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Tiger Woods is an American golfer, considered one of the greatest athletes of all time, who has an estimated net worth of $800 million. Since Woods became professional in 1996, he has earned $1.7 billion, mostly from endorsements. In 2009, Woods was the first athlete to reach earnings over a billion dollars in one’s playing career. He is the highest-paid golfer ever, the sixth highest-paid athlete of the last decade with $615 million, and the second-highest-paid athlete of all time. Besides, Woods is listed 26th in the Celebrity Earnings and 8th in the Highest-Paid Athletes rankings of 2020. During that year, he earned $62.3 million, $2.3 million from his victories, and $60 million from his endorsements. Previously, Woods had earned $63.9 million in 2019 and $43.3 million in 2018. He was the highest-earning celebrity for many years. Even though he holds the 61st position in the PGA ranking, Woods is still the highest-paid golfer. He has been the number one player in the world for the most consecutive weeks and for the greatest total weeks in history. Along with Sam Snead, Woods is the biggest winner in the history of the PGA Tour, the main male golf tournament in the United States and North America, with 82 victories. Moreover, he won five Masters, 14 professional major tournaments, and 41 European tours. Woods was elected to the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2021.
Since Woods is a professional, he has earned $118 million on the golf course, which amounts to around 7% of his total earnings, while most of his wealth comes from advertising deals. Currently, he is endorsed by Nike (since 1996, first for $40 million over five years, then for $100 million over five years, later with an eight-year deal for an estimated $20-40 million per year, finally extended for an undisclosed sum), Rolex (since 1997, for up to $7 million over five years in the beginning), Upper Deck (since 2001), Hero Motocorp (since 2014, first for $40 million over four years, then extended until 2021 for an unrevealed amount), Bridgestone (since 2017, for about $1 million to $2 million per year, although in 2020 was extended for an undisclosed sum), Monster Energy (since 2017, first for $7 million over two years, then extended for an unrevealed amount), Discovery since 2018, and TaylorMade since 2019.
In the past, Woods had contracts with Accenture, American Express ($30 million over five years), Asahi, Buick, AT&T, EA Sports, Gatorade ($100 million over five years), General Mills, Gillette, Golf Digest, NetJets, Tag Heuer, Titleist ($20 million over five years), and TLC Laser Eye Centers. He charges $10 million to design golf courses and earn as much as $1.5 million to show up in a golf tournament. Woods owns a $54 million private jet, a $20 million yacht, and a $20 million PGA Tour Pension plan. He also owns a $55 million 12-acre ocean-front property in Jupiter, Florida, that is worth at least $55 million. In 2019, the publisher HarperCollins acquired the rights to the memoir authored by Woods. In 2020, he opened Payne's Valley, the first public golf course designed by him, in Riggedale, Missouri. Woods is also the founder and CEO of TGR, an enterprise that includes TGR Design (golf course design), TGR Live (sports and entertainment events production), The Woods Jupiter (sports restaurant located in Florida), and TGR Foundation (a charitable organization).
Eldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods was born on December 30, 1975 in Cypress, California, and grew up in Orange County, California. His father was Earl Woods, a single-digit handicap amateur golfer and one of the first African-American college baseball players. His mother is Kultida Punsawad, a Thai national. He was introduced to golf at two years old by his father. By the age of three, Woods complete a nine holes course in 48 shots. When he was five, he started to appear in golf related media. Woods won the Under Age 10 section of a competition held at the Navy Golf Course in Cypress, California at six years old. When he was eight, he won the 9–10 years category at the Junior World Golf Championships, a tournament he obtained six times. Woods was a 15 year old high school student when he became the youngest Junior Amateur champion from the United States in 1991. He also won the competition the two following year, which made him the first three-time in a round winner of that tournament, a record that he still holds. In 1992, Woods played his first PGA Tour. He became the youngest winner of the Amateur Championship of the United Stated in 1994. Woods won that title again in 1995 and in 1996, becoming the first golfer to win that competition three consecutive times. In 1995, he participated in his first major PGA Tour and in the Masters. In 1994, Woods had enrolled at Stanford University, but he left college after two years in order to turn professional in golf.
In August 1996, Woods became professional at the age of 20. He was chosen PGA Tour Rookie of the Year and signed a five year $40 million contract with Nike and a five year $20 million contract with Titleist, which ranked as the most lucrative contracts in golf at that time. A month later, Woods made a $30 million over five year deal with American Express. The deals with Nike, Titleist, and American Express added to his tournament winnings took his earnings to $100 million. Woods became famous in April 1997 when he won the Masters, one of the four major championships in men's golf, at the age of 21, being the youngest winner in the history of the tournament. In June, he set the record for the fastest ascent to number one in the Official World Golf Rankings. Woods was the dominant player in golf from 2000 to 2010. He was the top-ranked in the world from August 1999 to September 2004 and from June 2005 to October 2010. The next decade of his career was marked by comebacks. Woods plunged to number 58 in November 2011 and then ascended to number one again in March 2013, a position that he held until May 2014. However, injuries led him to four back surgeries, and he only participated in one tournament between August 2015 and January 2018. On his return to competition, Woods progressed to the top, winning his first tournament in five years at the Tour Championship in 2018 and his first major in eleven years at the 2019 Masters.
Woods married Elin Nordegren, a Swedish former model, in October 2004. The couple's first child was a girl born in 2007, named Sam Alexis Woods. Their son, Charlie Axel Woods, was born in 2009. In August 2010, Woods admitted multiple infidelities and they divorced. The broke up cost Woods $100 million, and his relationships with sponsors also suffered, costing him approximately $22 million in potential earnings.
