Winning fifteen major championships marks Tiger Woods down as the second-greatest in tally behind the great Jack Nicklaus. However, with his domination of the sport that saw him win the PGA Money list on ten occasions between 1997 and 2013, he is widely recognized as the best at top-rated sportsbooks!
How Did It All Begin?
Tiger Woods was a precocious talent from a young age, as his father Edrick (Earl), an ex-marine, drilled a work ethic into him that had never been seen before in the sport. This meant from an early age Woods was honed to be the greatest golfer ever and indeed he found himself in the public eye from the age of two.
Wood’s Amateur Achievements Have No Equals
Everyone knew that Tiger Woods was a phenomenon and not only was his professional career one of domination and excellence, but so were his amateur days.
The United States Amateur is the pinnacle of amateur golf and Woods amazingly won it three consecutive times between 1994 and 1996, a feat that he achieved previously in the United States Junior Championship.
Tiger Woods’ 1997 Masters Triumph
1997 saw Tiger Woods announce himself on the world stage for his first Green Jacket at the Masters Tournament with a spell-binding performance that saw his win by a record 12 strokes from Tom Kite at the remarkably young age of twenty-one.
Tiger Woods’ Major Championships
- Masters Tournament: 1997, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2019
- PGA Championship: 1999, 2000, 2006, 2007
- U.S. Open: 2000, 2002, 2008
- Open Championship: 2000, 2005, 2006
His fourteenth and penultimate major championship win was in the 2008 U.S. Open when defeating Rocco Mediate in an epic 18-hole play-off. Winning with an injured leg was the prelude to an era when Woods’ appearances on Tour were decimated. He did, however, return briefly and won the 2009 and 2013 money. Eventually, the injuries had a knock-on effect, meaning Woods played less than 25 times in the next four seasons.
2018 Saw the Comeback Begin
2018 saw Tiger Woods injury-free for the first time since 2013 and he began to climb back up the world rankings. In fact, his world ranking had plummeted to an all-time low of 1199 in late 2017.
The climb back towards the summit was rather swift in 2018, as Woods won the Tour Championship in the fall to reach #13. His career comeback was completed in April of 2019.
The Masters Tournament has often been the scene of the golfing greats returning for their one last hurrah! Most golf fans with long memories will always remember Jack Nicklaus’ inspirational back-nine to win his final major championship at the age of forty-six.
In 2019, lightning struck twice, when at the age of forty-three, it was Woods turn for a last dance, as his name loomed on the leaderboard amongst the modern-day stars led by Brooks Koepka. The Californian held strong at the end like his old day, and one by one his rivals fell away, leaving Woods clear for one final emotional walk down eighteen and a fifth Green Jacket in the iconic Butler Cabin. Woods shared the moment with his two children, son Charlie and daughter Sam, who were now old enough to share the special moment with their father.
What Does the Future Hold for Tiger Woods?
Last week at the U.S. Open, a deflated Tiger Woods admitted it was possible this year’s event could be his last!
We hope not, but we understand how difficult the last couple of years have been for Tiger Woods after his car crash in February 2021, which shattered both legs leaving him with many surgeries and a long convalesce.
Those injuries have left a visible disfigurement to his right leg and have taken a huge toll on the champion’s ability to play at the highest level. Indeed, he has remodeled his swing to neutralize his previous athletic leg movements through the shot.
Not only that, but it has also looked like a struggle at times for Woods to walk the course and it would be understandable if he chooses to retire in the immediate future.
Tiger Woods’ Legacy
Regardless of what the future holds for Tiger Woods, he has been golf’s greatest champion and the majority of his feats and achievements look like they will never be broken. It will be understandable if Woods chooses to retire, and if he does, those iconic images of his first and last Masters will live long in the memory bank of the most iconic of images in sport.
