The Titleholders Championship was a women's golf tournament played from in 1937 to 1966 and again in 1972. It was later designated a major championship by the LPGA Tour .
127-522: The Titleholders Championship was founded in 1937. Like the Masters Tournament for men, which began a few years earlier, it was played in Augusta, Georgia , but at Augusta Country Club , not at the adjacent Augusta National Golf Club . The winners of various amateur and professional events were invited to take part, although most of the competitors were amateurs. There were very few women professionals at
254-514: A double eagle win a large crystal bowl. For each eagle a player makes, they receive a pair of crystal goblets. Winners also have their names engraved on the actual silver Masters trophy. The runner-up receives a silver medal, introduced in 1951. Beginning in 1978, a silver salver was added as an award for the runner-up. In 1952, the Masters began presenting an award, known as the Silver Cup, to
381-418: A plant nursery since 1857. Jones hired Alister MacKenzie to help design the course, and work began in 1931. The course formally opened in 1933, but MacKenzie died before the first Masters Tournament was played. The first "Augusta National Invitation Tournament", as the Masters was originally known, began on March 22, 1934, and was won by Horton Smith , who took the first prize of $ 1,500. The present name
508-832: A 48 over nine holes at the Navy course. At age five, he appeared in Golf Digest and on ABC 's That's Incredible! Before turning seven, Woods won the Under Age 10 section of the Drive, Pitch, and Putt competition, held at the Navy Golf Course in Cypress. In 1984 at the age of eight, he won the 9–10 boys' event, the youngest age group available, at the Junior World Golf Championships . He first broke 80 at age eight. He went on to win
635-489: A 5-year, $ 105 million contract extension with Nike, which was the largest endorsement package signed by a professional athlete at that time. Woods's endorsement has been credited with playing a significant role in taking the Nike Golf brand from a "start-up" golf company earlier in the previous decade to becoming the leading golf apparel company in the world and a major player in the equipment and golf ball market. Nike Golf
762-488: A break from golf until his back healed. He returned for the Masters , finishing in a tie for 17th. In the final round, Woods injured his wrist after his club hit a tree root. He later stated that a bone popped out of his wrist, but he adjusted it back into place and finished the round. Woods then missed the cut at the 2015 U.S. Open and Open Championship , the first time Woods missed the cut at consecutive majors, finishing near
889-477: A deal reportedly worth $ 40 million. Woods collaborated closely with TAG Heuer to develop the world's first professional golf watch, which was released in April 2005. The lightweight, titanium -construction watch, incorporates features to facilitate wearing the watch while playing the game. It is capable of absorbing up to 5,000 Gs of shock, far in excess of the forces generated by a normal golf swing. In 2006,
1016-449: A family-friendly atmosphere. In 2008, the event was televised for the first time by ESPN . The winner of the par 3 competition, which is played the day before the tournament begins, wins a crystal bowl. As with the other majors, winning the Masters gives a golfer several privileges which make his career more secure. Masters champions are automatically invited to play in the other three majors (the U.S. Open , The Open Championship , and
1143-425: A golf course after his retirement from the game. He sought advice from Clifford Roberts, who later became the chairman of the club. They came across a piece of land in Augusta, Georgia , of which Jones said: "Perfect! And to think this ground has been lying here all these years waiting for someone to come along and lay a golf course upon it." The land had been an indigo plantation in the early nineteenth century and
1270-463: A grueling 18-hole playoff against Tommy Jacobs and Gay Brewer . This made Nicklaus the first player to win consecutive Masters. He won again in 1972 by three strokes. In 1975, Nicklaus won by one stroke in a close contest with Tom Weiskopf and Johnny Miller in one of the most exciting Masters to date. Player became the first non-American to win the Masters in 1961 , beating Palmer, the defending champion, by one stroke when Palmer double-bogeyed
1397-470: A little over a month before he died. In 2007, Arnold Palmer took over as the honorary starter. Palmer also had the honor in 2008 and 2009. At the 2010 and 2011 Masters Tournaments , Jack Nicklaus joined Palmer as an honorary co-starter for the event. In 2012, Gary Player joined them. Palmer announced in March 2016 that a lingering shoulder issue would prevent him from partaking in the 2016 tee shot. Palmer
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#17328523436351524-597: A low of #58. He rose to No. 50 in mid-November after a third-place finish at the Emirates Australian Open , and broke his winless streak with a victory at December's Chevron World Challenge . Woods began his 2012 season with two tournaments (the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship and the AT&;T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am ) where he started off well but struggled on the final rounds. Following
1651-638: A major. Woods returned to the winner's circle for the 80th time in his PGA Tour career on September 23, 2018, when he won the season-ending Tour Championship at East Lake Golf Club for the second time and that tournament for the third time. He shot rounds of 65–68–65–71 to win by two strokes over Billy Horschel . On April 14, 2019, Woods won the Masters , which was his first major championship win in eleven years and his 15th major overall. He finished 13 under par to win by one stroke over Dustin Johnson , Xander Schauffele and Brooks Koepka . At age 43, he became
1778-613: A prolonged break because of the injury, during which he missed the Greenbrier Classic and his own AT&T National , he returned at the Open Championship at Muirfield . Despite being in contention all week and beginning the final round only two strokes behind Lee Westwood , he struggled with the speed of the greens and could only manage a 3-over-par 74 that left him tied for 6th place, five strokes behind eventual winner Phil Mickelson . Two weeks later, Woods returned to form at
1905-457: A record eight times. Woods has the record of leading the money list in ten different seasons. He has won 15 professional major golf championships (trailing only Jack Nicklaus , who leads with 18) and 82 PGA Tour events (tied for first all time with Sam Snead ). Woods leads all active golfers in career major wins and career PGA Tour wins. Woods is the fifth (after Gene Sarazen , Ben Hogan , Gary Player and Jack Nicklaus ) player to achieve
