic season that rattled the sports world and served notice that a revolutionary, once-in-a-lifetime talent had arrived to permanently alter golf’s trajectory. With two tour wins and a record-shattering, barrier-destroying performance at Augusta that lapped the field by 12 strokes.

Woods earned Rookie of the Year in dominant fashion while launching his aura to mythical proportions. This phenomenal debut season propelled his unprecedented ascent towards becoming the youngest Master’s champion, holder of all four major titles and the most culturally-impactful golfer since Arnold Palmer.

20. The Most Sensational Fact about Tiger Woods is his Never-Give-Up Attitude

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While Tiger’s legendary capacity for sheer perseverance powered repeated comebacks from injuries, setbacks and personal demons that would have permanently broken other athletes, his intense quest for greatness also inflicted a devastating physical toll.

After multiple knee surgeries and the 2017 spinal fusion that resurrected his career, Woods emerged resembling a fallen warrior who sacrificed his prime battling the game’s most demanding arena. However, despite scarcely resembling the physical dynamo of his youth, Tiger‘s resolve could not be extinguished 鈥� he continued chasing history as the sport’s preeminent embodiment of mind ruling over matter.

5 Famous Golf Moments with Tiger

1. Youth in Revolt at the 1999 PGA Championship

In 1999, it appeared that 23-year-old Tiger Woods may lose to his skilled opponent after entering the final round with a meagre two-stroke advantage over 19-year-old Sergio Garcia. After trailing Garcia by one stroke, Woods pushed deep and made the big plays. He somehow escaped from a tree, setting off a dramatic conflict between two rising talents.

2. Buckling Down at the 2000 PGA Championship

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The biggest danger to Tiger’s early lead in the 2000 PGA Championship came from Bob May. After a heated battle, the two entered a nail-biting playoff, where May would lose to Tiger’s strength. Tiger won the match once more following a birdie on the opening hole of the playoffs and two consecutive holes in which he finished even with May. His first encounter with hardship.

3. 2000 U.S. Open Was Never Even Close

Tiger Woods’ performance at the 2000 U.S. Open was possibly his most powerful effort to date, not that he ever let an excited crowd down. Woods made 110 putts en route to ending with the widest margin of victory in a Major and became the only golfer at that particular competition to finish under par (-12). (72 holes). With a combined score of +3, Miguel Angel Jim茅nez and Ernie Els tied for second place.

4. Forgetting How to Win at the 2008 U.S. Open

Tiger found himself requiring a birdie on the last hole to force a postseason after stumbling through much of the event, which he naturally hit. He once more required a birdie on the last hole to force a win during the Monday playoff. Two strikes… On the 91st hole, Woods finally overcame Rocco Mediate to earn his final Major victory.

5. A Historic Shot at the 2005 Masters

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Tiger Woods appeared eager to reclaim his power at the 2005 Masters despite not having won a Major since the 2002 U.S. Open. When a playoff was necessary because of Chris DiMarco’s missed putt on the 16th hole and Woods’ two bogeys, the legendary player once more emerged victorious. DiMarco’s game would be over with a birdie on the opening hole.

Tiger Woods’ impact on golf and sports, in general, is immeasurable. His legacy extends far beyond the fairways and greens, encompassing records, accolades, and a profound influence on the game. As the golfing world continues to evolve, Tiger Woods remains a towering figure, forever etched in the annals of sporting history.

In addition to his talent, Tiger Woods achieved something in the sport that no one had achieved before. That was to bring this traditionally elite sport closer to the most popular sectors. His charisma and his passion were key elements in his career.