Tiger Woods Net Worth (Money & Salary)

What are the net worth and career earnings of Tiger Woods?

An American professional golfer, Tiger Woods has amassed a net worth of $800 million. Since turning professional in 1996, his career earnings surpass $1.8 billion, and accounting for inflation, they easily exceed $2 billion. Recognized as the highest-earning golfer ever, he held the title of the highest-paid celebrity globally for several years.

While the full list of his accolades is extensive, here are some key highlights:

• 15 major tournaments in his professional career
• 82 wins on the PGA Tour
• 41 victories on the European tour
• Five wins at the Masters
• Ranked #1 for more consecutive weeks than any other golfer
• Holds the record for the lowest scoring average in history
• A recipient of the PGA Player of the Year award on 11 occasions
• Inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2021

Tiger began playing golf at the age of two, and by seven, he was regularly featured on television programs demonstrating his extraordinary golfing talent. His passion for golf continued throughout high school and college, and when he turned professional in 1996, it was clear he was on his way to becoming the golfer to beat. For the next decade, he won nearly everything, including 10 PGA Player of the Year Awards. He held the World #1 ranking for an unprecedented 264 consecutive weeks from 1999 to 2004, followed by another 281 weeks from 2005 to 2010.

Nonetheless, his personal life experienced a significant downturn. Following his father’s death in 2006, things spiraled out of control. He faced a public breakdown, lost numerous endorsement deals, and struggled with his personal life for several years. While his golfing performance remained strong, his public image suffered greatly and has been slow to recover. Recently, he seems to be getting his life back on track, but only the future can tell.

Nike Deal and Significant Endorsement Earnings

Beyond tournament winnings, Tiger’s most profitable income source throughout his professional career has been his endorsement deal with Nike.

Making his professional golf debut on August 29, 1996, Tiger clinched The Masters just 228 days later, on April 13, 1997. Following this triumph, at just 21 years old, he signed a 5-year contract worth $40 million with Nike and a separate 5-year agreement for $20 million with Titleist.

Shortly after, on May 20, 1997, just one day after winning the Byron Nelson Classic (the first tournament he played after becoming the youngest person to win The Masters), Tiger secured a 5-year $30 million contract with American Express. By combining this deal with his agreements with Nike and Titleist along with his tournament victories, his career earnings reached $100 million, meaning it took him only eight months (264 days) to achieve this milestone after going pro. In comparison, LeBron James signed his first Nike deal worth $90 million over seven years in 2003.

In September 2000, Tiger signed a second endorsement deal with Nike, valued at $100 million over five years (equivalent to $20 million per year). Therefore, from 1997 to 2005, Tiger accumulated an impressive $140 million from Nike alone and likely earned just over $200 million from all endorsements within that seven-year span.

The partnership between Tiger and Nike was renewed in 2005 with an 8-year, $320 million contract. In 2013, they finalized what would ultimately be their last collaboration, a 10-year deal worth $200 million.

On January 8, 2024, it was announced that Tiger and Nike had parted ways as brand partners. Between the start of their partnership in 1997 and the announcement of their split, Tiger earned an estimated

$700 million was received from Nike.

Early Life

Born on December 30, 1975, in Cypress, California, Eldrick Tont “Tiger” Woods is the sole child of Earl and Tida Woods. His father’s first marriage brought him two half-brothers, Earl Jr. and Kevin, along with a half-sister named Royce.

Originally from Thailand, Tiger’s mother gave him a unique perspective on ethnicity, which he describes as Cablinasian, a blend of Caucasian, Black, American Indian, and Asian. The nickname Tiger was derived from his father’s friend, Colonel Vuong Dang Phong, who was also referred to as Tiger. Growing up in Orange County, California, Woods was introduced to golf by his father before he turned two. Earl Woods, a single-digit handicap amateur golfer, was among the first African-American college baseball players at Kansas State University.

Amateur and College Career

During a 1978 appearance on “The Mike Douglas Show,” Tiger putted against comedian Bob Hope. At the age of three, he recorded a score of 48 over nine holes. By the time he was five, he was featured in “Golf Digest” and appeared on ABC’s “That’s Incredible!” At six, he triumphed in the Under Age 10 section of the Drive, Pitch, and Putt competition at the Navy Golf Course in Cypress, California. At eight years old, he was the youngest competitor to win the 9–10 boys’ event at the Junior World Golf Championships, breaking 80 for the first time that year. Tiger claimed victory at the Junior World Championships six times, including four consecutive years from 1988 to 1991.

Woods achieved his first victory over his father at the age of 11, despite Earl’s competitive efforts. After that match, Earl consistently lost to Tiger. As a 15-year-old at Western High School in Anaheim, Woods became the youngest U.S. Junior Amateur champion, a record that lasted until 2010. He earned the title of Southern California Amateur Player of the Year in both 1990 and 1991, and in 1991, he was named “Golf Digest” Junior Amateur Player of the Year. In 1992, he successfully defended his title, becoming the first two-time winner of the U.S. Junior Amateur Championship. That same year marked his entrance into the PGA Tour at the Nissan Los Angeles Open. His accolades included being named the 1992 “Golf Digest” Amateur Player of the Year, Golf World Player of the Year, and “Golfweek” National Amateur of the Year.