2032-625: A record-breaking performance. He reached number one in the Official World Golf Ranking for the first time in June 1997, less than a year after turning pro. Throughout the first decade of the 21st century, Woods was the dominant force in golf. He was the top-ranked golfer in the world from August 1999 to September 2004 (264 consecutive weeks) and again from June 2005 to October 2010 (281 consecutive weeks). During this time, he won 13 of golf's major championships. The next decade of Woods's career
2159-430: A remarkable 45-yard pitch shot to birdie the second playoff hole. Mize thus became the first Augusta native to win the Masters. In 1996, Norman tied the course record with an opening-round 63 and had a six-stroke lead over Nick Faldo entering the final round. However, he stumbled to a closing 78 while Faldo, his playing partner that day, carded a 67 to win by five shots for his third Masters championship. Norman also led
2286-611: A result of the Shoal Creek Controversy . Non-Americans collected 11 victories in 20 years in the 1980s and 1990s, by far the strongest run they have had in any of the three majors played in the United States since the early days of the U.S. Open. The first European to win the Masters was Seve Ballesteros in 1980. Nicklaus became the oldest player to win the Masters in 1986 when he won for the sixth time at age 46. During this period, no golfer suffered more disappointment at
2413-475: A second time. In 2000, Woods won six consecutive events on the PGA Tour, which was the longest winning streak since Ben Hogan did it in 1948. One of these was the U.S. Open , where he broke or tied nine tournament records in what Sports Illustrated called "the greatest performance in golf history", in which Woods won the tournament by a record 15-stroke margin and earned a check for $ 800,000. At age 24, he became
2540-485: A shot, he was still present and received a standing ovation from the crowd. Two-time Masters champion Tom Watson joined Nicklaus and Player, starting in 2022. The Champions' Dinner is held each year on the Tuesday evening preceding Thursday's first round. The dinner was first held in 1952, hosted by defending champion Ben Hogan, to honor the past champions of the tournament. At that time 15 tournaments had been played, and
2667-490: A spectacular performance at the 2009 Presidents Cup , but he failed to win a major, the first year since 2004 that he did not do so. After his marital infidelities came to light and received massive media coverage at the end of 2009 (see further details below), Woods announced in December that he would be taking an indefinite break from competitive golf. In February 2010, he delivered a televised apology for his behavior, saying "I
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#17328523436352794-415: A stroke. Mickelson also won the tournament in 2006 and 2010. In 2011, unheralded South African Charl Schwartzel birdied the final four holes to win by two strokes. In 2012, Bubba Watson won the tournament on the second playoff hole over Louis Oosthuizen . In 2013 Adam Scott won the Masters in a playoff over 2009 champion Ángel Cabrera , making him the first Australian to win the tournament. Watson won
2921-500: A strong showing at the 2011 Masters , where he tied for fourth place. Due to leg injuries incurred at the Masters, he missed several summer stops on the PGA Tour. In July, he fired his longtime caddie Steve Williams (who was shocked by the dismissal), and replaced him on an interim basis with friend Bryon Bell until he hired Joe LaCava. After returning to tournament play in August, Woods continued to falter, and his ranking gradually fell to
3048-464: A tradition of honoring amateur golf . It invites winners of the most prestigious amateur tournaments in the world. Also, the current U.S. Amateur champion always plays in the same group as the defending Masters champion for the first two days of the tournament. Amateurs in the field are welcome to stay in the "Crow's Nest" atop the Augusta National clubhouse during the tournament. The Crow's Nest
3175-439: Is 1,200 square feet (110 m ) with lodging space for five during the competition. Since 1963, the custom in most years has been to start the tournament with an honorary opening tee shot at the first hole, typically by one or more legendary players. For a number of years before 1963, Jock Hutchison and Fred McLeod had been the first pair to tee off, both being able to play as past major championship winners. However, in 1963
3302-529: Is one of the fastest growing brands in the sport, with an estimated $ 600 million in sales. Woods has been described as the "ultimate endorser" for Nike Golf, frequently seen wearing Nike gear during tournaments, and even in advertisements for other products. Woods receives a percentage from the sales of Nike Golf apparel, footwear, golf equipment, golf balls, and has a building named after him at Nike's headquarters campus in Beaverton , Oregon. In 2002, Woods
3429-497: Is originally from Thailand , where Earl met her when he was on a tour of duty there in 1968. She is of mixed Thai, Chinese, and Dutch ancestry. In 2002, ESPN claimed: "For the record, he is one-quarter Thai, one-quarter Chinese, one-quarter African American, one-eighth Caucasian and one-eighth Native American." Tiger has described his ethnic make-up as " Cablinasian " (a syllabic abbreviation he coined from Caucasian, Black, American Indian, and Asian). Woods's first name, Eldrick,
3556-494: Is widely regarded as one of the greatest golfers of all time and is one of the most famous athletes in modern history. He is an inductee of the World Golf Hall of Fame . Following an outstanding junior, college, and amateur golf career, Woods turned professional in 1996 at the age of 20. By the end of April 1997, he had won three PGA Tour events in addition to his first major, the 1997 Masters , which he won by 12 strokes in
3683-624: The 2001 Masters , he became the only player to win four consecutive major professional golf titles, although not in the same calendar year. This achievement came to be known as the "Tiger Slam". Following a stellar 2001 and 2002 in which he continued to dominate the tour, Woods's career hit a slump. He did not win a major in 2003 or 2004. In September 2004, Vijay Singh overtook Woods in the Official World Golf Rankings, ending Woods's record streak of 264 weeks at No. 1. Woods rebounded in 2005, winning six PGA Tour events and reclaiming
3810-515: The 2013 Masters , Woods faced disqualification after unwittingly admitting in a post-round interview with ESPN that he took an illegal drop on the par-5 15th hole when his third shot bounced off the pin and into the water. After further review of television footage , Woods was assessed a two-stroke penalty for the drop but was not disqualified. He finished tied for fourth in the event. Woods won The Players Championship in May 2013, his second career win at
3937-699: The BBC Overseas Sports Personality of the Year , an award given to a non-British sportsperson considered to have made the most substantial contribution to a sport. Domestically, Woods has also been recognized by U.S. publications. He was named Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year a record-tying four times, was named "Athlete of the Decade" by the Associated Press in 2009, and is one of only two people to be named Sports Illustrated ' s Sportsman of
