Tiger Woods’ wealth comes from smart business decisions, even more than his exceptional golf skills. However, it’s his talent in golf that made him famous. Woods is considered one of the greatest golfers ever and has openly shared that he put in a lot of effort to reach the top of his game.
“I think every great champion who has ever lived would say, yeah, they’re selfish in certain aspects. That’s how you got there,” he told Time in 2015. “You had to put in extra time in the weight room, extra time running and running, extra time recovering, extra time running their plays or hitting shots or doing the things that other people didn’t do. Why do you do it? Yeah, you wanted to become better. But there’s a cost.”
For Woods, the cost of becoming a champion—and extremely wealthy—meant missing some of his children’s childhood moments and losing his privacy, along with the chance for a quiet, normal life. Despite his greatness in golf and his influence on the sport, Woods, who created the TGR Foundation to help children’s welfare and education, said he wouldn’t mind if future generations didn’t know who he was.
“The greatest thing that could happen is to not be remembered,” he told Time, adding that many kids today love the Jumpman logo but don’t recognize Michael Jordan. “My learning center, kids go through it and they don’t know who I am. They don’t know what I’ve done,” he said. “But it’s a safe haven for them to learn and grow.”
How did Tiger Woods become famous?
Tiger Woods is the most well-known golfer in history.
Woods grew up in Cypress, California, and developed a love for golf at just 6 months old while watching his father, Earl Woods, play. At 2 years old, Tiger appeared on TV for the first time while playing with Bob Hope. By 5, he was featured in Golf Digest. He joked to Time that he “peaked at 11” when he won 36 tournaments without a loss and had “the cutest girlfriend in sixth grade.” Of course, he went on to achieve much more.
His first professional event was the 1992 Los Angeles Open when he was just 16. By 1996, Woods turned pro, becoming the most famous golfer worldwide and taking the sport to new heights. He also became one of the highest-paid athletes by 1997.
Woods was golf’s golden boy until December 2009 when his reputation took a hit after news of his infidelity with several women while married to Elin Nordegren, with whom he has two children, came to light. He took a four-month break from golf and returned to compete in the Masters in April 2010.
In recent years, Woods has faced injuries that have caused him to withdraw from tournaments, including the Masters in April 2023. Despite this, he remains one of the most decorated and wealthiest athletes of all time.
Tiger Woods moves out of the parkWhat is Tiger Woods’ net worth in 2025?
Forbes estimates that Tiger Woods’ net worth in 2025 will be $1.3 billion.
How much does Tiger Woods make from Nike?
Woods first signed a deal with Nike in 1996 for $40 million over five years, according to Golf Digest. Then, in 2000, he extended his contract for another five years with a reported $100 million.
At the time, Woods’ father, Earl, told ABC News, “The value Nike received on the first contract caused me to come to my conclusion that it would be chump change. And this contract will be chump change compared to the next one, because Tiger is only going to get bigger and better.”
A contract extension signed in 2006 for 2013 is estimated to have brought in $200 million.
Even after Woods’ infidelity scandal, divorce, injuries, and surgeries that kept him from competing in the Masters for several years, Nike stuck by him and officially welcomed him back to competition in April 2018.
However, in January 2024, after nearly 30 years of partnership, Nike and Woods decided to part ways.
“Over 27 years ago, I was fortunate to start a partnership with one of the most iconic brands in the world,” Woods wrote in a statement on social media. “The days since have been filled with so many amazing moments and memories, if I started naming them, I could go on forever.
Phil Knight’s passion and vision brought this Nike and Nike Golf partnership together and I want to personally thank him, along with the Nike employees and incredible athletes I have had the pleasure of working with along the way.”
How much does Tiger Woods make from endorsements?
The majority of Woods’ wealth—about 90%, according to Forbes—comes from endorsements, not his golf winnings. In addition to Nike, Woods has had endorsement deals with brands like Rolex, Gatorade, TaylorMade, Hero Motocorp, American Express, EA Sports, Bridgestone, and Monster Energy. At his peak, Woods earned as much as $100 million annually from endorsements.
“He hit the right time in the right sport, being an athlete with a diverse background who was approachable,” said sports business consultant and Columbia lecturer Joe Favorito to Forbes in 2022. “Brands love knowing they’re getting someone who is embraced not just by the traditional but also by the casual fans.”
Tiger Woods and Vanessa Trump pose for the photoHow much does Tiger Woods make per year?
Woods currently earns around $73.5 million annually, according to Golf Digest, from his golfing career and endorsement deals. At his peak, he earned over $100 million each year.
How much does Tiger Woods make from golf?
Woods has reportedly earned around $150 million just from playing golf. This figure doesn’t include any of his endorsement contracts or other business ventures.
How much does Tiger Woods make from the PGA Tour?
Throughout his golf career, Woods has reportedly earned about $120 million from the PGA Tour.
How much does Tiger Woods make a month?
With an estimated annual income of $73.5 million, Woods makes about $6.125 million per month. During his peak, when he earned about $100 million annually, he made $8.33 million per month.
How much does Tiger Woods make from sponsorships?
Forbes estimates that 90% of Woods’ earnings come from sponsorships. With his career earnings estimated at $1.7 billion, this means he likely made around $1.53 billion from endorsements since turning pro.
How much did Tiger Woods get offered for LIV?
LIV CEO Greg Norman told The Washington Post that Woods was offered “in the high nine digits” to play in their league, but he turned it down.
Tiger Woods has confirmed his relationship with Vanessa Trump
She is the former daughter-in-law of President Donald Trump, by posting two photos on social media with the caption, “Love is in the air.”
Woods and Vanessa Trump, who was previously married to Donald Trump Jr., were seen together at Torrey Pines in San Diego along with her daughter, Kai. Woods was there to present the trophy to the winner of the Genesis Invitational, a tournament he hosts.
Kai Trump goes to the same school, the Benjamin School, as Woods’ two children, Sam and Charlie. Kai and Charlie recently took part in a major junior golf tournament.
“Love is in the air and life is better with you by my side! We look forward to our journey through life together,” Woods wrote on X, where he has 6.4 million followers.
He added: “At this time we would appreciate privacy for all those close to our hearts.”
Vanessa Trump in an eventOne of the photos shows Woods and Vanessa Trump posing together, and another shows them lying in a hammock with her arm around his chest as he looks up at the sky.
Woods and Vanessa Trump had been mentioned in gossip media for several weeks. She was married to Donald Trump Jr. for 12 years and they have five children together.
On March 11, Woods announced that he had ruptured his left Achilles tendon, which would keep him out of the Masters and likely from competing for the rest of the year.
It’s unclear why Woods, who usually keeps his personal life private, chose to share these photos confirming his relationship. It reminded people of 2013, when Woods and Lindsey Vonn both posted pictures to confirm they were a couple.
At the time, Woods said he and Vonn wanted to avoid the attention of paparazzi and dangerous situations involving his children. He also said by sharing their own photos, it would lessen the value of paparazzi images.
Woods has two children from his marriage to Elin Nordegren, who divorced him in 2010 after he was revealed to have had multiple affairs.
His only other public relationship was with Erica Herman, which lasted about seven years before they broke up in October 2022. That split was messy, and Herman later dropped lawsuits against Woods and the trust that owns his South Florida estate, where she had been living.