The following year, he achieved his third consecutive U.S. Junior Amateur Championship victory, becoming the only player to do so. In 1994, Woods made history by being the youngest winner of the U.S. Amateur Championship, a record that he held until 2008. He also contributed to the success of the winning American team at the 1994 Eisenhower Trophy World Amateur Golf Team Championships. Upon graduating from high school in 1994, he was honored as “Most Likely to Succeed” by his peers.

Woods attracted attention from major college golf programs and ultimately decided to enroll at Stanford University, then the reigning NCAA champions of 1994. He began his studies there in the fall of 1994 and claimed victory in his first collegiate competition, the 40th Annual William H. Tucker Invitational, that September. In 1995, he successfully defended his U.S. Amateur title at the…

Newport Country Club, located in Rhode Island, saw Woods being awarded Pac-10 Player of the Year, alongside his recognition as an NCAA First Team All-American and Stanford’s Male Freshman of the Year (a distinction that spans all sports).

At just 19 years old, Woods entered his first PGA Tour major at the 1995 Masters, finishing tied for 41st as the sole amateur to make the cut. Two years later, he would triumph in the tournament, winning by a margin of 12 strokes. In 1996, at the age of 20, he made history as the first golfer to secure three consecutive U.S. Amateur titles and also clinched the NCAA individual golf championship. He eventually left college after two years to pursue a professional golf career.

Professional Career

Woods turned professional in August 1996 at the age of 20, promptly signing endorsement contracts with Nike and Titleist, which represented the most lucrative deals in golf at that time. He was recognized as “Sports Illustrated’s” Sportsman of the Year in 1996 and selected as PGA Tour Rookie of the Year. On April 13, 1997, he achieved his first major victory at the Masters, winning by 12 strokes in a record-setting performance, thus becoming the tournament’s youngest winner at the age of 21. Shortly thereafter, he made history again by attaining the fastest rise to No. 1 in the Official World Golf Rankings. After a less impressive year in 1998, Woods ended the 1999 season with eight wins, including the prestigious PGA Championship.

From 2000 to 2010, Woods established himself as the preeminent figure in golf. He held the top golfer ranking from August 1999 to September 2004 (for a total of 264 weeks) and again from June 2005 to October 2010 (covering 281 weeks). Throughout this span, he secured 13 major championship titles.

The following decade was characterized by Woods’ attempts to rebound from personal issues and injuries. In November 2011, he fell to 58 in the world rankings but managed to rise back to No. 1 from March 2013 to May 2014. Nonetheless, four back surgeries from 2014 to 2017 hampered his career. Between August 2015 and January 2018, Woods participated in only one tournament and fell out of the top 1,000 golfers worldwide. Upon returning to regular competition, Woods gradually made his way back to prominence, clinching his first tournament in five years at the Tour Championship in September 2018 and his first major title in 11 years at the 2019 Masters. In 2022, following his 2021 car accident, Woods made his comeback at the Masters Tournament, making the cut and finishing 47th with a score of 13-over par, 23 shots behind the victor, Scottie Scheffler.

Woods holds multiple golf records, including the most consecutive weeks as the number one player in the world and the overall highest total weeks for any golfer in history. He has received the PGA Player of the Year award a record 11 times and won the Byron Nelson Award for the lowest adjusted scoring average eight times, also another record. Woods boasts the record for leading the money list over ten different seasons. His achievements include 15 professional major golf championships and 82 PGA Tour events. Leading all active golfers, he holds the highest number of career major wins and PGA Tour victories. He is the youngest player to achieve the career Grand Slam and, along with Jack Nicklaus, he is among the only golfers to have succeeded in completing a career Grand Slam three times. Additionally, Woods has celebrated victory in 18 World Golf Championships. He was also a part

The American team that won the 1999 Ryder Cup included Woods. In May 2019, he became the fourth golfer to receive the prestigious Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Personal Life

In 2001, Woods met Swedish former model Elin Nordegren, who is the daughter of Barbro Holmberg, a former minister of migration, and radio journalist Thomas Nordegren, at The Open Championship. Jesper Parnevik, a Swedish golfer, had hired her as an au pair. They became engaged in November 2003 and exchanged vows on October 5, 2004, at the Sandy Lane resort in Barbados. Their residence was in Isleworth, a community located in Windermere, a suburb of Orlando, Florida. The couple welcomed their first child, a daughter named Sam Alexis Woods, in 2007; Woods chose this name because his father always called him Sam. In 2009, they celebrated the birth of their son, Charlie Axel Woods.

From December 2009 to early April 2010, Woods took a self-imposed break from professional golf to address marital problems with Elin. He confessed to several infidelities, leading to their divorce on August 23, 2010.

On March 18, 2013, Woods publicly announced his relationship with Olympic gold medal skier Lindsey Vonn, yet they parted ways in May 2015. Between November 2016 and August 2017, Woods was dating stylist Kristin Smith. By November 2017, Woods confirmed that he was in a relationship with restaurant manager Erica Herman, amid earlier speculation. However, in 2023, she filed a lawsuit against Woods concerning a non-disclosure agreement, claiming $30 million after employees of Woods’ trust evicted her from their home and took her personal items.