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4064-709: The California Hall of Fame . He was inducted December 5, 2007 at The California Museum for History, Women and the Arts in Sacramento. In May 2019, following his 2019 Masters Tournament win, Woods was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Donald Trump . In 2000 and 2001, Woods was named the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year , becoming the inaugural recipient of the award. In 2000 he received
4191-924: The Hero World Challenge . Woods's back problems continued to hinder him in 2017. He missed the cut at the Farmers Insurance Open in January and pulled out of a European Tour event in Dubai on February 3. On March 31, Woods announced on his website that he would not be playing in the 2017 Masters Tournament despite being cleared to play by his doctors. Woods said that although he was happy with his rehabilitation, he did not feel "tournament ready." Woods subsequently told friends, "I'm done". On April 20, Woods announced that he had undergone his fourth back surgery since 2014 to alleviate back and leg pain. Recovery time required up to six months, meaning that Woods would spend
4318-461: The LPGA , even though the organization was not founded until 1950. (a) - denotes amateur - won in playoff ^ - 54 holes This table lists the golfers who have won more than one Titleholders Championship. This table lists the total number of titles won by golfers of each nationality as a major. Masters Tournament The Masters Tournament (usually referred to as simply the Masters , or as
4445-595: The LPGA Championship . Woods grew up in Orange County, California . He was a child prodigy who was introduced to golf before the age of two by his athletic father Earl Woods. Earl was a single-digit handicap amateur golfer who also was one of the earliest African-American college baseball players at Kansas State University . Woods told reporters he had wanted to be a baseball player like his father but abandoned that goal after tearing his rotator cuff . His father
4572-461: The Memorial Tournament in June, tying Jack Nicklaus in second place for most PGA Tour victories; a month later, Woods surpassed Nicklaus with a win at the AT&T National , to trail only Sam Snead , who accumulated 82 PGA tour wins. The year 2013 brought a return of Woods's dominating play. In January, he won the Farmers Insurance Open by four shots for his 75th PGA Tour win. It was
4699-552: The Official World Golf Ranking . After a lackluster 1998, Woods finished the 1999 season with eight wins, including the PGA Championship , a feat not achieved since Johnny Miller did it in 1974. Woods was severely myopic; his eyesight had a rating of 11 diopters . In order to correct this problem, he underwent successful laser eye surgery in 1999, and he immediately resumed winning tour events. In 2007, his vision again began to deteriorate, and he underwent laser eye surgery
4826-409: The PGA Championship ) for the next five years (except for amateur winners, unless they turn pro within the five-year period), and earn a lifetime invitation to the Masters. They also receive membership on the PGA Tour for the following five seasons and invitations to The Players Championship for five years. Because the tournament was established by an amateur champion, Bobby Jones , the Masters has
4953-591: The Tour Championship in September 2018 and his first major in 11 years at the 2019 Masters . Woods has held numerous golf records. He has been the number one player in the world for the most consecutive weeks and for the greatest total number of weeks of any golfer in history. He has been awarded PGA Player of the Year a record 11 times and has won the Byron Nelson Award for lowest adjusted scoring average
5080-481: The U.S. Masters outside North America) is one of the four men's major golf championships in professional golf . Scheduled for the first full week in April, the Masters is the first major golf tournament of the year. Unlike the other major tournaments, the Masters is always held at the same location: Augusta National Golf Club , a private course in the city of Augusta, Georgia . Amateur golf champion Bobby Jones and investment banker Clifford Roberts founded
5207-709: The WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship , where he was knocked out in the second round by missing a 5-foot putt, Woods revised his putting technique and tied for second at The Honda Classic , with the lowest final-round score in his PGA Tour career. After a short time off due to another leg injury, Woods won the Arnold Palmer Invitational , his first win on the PGA Tour since the BMW Championship in September 2009. Following several dismal performances, Woods notched his 73rd PGA Tour win at
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5334-561: The WGC-Bridgestone Invitational , recording his 5th win of the season and 8th win at the event in its 15-year history. His second-round 61 matched his record score on the PGA Tour and could easily have been a 59 were it not for some short missed birdie putts on the closing holes. This gave him a seven-stroke lead that he held onto for the rest of the tournament. But at the PGA Championship at Oak Hill Country Club, Woods never
5461-630: The Zozo Championship in October 2019, which was the first-ever PGA Tour event played in Japan . Woods, who played a highly publicized skins game earlier in the week at the same course as the Championship, held at least a share of the lead after every round of the rain-delayed tournament, giving him a three stroke victory over Hideki Matsuyama . The win was Woods's 82nd on Tour, tying him with Sam Snead for
5588-407: The cut . However, he quickly returned to form and ended the year by winning six consecutive tour events. At the season's close, Woods had 54 total wins that included 12 majors; he broke the tour records for both total wins and total majors wins over eleven seasons. Woods continued to excel in 2007 and the first part of 2008. In April 2008, he underwent knee surgery and missed the next two months on
5715-490: The 1940s and 1950s. Ben Hogan won the 1951 and 1953 Masters and was runner-up on four occasions. In 1940, Clifford Roberts , chairman of the Masters, stated that the Masters was one of the top tournaments in the United States, if not the biggest. He stated, "I am told that the Masters has outdistanced in attendance both the U.S. Amateur and the PGA ." The tournament was not played from 1943 to 1945, due to World War II . To assist
5842-523: The 1994 NCAA champions. He enrolled at Stanford in the fall of 1994 under a golf scholarship and won his first collegiate event, the 40th Annual William H. Tucker Invitational, that September. He selected a major in economics and was nicknamed " Urkel " by college teammate Notah Begay III . In 1995, he successfully defended his U.S. Amateur title at the Newport Country Club in Rhode Island and
