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Tiger Woods's Biography

 
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Who is Tiger Woods?

Eldrick Woods, better known as Tiger Woods, was born on December 30, 1975 in Cypress, California.

He took the nickname "Tiger" after a friend of his father's in Vietnam.

Tiger Woods at a young age has broken an incredible number of golfing records.

Woods is the only player to have won both the U.S. Junior Amateur and Amateur titles. In fact, he won the U.S. Junior Amateur Championships in 1991, 1992, and 1993, and the U.S. Amateur title in 1994, 1995, and 1996

Tiger Woods played in his first professional tournament in 1992, at 16; and turned pro in 1996.

In 1997, Tiger Woods became the youngest player to win the Masters and the youngest-ever No. 1 golfer when he was 21 years old.

He continued to win consistently and in July 2000, Tiger Woods won the British Open, becoming the youngest player ever to win all four major titles: the PGA Championship, the Masters, the U.S. Open, and the British Open.

2004 saw a relative downturn in his fortunes and pundits started to question Woods's decision to stop working with swing coach Butch Harmon. It was with Harmon that Tiger Woods had won his eight majors.

In the 2004 Ryder Cup, there was general amazement when Tiger Woods was paired with Phil Mickelson. In his book, "In Search of Tiger", Tom Callahan states:

"When Mickelson took a paternity break at the end of 2001 and the beginning of 2002 somebody asked, 'What's he been doing for the last five months?' Tiger answered: 'Breast feeding.'"

In 2004, Tiger married 24 year old, Elin Nordegren. They first met at the British Open when Elin was nannying for Swedish golfer Jesper Parnevik in 2001.

Tiger Woods has earned multi-millions of dollars from prize money and sponsorship, but he has also spent a significant sum on the Tiger Woods Learning Center in Anaheim, California.

When Tiger's father Earl Woods died in May 2006, Tiger acknowledged his central role:

"My dad was my best friend and greatest role model, and I will miss him deeply. I wouldn't be where I am today without him."

In June 2006, Tiger Woods played in the first tournament since his father's death - the US Open - and missed the cut in a major for the first time in his professional career.

However, almost immediately Tiger was back on the winning trail winning the Open at Hoylake in July 2006. It was his third Open title and his 11th career major, to tie with Walter Hagen with the second highest number of major wins. Although the figure is seven behind Jack Nicklaus's haul of 18, Tiger Woods reached 11 two years younger than Nicklaus.

He followed up by winning the Buick Open, thereby, at 30, becoming the youngest player to reach 50 PGA Tour wins.

Tiger Woods continued to notch up major victories and in August 2007 he won his 13th major with victory in the USPGA.

Tiger Woods lists his hobbies as diving, spear fishing and physical fitness. His favourite music is Van Halen, U2 and Prince; and Tiger's role models are Earl Woods, Kultida Woods, Michael Jordan, Charlie Sifford, and the late Bill Lazier, who lectured in the business department at Tiger's college.

In February 2008, Tiger Woods won his third WGC Match Play Championship title with a record 8&7 win over Stewart Cink.

It was Tiger's sixth straight tournament success. He then followed up by winning the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

In June 2008, Tiger Woods, playing with an injured knee, won the US Open. It was his 14th major title.

In February 2009, Tiger Woods and Elin Nordegren had a son, Charlie Axel Woods, a brother for their daughter Sam Alexis, who was born in June 2007.

On 25 February 2009, Tiger Woods returned to professional golf after eight months out with a knee injury, when he competed at the WGC Accenture Match Play Championship.

On 29 March 2009, Woods quickly returned to winning ways, when he won the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

On 7 June 2009, Tiger Woods won the Memorial Tournament. It was his 67th PGA Tour victory.

Woods continued to notch up the titles and on 13 September 2009, he won his 71st PGA Tour victory with a win at the BMW Championship in Illinois.

On 2 December 2009, following a car crash the previous week, Tiger Woods got embroiled in controversy surrounding his personal life and released a statement on his website apologising to his family, admitting 'transgressions'.

Ten days later, Tiger Woods announced that he was taking an indefinite break from golf in order to "try to repair the damage done" to his family, saying: "I am deeply aware of the disappointment and hurt that my infidelity has caused to so many people, most of all my wife and children."

On 19 February 2010, Tiger Woods made a public statement in which he offered apologies for his infidelity, explained that he was in therapy, saying: "I was unfaithful. I had affairs. I cheated. What I did is not acceptable, and I am the only person to blame."

On 11 April 2010, Tiger Woods finished in a tie for fourth in the Masters on his return to golf after taking five months off.

On 20 June 2010, Tiger Woods matched his Masters performance when he came joint fourth with Phil Mickelson in the US Open.

In August 2010 Tiger Woods and Elin Nordegren announced they had divorced.

In July 2011, Tiger Woods announced that he was parting company with Steve Williams, who had been his caddie since 1999.

In March 2012, Tiger Woods won the Arnold Palmer Invitational. It was his first PGA Tour title since September 2009.

In March 2013, Tiger Woods won at the World Golf Championships tournament at Doral. It was his second victory of 2013.

At the end of November 2016, Tiger Woods, ranked 879 in the world,  having recovered from various back surgeries, returned to golf to take part in his own tournament, the 18-man Hero World Challenge.

He finished 15th.

It was the first time Woods had competed since the 2015 Wyndham Championship, 470 days previously.

In January 2017, Tiger Woods missed the cut at the Farmers Insurance Open.

In February 2017, he pulled out of the Dubai Desert Clasic with a back problem after hitting a 5 shot over par first round.

In April 2017, it was reported that Woods would be out of action for about 6 months following back surgery.

In May 2017, was arrested on a driving under the influence charge.

In July 2017, Tiger Woods revealed that he finished an intensive course to help with managing his medication.

Woods was found to have five drugs in his system at the time of his arrest, nevertheless he pleaded not guilty to the driving under the influence charge.

In October 2017, Tiger Woods pleaded guilty to reckless driving and was sentenced to a year's probation.

In March 2018, Tiger Woods finished joint second in the Valspar Championship.

His return to form was confirmed when he finished second in the US PGA Championship in August 2018.

On 23 September 2018, Tiger Woods won the season-ending Tour Championship by two shots.

It was his first win in five years and his 80th PGA tour title.

In November 2018, Tiger lost to Phil Mickelson n a head-to-head match for $9m.

On 14 April 2019, Tiger Wood won the Masters. It was heralded as one of sport's greatest comebacks.

It was his fifth Green Jacket and his first major win in 11 years - his first since having four operations on his back.

On 28 October 2019, Tiger Woods equalled the PGA Tour record of 82 tournament wins with victory at the Zozo Championship.

In December 2019, he won all three of his matches as captain of the US team in the Presidents Cup.

In December 2020, Tiger Woods and son Charlie finish seventh at PNC Championship exhibition event.

In February 2021 he was involved in a bad car crash and new surgery for his leg injuries.




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