Sources: Forbes (1), Forbes (2), Forbes (3), Forbes (4), Bleacherreport, ESPN, NY Times, Sportspromedia, CNBC, ABC News, Tigerwoods.com, Business Insider
This article was updated on March 24th, 2021 by Andres Taurian
Earnings & Financial Data
|
Date |
Category |
Description |
Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
|
2020 |
Earnings |
From victories |
$2,300,000 |
|
2020 |
Earnings |
From endorsements |
$60,000,000 |
|
2019 |
Earnings |
$63,900,000 |
|
|
2018 |
Earnings |
$43,300,000 |
|
|
2016 |
Sponsorship |
Estimated endorsement deal earnings in 2017 |
$37,000,000 |
|
2016 |
Salary |
Estimated salary in fiscal year 2017 |
$107,000 |
|
2015 |
Divorce |
Estimated amount for divorce settlement to Woods' former wife, Elin Nordegren |
$100,000,000 |
|
2014 |
Sponsorship |
Estimated earnings from numerous endorsements. |
$50,000,000 |
|
2014 |
Salary |
Estimated winnings and salary from 2014 through 2015 according to Forbes. |
$600,000 |
|
2014 |
Earnings |
Earnings from PGA Tour |
$448,500 |
|
2014 |
Earning Turned Donation |
Amount donated to launch University of Maryland Eastern Shore’s professional golf management program's Sifford Fund |
$10,000 |
|
2013 |
Salary |
Salary and winnings as of June 2014 according to Forbes |
$6,200,000 |
|
2013 |
Sponsorship |
Endorsement earnings as of June 2014 according to Forbes |
$55,000,000 |
|
2012 |
Lawsuit Settlement |
Amount earned by Woods as a legal settlement from a yacht builder who used his name for promoting the boat without permission |
$1,600,000 |
|
2012 |
Asset |
The minimum amount spent to build Woods' Solitude yacht |
$2,000,000 |
|
2012 |
Asset |
The purchase value of Woods' Orlando home |
$2,600,000 |
|
2012 |
Asset |
Amount spent for building Woods' Jupiter Island Mansion |
$54,500,000 |
|
2012 |
Asset |
The market value of Woods' Mercedes-Benz S65 |
$210,000 |
|
2012 |
Earnings |
Prize money from PGA Tour and other tournaments |
$7,300,000 |
|
2011 |
Earnings |
Prize money from PGA Tour and other tournaments |
$2,010,000 |
|
2011 |
Sponsorship |
Endorsement deal for Rolex |
$8,000,000 |
|
2010 |
Earning Turned Donation |
Amount donated to his Tiger Woods Foundation |
$1,000,000 |
|
2010 |
Asset |
Purchase value of Woods' Jupiter, Florida mansion |
$60,000,000 |
|
2009 |
Earning Turned Donation |
Amount donated to the victims of Haiti earthquake |
$3,000,000 |
|
2009 |
Sponsorship |
Endorsement deal for AT&T |
$10,000,000 |
|
2009 |
Earnings |
Prize money from PGA Tour and other tournaments |
$11,100,000 |
|
2008 |
Earnings |
Prize money from PGA Tour and other tournaments |
$6,100,000 |
|
2008 |
Sponsorship |
Endorsement deal for Tatweer: Tiger Woods Dubai |
$15,000,000 |
|
2007 |
Sponsorship |
Endorsement deal for Gilette |
$20,000,000 |
|
2007 |
Earnings |
Prize money from PGA Tour and other tournaments |
$11,000,000 |
|
2006 |
Earnings |
Prize money from PGA Tour and other tournaments |
$13,000,000 |
|
2005 |
Sponsorship |
Endorsement deal for EA Sports |
$80,000,000 |
|
2005 |
Sponsorship |
Endorsement deal for Accenture |
$20,000,000 |
|
2005 |
Earnings |
Prize money from PGA Tour and other tournaments |
$12,100,000 |
|
2004 |
Earnings |
Prize money from PGA Tour and other tournaments |
$7,300,000 |
|
2003 |
Sponsorship |
5 Year Extension of Endorsement deal for Buick |
$40,000,000 |
|
2003 |
Earnings |
Prize money from PGA Tour and other tournaments |
$7,400,000 |
|
2002 |
Earnings |
Prize money from PGA Tour and other tournaments |
$8,400,000 |
|
2002 |
Sponsorship |
Endorsement deal for Tag Heuer |
$25,000,000 |
|
2001 |
Sponsorship |
Endorsement deal for Upper Deck |
$5,000,000 |
|
2001 |
Earnings |
Prize money from PGA Tour and other tournaments |
$7,700,000 |
|
2000 |
Earnings |
Prize money from PGA Tour and other tournaments |
$11,000,000 |
|
1999 |
Sponsorship |
5 Year Extension to Deal with Nike |
$105,000,000 |
|
1999 |
Sponsorship |
Endorsement deal for TLC Laser Eye Centers |
$5,000,000 |
|
1999 |
Earnings |
Prize money from PGA Tour and other tournaments |
$7,600,000 |
|
1998 |
Earnings |
Prize money from PGA Tour and other tournaments |
$2,900,000 |
|
1997 |
Earnings |
Prize money from PGA Tour and other tournaments |
$2,400,000 |
|
1997 |
Sponsorship |
Endorsement deal for Asahi |
$14,000,000 |
|
1997 |
Sponsorship |
Endorsement deal for Golf Digest |
$10,000,000 |
|
1996 |
Sponsorship |
Endorsement deal for Nike (Over 5 Years) |
$40,000,000 |
|
1996 |
Earnings |
Prize money from PGA Tour and other tournaments |
$94,000 |
|
1996 |
Sponsorship |
Endorsement deal for Titleist |
$20,000,000 |
|
1996 |
Sponsorship |
Endorsement deal for General Motors (Per Year - Ended in 2010) |
$10,900,000 |