5969-457: The 1999 Masters on the second nine of the final round, only to falter again and finish third behind winner José María Olazábal , who won his second green jacket. Norman finished in the top five at the Masters eight times, but never won. Two-time champion Ben Crenshaw captured an emotional Masters win in 1995, just days after the death of his lifelong teacher and mentor Harvey Penick . After making his final putt to win, he broke down sobbing at
6096-656: The 2014 Masters by three strokes over Jordan Spieth and Jonas Blixt , his second Masters title in three years and the sixth for a left-hander in 12 years. In 2015, Spieth would become the second-youngest winner (behind Woods) in just his second Masters, equaling Woods' 72-hole scoring record. In 2017, Sergio García beat Justin Rose in a playoff for his long-awaited first major title. In 2019, Tiger Woods captured his fifth Masters, his first win at Augusta National in 14 years and his first major title since 2008. The 2020 Masters Tournament , originally scheduled to be played April 9–12,
6223-475: The 72-hole record that had stood for 32 years. In 2001, Woods completed his "Tiger Slam" by winning his fourth straight major championship at the Masters by two shots over David Duval . He won again the following year, making him only the third player in history (after Nicklaus and Faldo) to win the tournament in consecutive years, as well as in 2005 when he defeated Chris DiMarco in a playoff for his first major championship win in almost three years. In 2003,
6350-495: The Augusta National Golf Club was targeted by Martha Burk , who organized a failed protest at that year's Masters to pressure the club into accepting female members. Burk planned to protest at the front gates of Augusta National during the third day of the tournament, but her application for a permit to do so was denied. A court appeal was dismissed. In 2004, Burk stated that she had no further plans to protest against
6477-434: The Augusta National Golf Club. The tournament has a number of traditions. Since the 1949 Masters , a green jacket has been awarded to the champion, who must return it to the clubhouse one year after his victory, although it remains his personal property and is stored with other champions' jackets in a specially designated cloakroom. In most instances, only a first-time and currently reigning champion may remove his jacket from
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#17328523436356604-686: The Champion's Retreat club in Evans, Georgia , with the final two rounds hosted by Augusta National (the final round will take place on the Saturday directly preceding the tournament). Ridley stated that holding such an event at Augusta National would have the "greatest impact" on women's golf. Although concerns were raised that the event would conflict with the LPGA Tour 's ANA Inspiration (which has invited top amateur players to compete), Ridley stated that he had discussed
6731-494: The Junior World Championships six times, including four consecutive wins from 1988 to 1991. Woods's father Earl wrote that Tiger first defeated him at the age of 11 years, with Earl trying his best. He lost to Woods every time from then on. Woods first broke 70 on a regulation golf course at age 12. When Woods was 13 years old, he played in the 1989 Big I, which was his first major national junior tournament. In
6858-514: The Masters Champions Dinner on April 5, 2016. For the first time in his career, he missed all four majors in one year due to problems with his back. In October 2016, he told Charlie Rose on PBS that he still wanted to break Jack Nicklaus's record of 18 major titles. Woods underwent back surgery in December 2016 and spent the next 15 months off the Tour. He made his return to competitive golf in
6985-650: The Masters Tournament. After his grand slam in 1930, Jones acquired the former plant nursery and co-designed Augusta National with course architect Alister MacKenzie . First played in 1934 , the Masters is an official money event on the PGA Tour , the European Tour , and the Japan Golf Tour . The field of players is smaller than those of the other major championships because it is an invitational event, held by
7112-403: The Masters occurred in 1968. Argentine champion Roberto De Vicenzo signed his scorecard (attested by playing partner Tommy Aaron ) incorrectly recording him as making a par 4 instead of a birdie 3 on the 17th hole of the final round. According to the rules of golf, if a player signs a scorecard (thereby attesting to its veracity) that records a score on a hole higher than what he actually made on
7239-410: The Masters than Greg Norman . In his first appearance at Augusta in 1981, he led during the second nine but ended up finishing fourth. In 1986, after birdieing holes 14 through 17 to tie Nicklaus for the lead, he badly pushed his 4-iron approach on 18 into the patrons surrounding the green and missed his par putt for a closing bogey. In 1987, Norman lost a sudden-death playoff when Larry Mize holed out
7366-429: The PGA Tour since 2013. He then tied for sixth with a score of five under par at the 2018 Open Championship . At the last major of the year, the 2018 PGA Championship , Woods finished second, two shots behind the winner Brooks Koepka . It was his best result in a major since 2009 (second at the 2009 PGA Championship ) and moved him up to 26th in the world rankings. His final round of 64 was his best-ever final round in
7493-531: The Sunday immediately preceding the Masters. The driving and chipping portions of the event are held on the course's practice range, and the putting portion has been played on the 18th hole. On April 4, 2018, prior to the 2018 tournament, new Augusta National chairman Fred Ridley announced that the club would host the Augusta National Women's Amateur beginning in 2019. The first two rounds will be held at
7620-712: The TAG Heuer Professional Golf Watch won the prestigious iF product design award in the Leisure/Lifestyle category. Woods also endorsed the Tiger Woods PGA Tour series of video games; he has done so since 1999. In 2006, he signed a six-year contract with Electronic Arts , the series' publisher. In February 2007, Woods, Roger Federer , and Thierry Henry became ambassadors for the " Gillette Champions" marketing campaign. Gillette did not disclose financial terms, though an expert estimated
7747-569: The Wednesday before the tournament starts. The par 3 course was built in 1958. It is a nine-hole course, with a par of 27, and measures 1,060 yards (970 m) in length. There have been 94 holes-in-one in the history of the contest, with a record nine occurring in 2016, during which Rickie Fowler and Justin Thomas scored back-to-back holes in one on the 4th hole, while playing in a group with reigning champion Jordan Spieth . Camilo Villegas became
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#17328523436357874-403: The Year more than once. Since his record-breaking win at the 1997 Masters , Woods has been the biggest name in golf and his presence in tournaments has drawn a huge fan following. Some sources have credited him for dramatically increasing prize money in golf, generating interest in new PGA tournament audiences, and for drawing the largest TV ratings in golf history. His recognition as one of
