Tiger Woods

Tiger Woods can arguably be credited to influencing the game of golf like no other turning it into a much more known and relevant sport.  First, he has many endorsement deals including, “Nike, TaylorMade, Monster, GOLFTV, Bridgestone, Vantelin Kowa, Hero, Upper Deck, Full Swing Simulators and Centinel Spine. These deals collectively net him $60m annum” (Heath). Tiger Woods is much more than the ordinary everyday type of golfer that no one pays attention to.  He is a celebrity on and off the course, through his endorsements and lifestyle he quickly became known to many Americans.  He is one of the most relevant and well known golfers unlike many other golfers who people have never heard of.  However, he has not only brought change to the game through sponsors and publicity, but also through his training and workouts.  It was very uncommon and seen in a negative connotation to be going to the gym as a golfer.  After seeing the effect of Tigers gym routine, the new generation of golfers have been trying to implement fitness in a part of their training.  Golf is a much more compelling sport in today's world.  To be competing at the highest level athletes have to work on strength along with general fitness (Yashawant).  He changed the sport in the way that it seemed like anyone of any body type could easily succeed, but he altered the negative view on being athletic and strong to show that it gave one a competitive advantage.  This source also claimed other golfers noticed Tiger’s new physique plus the capabilities that it offered and wanted to start working in the gym.  Similarly, he brought a change to the sport even viewers were able to pick up on.  Putting golf through a metamorphosis “Woods single-handedly changed the public’s perception of golf as he brought youth, style, and athleticism unlike the game had ever seen" (Urmacher). Tiger Woods was widely regarded as one of the greatest golfers of all time because of his extraordinary ability to come from behind and be the victor in any tournament. He single-handedly transformed the way people thought about the game, demonstrating that golf could be more than just a peaceful game for older people. With his youth, style, and athleticism, Woods spearheaded a change in the public’s perception of golf, ushering in a whole new era of excitement and admiration for the game.

One of the most elite golfers of all time is Tiger Woods. He has broken many records, won countless tournaments, and has held the top spot for the longest consecutive amount of time.  Beginning with, the most important thing to remember on the 25th anniversary of Tiger Woods’s seismic victory at the 1997 Masters, the first of his 15 major championships, is that almost no one saw it coming (Pennington).  On April 13th, 1997, 24-year-old Tiger Woods made sports history: He won the 1997 Masters Tournament and became the first African American golfer to win a major golf tournament. That day, Woods defied all expectations, and a victory that was thought to be too amazing to come true, was realized.  Twenty-five years later, it is incredibly important to reflect on the momentous event and the many cultural and athletic implications that followed. By analyzing Tiger Woods’s seismic victory at the 1997 Masters, clear insight can be gained into the world-altering event.  Equally important, he had another huge accomplishment when he shot a 59 on the par-72 course. This was one of the only times he accomplished golf's magic number in the time of his career in which he has come out victorious a record-tying 82 PGA Tour events and 15 major championships (Schlabach).  Tiger Woods is the best golfer to graze the course.  His accomplishments include winning the most tournaments compared to any other professional golfer, he has won the second most majors in PGA history behind Jack Nicholas, and shot the lowest on a 72 par course.  Furthermore, all of this is truly spectacular, but what makes it even more impressive is the fact that he has been a stunning prospect from such a young age.  At only the start to Tiger’s monumental career “Woods would end up setting the Masters Tournament scoring record of 18-under par 270 to become the youngest man to win a green jacket at 21. He was 22 under over those final 63 holes. Along the way, Woods set 20 Masters records and tied six others in what would be the first of five victories at Augusta National” (Schlabach). This shows that Tiger was a prodigy even at a young age. Woods’s statistics show this through his immense number of PGA tour wins, as well as the fact that he at one point held the record for fewest strokes on 18. Tiger's incredible golf ability shows his true natural strength and talent for the sport.

Being the best at golf is a great accomplishment, but being able to use that to give back to the community is an even better feat. “Fifty local children participated in various weekend events. Tiger Jam's live auction alone raised $895,000 on 15 items in less than 50 minutes. Charles Barkley shelled out $200,000 for 18 holes of golf againstTiger, and Christine Lessing's bid of $110,000 won her a trip to Italy to sing with Sting in his recording studio” (Leach). This quote is describing the outcome of events that took place during a Tiger Jam weekend. It mentions that fifty local children participated in various events, and highlights the success of a live auction that raised $895,000 in just fifty minutes. The quote also mentions two high-value bids made during the auction, one for a round of golf with Tiger Woods, and another for a trip to Italy to sing with Sting in his recording studio. The quote showcases the success of the event in terms of participation and fundraising, and highlights the generosity of some of the attendees. Likewise, another one of his charities helped underprivileged children to help them get an education along with learning about health.  Woods spent the past month making a series of charity appearances and hosting his annual concert fund-raiser, Tiger Jam (Elling). Tiger Woods is an iconic figure in the world of sport and philanthropy. Not only has he achieved tremendous success in golf, but he is also a dedicated supporter in the global effort to improve our communities. His devotion to charity work is evidenced by his own personal efforts to raise funds for his charities and his annual concert fund-raiser, Tiger Jam, which has become a highlight of his outreach. To emphasize, Mr. Woods has taken an interest in making sure children across America have a good education and strive that they learn about a healthy lifestyle.  “Proceeds from the charity auction benefit the Tiger Woods Foundation, a non-profit organization that supports community-based programs that promote the health, education and welfare of all of America's children. Since its inception in 1996, it has contributed to 132 youth programs in 68 cities and 30 states” (Elling). The Tiger Woods Foundation is an incredible example of a non-profit organization that dedicates itself to the betterment of all underage youth. Since its founding in 1996, the foundation has invested a great deal of time and resources into improving the health, education and welfare of the nation's successors.  It is interesting to look at the successes of the Tiger Woods Foundation and its dedication to the future of the next generations. Tiger has done many incredible charity events, this is one of the many times he has raised lots of money for kids in need.