Woods was arrested on May 29, 2017, for driving under the influence near his Jupiter Island, Florida home by the Jupiter Police Department around 3:00 am. EDT, while he was asleep in his running vehicle stationed in a traffic lane. He later revealed that he had taken prescription medications and was unaware of their combined effects. On July 3, 2017, he tweeted about completing an intensive out-of-state program to address an unspecified issue. During his arraignment on August 9, 2017, Woods’ attorney, Douglas Duncan, entered a not guilty plea and agreed to enroll in a DUI first-time offender program, with another arraignment scheduled for October 25. On October 27, 2017, Woods pleaded guilty to reckless driving. He was sentenced to a year of probation, fined $250, and required to complete 50 hours of community service along with regular drug testing. He was prohibited from consuming alcohol during probation, and any violation could lead to a 90-day jail sentence plus an additional $500 fine.

In February 2021, Woods was involved in a serious car accident when his vehicle rolled over while heading north along Hawthorne Boulevard in Rancho Palos Verdes, California. Authorities discovered that he was driving over 80 mph before the crash, resulting in multiple leg injuries that necessitated surgery.

How Tiger Woods’ Net Worth is Structured

The initial source of Tiger’s income stems from his tournament victories and various endorsements. Since he turned professional in 1996, Tiger has accumulated $118 million from golfing (including his $2.07 million prize at the 2019 Masters), which represents 7.6% of his overall career earnings to date. Much like other prominent athletes such as Michael Jordan and LeBron James, a substantial portion of Tiger’s wealth is derived from endorsements. Approximately 92.4% of his lifetime earnings—around $1.6 billion—comes from partnerships with brands like Nike, Gatorade, American Express, Asahi, General Mills (Wheaties), Golf Digest, Rolex, Gillette, Accenture, Tag Heuer, AT&T, EA Sports, NetJets, Upper Deck, TLC Laser Eye Centers, and Buick.

For Woods, Gatorade created a custom beverage named “Gatorade Tiger,” valued at $100 million over five years. At one point, Woods earned $20 million annually endorsing Gillette alongside renowned athletes Roger Federer and Thierry Henry. Additionally, Tiger receives $10 million for golf course design projects around the globe, and he can rake in as much as $1.5 million just for his presence at a golf tournament.

Assets in Real Estate and Beyond

Following his separation and divorce from Elin, Tiger developed a grand oceanfront estate in Jupiter, Florida, spanning 12 acres. Upon completion, this residence was valued at around $60 million. Presently, its worth could range from $75 to $100 million. The estate includes a practice golf course, an oxygen therapy room, and a minimum of four swimming pools. The expansive compound boasts a lap pool, a dive pool, a children’s pool, a reflection pool, and a water fountain.

• A yacht named “Privacy,” valued at $25 million, is also owned by Tiger. He occasionally stays on this yacht during tournaments held near water bodies.
• His PGA tour Pension plan holds a minimum value of $20 million.
• He possesses a private jet, the Gulfstream G550, worth $54 million. The only instance of Tiger flying commercially in the past 15 years was in January 2017, when he journeyed from Los Angeles to Dubai.
• The previously mentioned 12-acre oceanfront property in Jupiter, Florida, holds a value of at least $75 million.
• After the 2009 financial downturn and a slowdown in his career, Tiger initiated a course design venture. He is engaged in designing golf courses globally and has plenty of projects lined up.

Tiger Woods Yearly Career Earnings

2016: Total of $34.61 million ($35.5 million from endorsements)

2017: Total of $43.3 million ($42 million from endorsements)

2018: Total of $36.1 million ($35.5 million from endorsements)

2019: $65 million (including $2.07 million from 2019 Masters victory)

2020: $62.3 million

2021: $73.5 million

2022: $68 million

As of this writing, Tiger Woods’ cumulative career earnings amount to $1.8 billion

Marriage and Divorce Settlement with Elin Nordegren

In 2004, Tiger Woods tied the knot with Elin Nordegren. Their first child, a daughter named Sam Alexis Woods, was born in 2007, followed by their son, Charlie Axel Woods, in 2009. In 2009, their marriage faced turmoil due to a scandal involving Tiger’s infidelity, ultimately resulting in their separation. Following the controversy around his divorce from Elin Nordegren, Tiger faced declines in both his game and relationships with sponsors, costing him millions in potential income. He also settled with Elin, providing her with $100 million in assets, including both cash and real estate.

Milestones in Tiger Woods’ Net Worth

1995: $10,000 (prior to turning professional)

1997: $7 million (first contracts with Nike and Titleist)

1999: $40 million

2001: $50 million

2003: $100 million

2005: $250 million

2009: $500 million (career earnings exceed $1 billion)

2010: $400 million (finalized divorce settlement)

2016: $700 million

2019: $800 million

In 2009, when his net worth reached $500 million, Tiger was noted as the second-richest person of color in the United States, following Oprah Winfrey, who had a fortune of $2.5 billion at that time.