8001-529: The bottom of the leaderboard both times. He finished tied for 18th at the Quicken Loans National on August 2. In late August 2015, Woods played quite well at the Wyndham Championship finishing the tournament at 13-under, only four strokes behind the winner, and tied for 10th place. Woods offered only a brief comment on the speculation that he was still recovering from back surgery , saying it
8128-528: The car crash, he returned to the PGA Tour at the 2022 Masters . Woods was born on December 30, 1975, in Cypress, California , to Earl and Kultida "Tida" Woods. He is their only child, though he has two half-brothers and a half-sister from his father's first marriage. Earl was a retired U.S. Army officer and Vietnam War veteran. Earl was born to African-American parents and was also said to have had European and Native American descent. Kultida (née Punsawad)
8255-483: The career Grand Slam , and the youngest to do so. He is also the second golfer out of two (after Nicklaus) to achieve a career Grand Slam three times. Woods has won 18 World Golf Championships . He was also part of the American winning team for the 1999 Ryder Cup . In May 2019, Woods was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Trump , the fourth golfer to receive the honor. On February 23, 2021, Woods
8382-462: The club grounds. Sam Snead was the first Masters champion to be awarded the green jacket after he took his first Masters title in 1949. The green jacket is only allowed to be removed from the Augusta National grounds by the reigning champion, after which it must remain at the club. Exceptions to this rule include Gary Player, who in his joy of winning mistakenly took his jacket home to South Africa after his 1961 victory (although he has always followed
8509-489: The club grounds. A golfer who wins the event multiple times uses the same green jacket awarded upon his initial win unless he needs to be re-fitted with a new jacket. The Champions Dinner, inaugurated by Ben Hogan at the 1952 Masters Tournament , is held on the Tuesday before each Masters and is open only to past champions and certain board members of the Augusta National Golf Club. Beginning in 1963, distinguished golfers, usually past champions, have hit an honorary tee shot on
8636-491: The club grounds; each Masters winner becomes an honorary member of the club. The recipient of the green jacket has it presented to him inside the Butler Cabin soon after the end of the tournament in a televised ceremony, and the presentation is then repeated outside near the 18th green in front of the patrons. Winners keep their jacket for the year after their victory, then return it to the club to wear whenever they are present on
8763-401: The club. The club admitted its first two women members, Condoleezza Rice and Darla Moore , in 2012. Augusta National chairman Billy Payne himself made headlines in April 2010 when he commented at the annual pre-Masters press conference on Tiger Woods' off-the-course behavior . "It's not simply the degree of his conduct that is so egregious here," Payne said, in his opening speech. "It is
8890-529: The cut and finished in 47th place at 13-over par, 23 shots behind the winner Scottie Scheffler . In August 2022, Woods, Rory McIlroy , Mike McCarley , and the PGA Tour announced the formation of TGL , a six-team virtual golfing league. In November 2023, Woods revealed himself as an co-owner and player for Jupiter Links Golf Club , founded with investments by David Blitzer . On August 20, 2007, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and his wife Maria Shriver announced that Woods would be inducted into
9017-410: The cut. He next played at The Open Championship , contested at Hoylake, where Woods had won eight years prior. Woods fired a brilliant 69 in the first round to put himself in contention, but shot 77 on Friday and eventually finished 69th. Despite his back pain, he played at the 2014 PGA Championship where he failed to make the cut. On August 25, 2014, Woods and his swing coach Sean Foley parted ways. In
9144-490: The deal could total between $ 10 million and $ 20 million. In October 2007, Gatorade announced that Woods would have his own brand of sports drink starting in March 2008. "Gatorade Tiger" was his first U.S. deal with a beverage company and his first licensing agreement. Although no figures were officially disclosed, Golfweek magazine reported that it was for five years and could pay him as much as $ 100 million. The company decided in early fall 2009 to discontinue
9271-545: The eligibility rules were changed and they were no longer able to compete. The idea of honorary starters was introduced with Hutchison and McLeod being the first two. This twosome led off every tournament from 1963 until 1973 when poor health prevented Hutchison from swinging a club. McLeod continued on until his death in 1976. Byron Nelson and Gene Sarazen started in 1981 and were then joined by Sam Snead in 1984. This trio continued until 1999 when Sarazen died, while Nelson stopped in 2001. Snead hit his final opening tee shot in 2002,
9398-511: The event with commissioner Mike Whan , and stated that he agreed on the notion that any move to bolster the prominence of women's golf would be a "win" for the LPGA over time. The winner of the Augusta National Women's Amateur is exempt from two women's golf majors. The Par-3 contest was first introduced in 1960, and was won that year by Snead. Since then it has traditionally been played on
9525-401: The event, notching his fourth win of the 2013 season. It was the quickest he got to four wins in any season of his professional career. Woods had a poor showing at the 2013 U.S. Open as a result of an elbow injury that he sustained at The Players Championship . In finishing at 13-over-par, he recorded his worst score as a professional and finished 12 strokes behind winner Justin Rose . After
9652-411: The fact he disappointed all of us and more importantly our kids and grandkids." In 2003, Mike Weir became the first Canadian to win a men's major championship and the first left-hander to win the Masters when he defeated Len Mattiace in a playoff. The following year another left-hander, Phil Mickelson , won his first major championship by making a birdie on the final hole to beat Ernie Els by
9779-400: The final hole. In 1974, he won again by two strokes. After not winning a tournament on the U.S. PGA tour for nearly four years, and at the age of 42, Player won his third and final Masters in 1978 by one stroke over three players. Player is currently second in consecutive cuts made with 23 straight (tied with Fred Couples ), and has played in a record 52 Masters. A controversial ending to
9906-530: The final round, he was paired with pro John Daly , who was then relatively unknown. The event's format placed a professional with each group of juniors who had qualified. Daly birdied three of the last four holes to beat him by only one stroke. As a young teenager, Woods first met Jack Nicklaus in Los Angeles at the Bel-Air Country Club , when Nicklaus was performing a clinic for the club's members. Woods
