In 1978, at age 2, Tiger made his first appearance on national television, going on the Mike Douglas show along with his father, Earl. They were joined by comedian Bob Hope, along with actor Jimmy Stewart. As part of the show, Tiger hit a tee shot to loud applause. \u2014 Bob Harig<\/p>\n
Woods\u2019s career is littered with highlight-reel shots that are scattered throughout YouTube and today\u2019s social media channels. But his 6-iron from 213 yards, from the center of a fairway bunker, at the 2000 Canadian Open really is an all-timer. \u201cDoes it get any better than this?\u201d screams the TV broadcast as Woods\u2019s ball settles on the back of the green. <\/p>\n
Woods went on to win the event for his ninth title of the season. And to answer the commentator\u2019s question: No, I\u2019m not sure it ever did get better than that. \u2014 Jeff Ritter<\/p>\n
Woods built a reputation for coming up clutch long before he turned professional. At age 16, he won a historic third U.S. Junior, becoming the only player to win three straight, when he came from two holes down to tie Ryan Armour and then defeat him in extra holes. Woods birdied each of the last two holes then won the match on the first playoff hole at Waverly Country Club in Oregon. \u2014 Bob Harig<\/p>\n
Just days after his iconic win at the 2008 U.S. Open (spoiler alert: that’s going to crack the Top 10 in our countdown), Woods had surgery on his torn ACL\u2014and that was on top of left knee surgery after the Masters two months prior, which led to the fractured tibia on which he hobbled around Torrey Pines. So he understandably shut it down for the rest of 2008 and did not play again until a pair of World Golf Championships in March 2009. <\/p>\n
Then in April, Tiger returned to one of his favorite lairs\u2014Bay Hill Club, where he had won five times previously. A final-hole birdie made it No. 6 in what NBC\u2019s Dan Hicks called \u201ca storybook comeback win.\u201d \u2014 John Schwarb<\/p>\n
Two spinal fusion surgeries late in 2015 were an ominous sign and that is how it played out as Woods skipped all tournament golf in 2016 including all four major championships. It was the first time he had missed a major since skipping the Masters and U.S. Open in 2014. A comeback that began in late 2016 saw Woods play just three times, including a withdrawal from a tournament in Dubai after just one round. Woods hinted at spring comebacks but eventually had the spinal fusion surgery in April and missed all four majors in 2017 as well, not returning until the Hero World Challenge. \u2014 Bob Harig<\/p>\n
Under the cloak of darkness, Woods left the 2017 Champions Dinner at Augusta National in considerable pain and headed to London, where he consulted with specialists on how to deal with his back. The ultimate decision was to have a spinal fusion performed by Dr. Richard Guyer in Texas, a procedure with a six-month recovery. <\/p>\n
Woods gave no timetable for a return but by the end of the year he started hitting balls and played at the Hero World Challenge. The following year, Woods played a full schedule on the PGA Tour, contended in two majors and won at the season-ending Tour Championship. \u2014 Bob Harig<\/p>\n
From the moment he sank the winning putt in the \u201997 Masters, it was essentially a foregone conclusion Woods would one day be enshrined in the World Golf Hall of Fame. And nearly 25 years since his heroics in Augusta as a 21-year-old, that became a reality. At his induction, Woods spoke for 17 minutes while focusing on his upbringing, choking up when he mentioned the sacrifices his mother made, and his two children.<\/p>\n
Woods was introduced by his daughter, Sam, who stole the show with a story about how, after losing the 2007 U.S. Open by a stroke, he rushed to the hospital for her birth. But she also sparked tears from Woods when she recalled his 2021 car crash, saying, \u201cWe didn\u2019t know if you\u2019d come home with two legs or not. Now not only are you about to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, but you\u2019re standing here on your own two feet.\u201d \u2014 Max Schreiber<\/p>\n
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Tiger Woods was the focus of the golf media world at the 1996 Greater Milwaukee Open. \/ J.D. Cuban\/Getty Images<\/p>\n
The result of his first tournament was none too impressive\u2014he tied for 60th and earned $2,544\u2014but Woods did have a memorable moment regardless, making his first professional hole in one during the final round at the 1996 Greater Milwaukee Open. From 202 yards, Woods hit a 6-iron on the 14th hole. Somewhat amazingly, Woods made \u201conly\u201d three aces in competition, one each in 1996, 1997 and 1998. \u2014 Bob Harig<\/p>\n
For 27 years, Woods and Nike were perhaps the most synonymous partnership between an athlete and a brand. By just being Tiger Woods, he was the ultimate billboard for Nike\u2019s golf products. Yet, there were so many indelible ad campaigns that Woods yielded: the Tiger and Frank series,<\/a> multiple Earl Woods tributes<\/a> for Father\u2019s Day during U.S. Opens and capitalizing on the Nike logo<\/a> flashing on the ball before dropping in the 16th hole at the \u201805 Masters. <\/p>\n But you can argue that none were as popular as the Hacky Sack commercials\u2014which happened by accident. One day in 1999, Nike was shooting footage with Woods for an advertisement. Then, Eric Markgraf, an advertising director with Nike, noticed Woods bouncing a golf ball on his pitching wedge during some downtime. Realizing it was gold, they decided to film him doing it for 30 seconds, during which Woods switched hands, went in between his legs and concluded by hitting the ball in the air (that took a few takes). Before the social media era, golf trickery like that was unheard of. But like so much else, Woods helped make it mainstream as a cultural phenomenon. \u2014 Max Schreiber<\/p>\n In the first round of the 2006 WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play, Woods drew journeyman Stephen Ames for his opponent. Before the match, Ames told reporters that he felt optimistic, saying, \u201cAnything can happen, especially where he\u2019s hitting it,\u201d in reference to Woods\u2019s recent ball-striking. Woods put that line in his mental Rolodex, played with fire and won every hole on the front nine to go 9 up, then halved the 10th to close out the win. <\/p>\n Asked afterward about his performance, Woods said simply, \u201c9 and 8.\u201d Nearly 20 years later, it remains a record match-play winning margin, and not much else needs to be said. \u2014 Jeff Ritter<\/p>\n Throwback to when Tiger Woods destroyed Stephen Ames 9 & 8 at the 2006 WGC – Dell Match Play \ud83d\ude2e\u200d\ud83d\udca8<\/p>\n Via: @Skratch<\/a><\/p>\n pic.twitter.com\/BPu5oEa9W8<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 NUCLR GOLF (@NUCLRGOLF) November 3, 2025<\/a>