Is Tiger Woods still a billionaire?
US golfer Tiger Woods is regarded as one of the greatest golfers of all time. He is currently tied for the top spot for the most number of PGA Tour wins with Sam Snead with 82 titles. Along with holding multiple golf records, the World Golf Hall of Fame inductee is also ranked second in the highest number of major tournament wins.
Woods' career ever since his professional debut in 1996 has been a rollercoaster ride, full of ups and downs. Over the years, he has hit major professional and personal snags that have had an impact on his endorsement deals. However, as of 2022 Tiger Woods is still a billionaire. His net worth is believed to be at least $1 billion, according to Forbes.
Tiger Woods was the first golfer to have a net worth of over one billion dollars
In 2022, Woods was the first golfer to have a net worth of over one billion dollars. He joins LeBron James and Michael Jordan as the only known billionaires in the world.
Tiger Woods is unarguably a golfing legend. He has won a whopping $121 million in prize money, which is more than any other pro golfer in history. This does not come as a surprise, as during the prime of his career, Woods held the top spot in Forbes' highest-paid athletes for 10 consecutive years until 2012.
Tiger Woods' endorsement deals and business ventures
Almost less than 10% of Woods' earnings come from golf. Off the course, he has signed endorsement deals with Nike, Gatorade, Rolex, and Monster Energy, according to Forbes. These brand deals are his biggest source of income.
However, Tiger Woods has invested in other business ventures as well. He owns a golf course design business and a live production company. He is an investor in Nexus Luxury Collection, an international hospitality real estate development and asset management company. Woods also has stakes in a luxury mini-golf experience with multiple locations in Florida and in a hospital software start-up, as reported by Forbes.
It is interesting to note that Woods rejected the offer to join LIV Golf, which would have paid him a hefty fee of nine digits, and has still accumulated massive amounts of wealth.
The ups and downs of Tiger Woods
Tiger Woods went pro when he was just 20 years old in 1996.
Right in his debut years, he sprinted to the top with the prowess he showed on the greens. He soon became the poster boy of golf, endorsing some of the biggest brands such as AT&T, Gatorade, Nike, Gillette, Golf Digest, and Tag Heuer amongst others.
His phenomenal run continued as he cemented his name on the list of greats. However, in 2009, the story of him cheating on his then-wife Elin Nordegren broke out. In the coming days, several women came forward claiming that he had affairs with them.
Except for Nike, most of his sponsors dropped him. The cheating scandal probably took a toll on his finances as well. He also paid around $100 million to Nordegren and monthly child support which came to around $20,000 in the divorce settlement.
In later years, his professional form also hit a low. Many wrote him off from the sport. However, in 2019, he rose to victory at the Masters, making one of the most incredible comebacks in sporting history. It was definitely one of the most memorable wins of his illustrious career.
In 2021, he suffered a terrible car crash. He sustained multiple injuries and a serious right leg injury that was immediately operated on. The latter was so severe that doctors reportedly considered amputating it. He also went through surgery for his non-life-threatening injuries.
Since then, Woods has been taking his time and focusing on recovery and recuperation. He is yet to give a solid answer about when he will return to the golf course.
Tiger Woods participated in the PGA Championships in May but was visibly struggling with physical pain. He eventually withdrew after the third round. He also pulled out of the US Open and even gave the recently concluded Presidents Cup, a miss. In the tournaments that he did compete in, the spark he is known for wasn't there yet.
Fans around the world are waiting with bated breath for the Tiger to roar again.