10033-529: The first player to card two holes-in-one in the same round during the 2015 Par 3 Contest. This achievement was duplicated by Séamus Power , who scored back-to-back holes in one on holes 8 and 9 during the 2023 par 3 contest. No par 3 contest winner has also won the Masters in the same year. There have been several repeat winners, including Pádraig Harrington , Sandy Lyle, Sam Snead, and Tom Watson. The former two won in successive years. In this event, golfers may use their children as caddies, which helps to create
10160-400: The four years under Foley, he won eight times but no majors. He had previously won eight majors with Harmon and six with Haney. Woods said there was currently no timetable to find a replacement swing coach. On February 5, 2015, Woods withdrew from the Farmers Insurance Open after another back injury. Woods stated on his website that it was unrelated to his previous surgery and he would take
10287-450: The hole and was consoled and embraced by his caddie. In the post-tournament interview, Crenshaw said: "I had a 15th club in my bag," a reference to Penick. (The "15th club" reference is based on the golf rule that limits a player to carrying 14 clubs during a round.) Crenshaw first won at Augusta in 1984. In 1997, 21-year-old Tiger Woods became the youngest champion in Masters history, winning by 12 shots with an 18-under par 270 which broke
10414-432: The hole, the player receives the higher score for that hole. This extra stroke cost De Vicenzo a chance to be in an 18-hole Monday playoff with Bob Goalby , who won the green jacket. De Vicenzo's mistake led to the famous quote, "What a stupid I am." In 1975 , Lee Elder became the first African American to play in the Masters, doing so 15 years before Augusta National admitted its first black member, Ron Townsend, as
10541-413: The jacket on them. In addition to the green jacket, winners of the tournament receive a gold medal. In 2017, a green jacket that was found at a thrift store in 1994 was sold at auction for $ 139,000. There are several awards presented to players who perform exceptional feats during the tournament. The player who has the daily lowest score receives a crystal vase, while players who score a hole-in-one or
10668-500: The last two holes to prevail. Palmer would go on to win another two Masters in 1962 and 1964. Nicklaus emerged in the early 1960s and served as a rival to the popular Palmer. Nicklaus won his first green jacket in 1963, defeating Tony Lema by one stroke. Two years later, he shot a then-course record of 271 (17 under par) for his second Masters win, leading Bobby Jones to say that Nicklaus played "a game with which I am not familiar." The next year, Nicklaus won his third green jacket in
10795-459: The lowest scoring amateur to make the cut. In 1954, they began presenting an amateur silver medal to the low amateur runner-up. The original trophy weighs over 130 pounds and sits on a four-foot-wide base. It resides permanently at Augusta National and depicts the clubhouse of the classic course. Winners instead receive a replica, which is significantly smaller, stands just 6.5 inches tall and weighs 20 pounds, which they get to keep. The champion and
10922-654: The morning of the first round to commence play. These have included Fred McLeod , Jock Hutchinson , Gene Sarazen , Sam Snead , Byron Nelson , Arnold Palmer , Jack Nicklaus , Gary Player , Lee Elder , and Tom Watson . Since 1960, a semi-social contest on the par-3 course has been played on Wednesday, the day before the first round. Nicklaus has the most Masters wins, with six between 1963 and 1986. Tiger Woods won five between 1997 and 2019. Palmer won four between 1958 and 1964. Five have won three titles at Augusta: Jimmy Demaret , Sam Snead , Gary Player , Nick Faldo , and Phil Mickelson . Gary Player, from South Africa ,
11049-425: The most famous athletes in modern history includes being depicted in a wax sculpture at Madame Tussauds . During the first decade of his professional career, Woods was the world's most marketable athlete. Shortly after his 21st birthday in 1996, he signed endorsement deals with numerous companies, including General Motors , Titleist , General Mills , American Express , Accenture , and Nike . In 2000, he signed
11176-400: The most lucrative endorsement contracts in golf history at that time. Woods was named Sports Illustrated ' s 1996 Sportsman of the Year and PGA Tour Rookie of the Year . On April 13, 1997, he won his first major , the Masters , in record-breaking fashion and became the tournament's youngest winner at age 21. Two months later, he set the record for the fastest ascent to No. 1 in
11303-463: The most victories all time on the PGA Tour. In December 2020, Woods had microdiscectomy surgery on his back for the fifth time. The operation was to remove a pressurized disc fragment that was pinching his nerve and causing him pain during the PNC Championship. Woods returned to play in his first professional tournament since his 2021 motor vehicle crash at the 2022 Masters Tournament . He made
11430-494: The number of past champions was 11. Officially known as the "Masters Club", it includes only past winners of the Masters, although selected members of the Augusta National Golf Club have been included as honorary members, usually the chairman. Tiger Woods Eldrick Tont " Tiger " Woods (born December 30, 1975) is an American professional golfer . He is tied for first in PGA Tour wins , ranks second in men's major championships , and holds numerous golf records . Woods
11557-416: The number-one ranking between March 2013 and May 2014. However, injuries led him to undergo four back surgeries between 2014 and 2017. Woods competed in only one tournament between August 2015 and January 2018, and he dropped off the list of the world's top 1,000 golfers. On his return to regular competition, Woods made steady progress to the top of the game, winning his first tournament in five years at
11684-475: The petition, noting that the hot Georgia summers would create difficult playing conditions. Gene Sarazen hit the "shot heard 'round the world" in 1935, holing a shot from the fairway on the par 5 15th for a double eagle (albatross). This tied Sarazen with Craig Wood , and in the ensuing 36-hole playoff, Sarazen was the victor by five strokes. Byron Nelson won the first of two Masters titles in 1937. Jimmy Demaret won three times as did Sam Snead in
11811-412: The position. In August, Woods hired Sean Foley as Haney's replacement. The rest of the season went badly for Woods, who failed to win a single event for the first time since turning professional, while nevertheless finishing the season ranked No. 2 in the world. In 2011, Woods's performance continued to suffer; this took its toll on his ranking. After falling to No. 7 in March, he rebounded to No. 5 with
11938-410: The purse has grown quickly. Between 2001 and 2014, the winner's share grew by $ 612,000, and the purse grew by $ 3,400,000. In addition to a cash prize, the winner of the tournament is presented with a distinctive green jacket, formally awarded since 1949 and informally awarded to the champions from the years prior. The green sport coat is the official attire worn by members of Augusta National while on
12065-448: The remainder of the season due to additional knee surgery, and that his knee was more severely damaged than previously revealed, prompting even greater praise for his U.S. Open performance. Woods called it "my greatest ever championship." In Woods's absence, television ratings for the remainder of the season suffered a huge decline from 2007. Woods had a much anticipated return to golf in 2009, when he performed well. His comeback included
12192-674: The rest of the year without playing any professional golf. Woods returned to competitive golf at the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas. He shot rounds of 69–68–75–68 and finished tied for 9th place. His world ranking went from 1,199th to 668th, which was the biggest jump in the world rankings in his career. On March 11, 2018, he finished one-shot back and tied for second at the Valspar Championship in Florida, his first top-five finish on
12319-401: The runner-up both have their names engraved on the permanent trophy, solidifying themselves in golf history. The Double Eagle trophy was introduced in 1967 when Bruce Devlin holed out for double eagle on number 8. He was only the second to do so, and the first in 32 years, following Gene Sarazen on hole 15 in 1932. The trophy is a large crystal bowl with "Masters Tournament" engraved around
12446-574: The second oldest golfer ever to win the Masters, after Jack Nicklaus who was 46 when he triumphed in 1986. In August 2019, Woods announced via social media that he underwent knee surgery to repair minor cartilage damage and that he had an arthroscopic procedure during the Tour Championship. In his statement, Woods also confirmed that he was walking and intends on traveling and playing in Japan in October. Woods played in his first 2020 PGA Tour event at
12573-522: The seventh time he won the event. In March, he won the WGC-Cadillac Championship , also for the seventh time, giving him his 17th WGC title and first since 2009. Two weeks later, he won the Arnold Palmer Invitational , winning the event for a record-tying 8th time. The win moved him back to the top of the world rankings. To commemorate that achievement, Nike was quick to launch an ad with the tagline "winning takes care of everything". During
12700-455: The silver medal as leading amateur at The Open Championship , he tied the record for an amateur aggregate score of 281. He left college after two years in order to turn professional in the golf industry. In 1996, Woods moved out of California, stating in 2013 that it was due to the state's high tax rate. Woods turned professional at age 20 in August 1996 and immediately signed advertising deals with Nike, Inc. and Titleist that ranked as
12827-523: The spirit of the rule and has never worn the jacket); Seve Ballesteros who, in an interview with Peter Alliss from his home in Pedreña, showed one of his two green jackets in his trophy room; and Henry Picard , whose jacket was removed from the club before the tradition was well established, remained in his closet for a number of years, and is now on display at Canterbury Golf Club in Beachwood, Ohio , where he
12954-640: The time and most earned their living as club or teaching professionals. The Titleholders itself did not offer prize money until 1948, when a prize fund of $ 600 was introduced, with half of the money going to the professional placing highest in the event. The tournament was discontinued after November 1966 , but was revived for one year in 1972 , when it was played in May at the Pine Needles Lodge and Golf Club in Southern Pines, North Carolina . All of these stagings are now recognized as major championships by
13081-459: The top spot in July after swapping it back and forth with Singh over the first half of the year. Woods began dominantly in 2006, winning his first two PGA tournaments but failing to capture his fifth Masters championship in April. Following the death of his father in May, Woods took some time off from the tour and appeared rusty upon his return at the U.S. Open at Winged Foot Golf Club , where he missed
13208-459: The top. In 2013, Augusta National partnered with the USGA and the PGA of America to establish Drive, Chip and Putt , a youth golf skills competition which was first held in 2014. The event was established as part of an effort to help promote the sport of golf among youth; the winners of local qualifiers in different age groups advance to the national finals, which have been held at Augusta National on
13335-410: The tour. Woods returned for the 2008 U.S. Open , where he struggled the first day but ultimately claimed a dramatic sudden death victory over Rocco Mediate that followed an 18-hole playoff, after which Mediate said, "This guy does things that are just not normal by any stretch of the imagination," and Kenny Perry added, "He beat everybody on one leg." Two days later, Woods announced that he would miss
13462-431: The war effort, cattle and turkeys were raised on the Augusta National grounds. The Big Three of Arnold Palmer, Gary Player, and Jack Nicklaus dominated the Masters from 1960 through 1978, winning the event 11 times between them during that span. After winning by one stroke in 1958, Palmer won by one stroke again in 1960 in memorable circumstances. Trailing Ken Venturi by one shot in the 1960 event, Palmer made birdies on
13589-532: The youngest golfer to achieve the Career Grand Slam . At the end of 2000, Woods had won nine of the twenty PGA Tour events he entered and had broken the record for lowest scoring average in tour history. He was named the Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year, the only athlete to be honored twice, and was ranked by Golf Digest magazine as the twelfth-best golfer of all time. When Woods won
13716-452: Was "just my hip" but offering no specifics. Woods had back surgery on September 16, 2015. In late March 2016, he announced that he would miss the Masters while he recovered from the surgery; he had also missed the 2014 Masters due to a back problem. "I'm absolutely making progress, and I'm really happy with how far I've come," he explained in a statement. "But I still have no timetable to return to competitive golf." However, he did attend
13843-407: Was a member of the American team at the 1994 Eisenhower Trophy World Amateur Golf Team Championships (winning), and the 1995 Walker Cup (losing). Woods graduated from Western High School at age 18 in 1994 and was voted "Most Likely to Succeed" among the graduating class. He starred for the high school's golf team under coach Don Crosby. Woods learned to manage his stuttering as a boy. This
13970-653: Was a member of the military and had playing privileges at the Navy golf course beside the Joint Forces Training Base in Los Alamitos , which allowed Tiger to play there. Tiger also played at the par 3 Heartwell golf course in Long Beach , as well as some of the municipals in Long Beach. In 1978, Woods putted against comedian Bob Hope in a television appearance on The Mike Douglas Show . At age three, he shot
14097-522: Was adopted in 1939. The first tournament was played with current holes 10 through 18 played as the first nine, and 1 through 9 as the second nine then reversed permanently to its present layout for the 1935 tournament. Initially the Augusta National Invitation field was composed of Bobby Jones' close associates. Jones had petitioned the USGA to hold the U.S. Open at Augusta but the USGA denied
14224-478: Was broken by Jim Liu in 2010. He was named 1991's Southern California Amateur Player of the Year (for the second consecutive year) and Golf Digest Junior Amateur Player of the Year. In 1992, he defended his title at the U.S. Junior Amateur Championship, becoming the tournament's first two-time winner. He also competed in his first PGA Tour event, the Nissan Los Angeles Open (he missed the 36-hole cut), and
14351-496: 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. He was nicknamed Tiger in honor of his father's friend, South Vietnamese Colonel Vuong Dang Phong, who had also been known as Tiger. Woods has a niece, Cheyenne Woods , who played for the Wake Forest University golf team and turned professional in 2012 when she made her pro debut in
14478-469: Was hospitalized in serious but stable condition after a single-car collision and underwent emergency surgery to repair compound fractures sustained in his right leg in addition to a shattered ankle. In an interview with Golf Digest in November 2021, Woods indicated that his full-time career as a professional golfer was over, although he would continue to play "a few events per year". For the first time since
14605-402: Was in contention, making 2013 his fifth full season where he did not win a major; he was in contention in only two of the four majors in 2013. After a slow start to 2014, Woods sustained an injury during the final round of The Honda Classic and was unable to finish the tournament. He withdrew after the 13th hole, citing back pain. He subsequently competed in the WGC-Cadillac Championship but
14732-430: Was involved in every aspect of the launch of Buick 's Rendezvous SUV . A company spokesman stated that Buick was happy with the value of Woods's endorsement, pointing out that more than 130,000 Rendezvous vehicles were sold in 2002 and 2003. "That exceeded our forecasts," he was quoted as saying, "It has to be in recognition of Tiger." In February 2004, Buick renewed Woods's endorsement contract for another five years, in
14859-399: Was marked by comebacks from personal problems and injuries. He took a self-imposed hiatus from professional golf from December 2009 to early April 2010 in an attempt to resolve marital issues with his wife at the time, Elin . Woods admitted to multiple marital infidelities, and the couple eventually divorced. He fell to number 58 in the world rankings in November 2011 before ascending again to
14986-460: Was named Golf Digest Amateur Player of the Year, Golf World Player of the Year, and Golfweek National Amateur of the Year. The following year, Woods won his third consecutive U.S. Junior Amateur; he remains the event's only three-time winner. In 1994, at the TPC at Sawgrass in Florida, he became the youngest winner of the U.S. Amateur , a record he held until 2008 when it was broken by Danny Lee . He
15113-436: Was not widely known until he wrote a letter to a boy who contemplated suicide. Woods wrote, "I know what it's like to be different and to sometimes not fit in. I also stuttered as a child and I would talk to my dog and he would sit there and listen until he fell asleep. I also took a class for two years to help me, and I finally learned to stop." Woods was heavily recruited by college golf powers. He chose Stanford University ,
15240-455: Was part of the show, and he impressed Nicklaus and the crowd with his skills and potential. Earl Woods had researched in detail the career accomplishments of Nicklaus and had set his young son the goals of breaking those records. Woods was 15 years old and a student at Western High School in Anaheim when he became the youngest U.S. Junior Amateur champion; this was a record that stood until it
15367-462: Was postponed until November due to the ongoing coronavirus outbreak . Dustin Johnson won the tournament by five strokes. The total prize money for the 2024 Masters Tournament was $ 20,000,000, with $ 3,600,000 going to the winner. In the inaugural year of 1934, the winner Horton Smith received $ 1,500 out of a $ 5,000 purse. After Nicklaus's first win in 1963, he received $ 20,000, while after his final victory in 1986 he won $ 144,000. In recent years
15494-457: Was still in attendance for the ceremony. Following Palmer's death in 2016, the 2017 ceremony featured tributes; his green jacket was draped over an empty white chair, while everyone in attendance wore "Arnie's Army" badges. In 2021 Lee Elder joined Nicklaus and Player as an honorary starter. He was invited to join them as he was the first African-American to take part in the Masters in 1975 . Despite bad health preventing Elder from hitting
15621-406: Was the club professional for many years. By tradition, the winner of the previous year's Masters Tournament puts the jacket on the current winner at the end of the tournament. In 1966 , Jack Nicklaus became the first player to win in consecutive years and he donned the jacket himself. When Nick Faldo (in 1990) and Tiger Woods (in 2002) repeated as champions, the chairman of Augusta National put
15748-593: Was the first non-American player to win the tournament, in 1961 ; the second was Seve Ballesteros of Spain , the champion in 1980 and 1983 . The Augusta National course first opened in 1933 and has been modified many times by different architects. Among the changes: greens have been reshaped and, on occasion, entirely re-designed, bunkers have been added, water hazards have been extended, new tee boxes have been built, hundreds of trees have been planted, and several mounds have been installed. The idea for Augusta National originated with Bobby Jones , who wanted to build
15875-436: Was visibly in pain during much of the last round. He was forced to skip the Arnold Palmer Invitational at the end of March 2014, and after undergoing back surgery , he announced on April 1 that he would miss the Masters for the first time since 1994. Woods returned at the Quicken Loans National in June, however he said that his expectations for the week were low. He struggled with nearly every aspect of his game and missed
16002-484: Was voted Pac-10 Player of the Year, NCAA First Team All-American, and Stanford's Male Freshman of the Year (an award that encompasses all sports). At age 19, Woods participated in his first PGA Tour major, the 1995 Masters , and tied for 41st as the only amateur to make the cut. At age 20 in 1996, he became the first golfer to win three consecutive U.S. Amateur titles and won the NCAA individual golf championship . In winning
16129-577: Was wrong and I was foolish." During this period, several companies ended their endorsement deals with Woods. Woods returned to competition in April at the 2010 Masters , where he finished tied for fourth place. He followed the Masters with poor showings at the Quail Hollow Championship and the Players Championship, where he withdrew in the fourth round, citing injury. Shortly afterward, Hank Haney , Woods's coach since 2003, resigned
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