Tiger Woods is one of the greatest players in golf history: 15 major championships, 82 PGA Tour victories, and 683 weeks as the world No. 1. Here is his biography, list of achievements, and a summary of his video lessons.
Who is Tiger Woods?
Eldrick Tont “Tiger” Woods is an American golfer, born on December 30, 1975, in Cypress, California. He turned pro in 1996 and won the Masters in April 1997 at the age of 21, becoming the youngest winner of the tournament with a 12-stroke lead—the largest margin in Masters history.
He went on to dominate the world of golf for more than ten years and won his fifth Masters in 2019, eleven years after his previous major victory. He was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2021.
His career has also been marked by injuries (seven back surgeries, a torn Achilles tendon in 2025). He is the father of two children, Sam and Charlie, who is also a golfer.
Tiger Woods' List of Achievements
| Tournament or Record | Result |
|---|---|
| PGA Tour Victories | 82 (tied with Sam Snead) |
| Major Tournaments | 15 (2nd behind Jack Nicklaus, 18) |
| Masters | 5: 1997, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2019 |
| PGA Championship | 4: 1999, 2000, 2006, 2007 |
| US Open | 3: 2000, 2002, 2008 |
| Open Championship | 3: 2000, 2005, 2006 |
| Weeks as World No. 1 | 683 in total, including 281 consecutive (records) |
| “Tiger Slam” | Four consecutive majors: the 2000 U.S. Open, Open Championship, and PGA Championship; the 2001 Masters |
| Biggest victory in a major | 15 Strokes Ahead, 2000 U.S. Open |
| Past consecutive cuts | 142, from 1998 to 2005 |
| Career Grand Slam | The youngest person to do so, at age 24 |
| PGA Tour Player of the Year | 11 times (record) |
Key Points of Tiger Woods' Swing
Tiger Woods rebuilt his swing several times: with Butch Harmon until around 2004, Hank Haney from 2004 to 2010, then Sean Foley from 2010 to 2014. Since then he has been his own coach. Here is what analysts highlight in his recent swing.
- Grip: Strong as a junior and up to the 1997 Masters, his grip was neutralised by Butch Harmon, weakened by Hank Haney for a controlled fade, then strengthened again by Sean Foley. By 2019 he had settled on a very neutral grip. (GOLF.com, 2019)
- Backswing: Since his 2018 back surgery: a one-piece takeaway with the clubhead outside the hands, and the body and arms finishing their turn almost together at the top. (Australian Golf Digest, analysis by David Leadbetter, 2019)
- Transition and tempo: A quieter transition with no violent move at the ball. His better rhythm comes from the flow of that change of direction, not from swinging slower. (Australian Golf Digest, 2019)
- Downswing and impact: A strong drive from the lower body with the upper body connected to it, hips opening less quickly and shoulders staying closed longer, probably to protect his back. Great extension through impact. (Golf Monthly, 2018)
- Shift before turn: TGL footage from 2025 shows his pelvis moving toward the target before he finishes turning. Since 2021, analysts have also noted a flared lead foot and a shorter backswing. (GOLF.com, 2025)
- Speed: Driver clubhead speed of about 121 mph on average in the 2018 season, among the fastest on tour at the time. (Australian Golf Digest, 2018)
What Amateurs Can Copy from Tiger Woods' Swing
- Start the backswing in one piece: chest, arms and club together, with the clubhead outside the hands. See our backswing lessons.
- Don't rush the downswing: let speed build so the club is fastest at impact. Good rhythm makes good drives. See our rhythm and tempo lessons.
- Shift your weight toward the target before you turn: without that shift you lose power and strike quality, according to GOLF.com. See our body rotation lessons.
Compare with other pros' swings.
Tiger Woods' Swing
Improve Your Driving with Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy
With Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy describes his technique for greater control off the tee and the moment he releases his power draw. See the lesson “Improving Your Driving”.
See also: his 9 shots with irons and Tiger Woods Corrects Amateur Swings.
See also: Swing and Swing Plane, Backswing.
Tiger Woods' Grip
For his full swing, Tiger Woods holds the club with an interlocking grip: the little finger of his right hand interlocks with the index finger of his left hand. None of his online lessons cover the grip: see the lessons Grip.
Tiger Woods' Putting and Short Game
Tiger Woods' Clock Marker
Tiger Woods explains the "clock" system he learned from his father: the height of the backswing (9 o'clock, 10 o'clock, 11 o'clock) based on the distance for each wedge shot. See the lesson “The Clock Markers”.
Scoring from Inside 100 Yards with Tiger Woods and Nelly Korda
With Nelly Korda, he explains how to choose a club and a shot path based on the lie, the wind, and the flag. For a chip shot: center of the clubface, no lift, slower arms. See the lesson “Scoring from Inside 100 Yards”.
Tiger Woods' Putting
When putting, Tiger Woods uses the “reverse overlap” grip. His lesson Putting: Tiger Woods' Two-Tee Drill; see also all the lessons from Putting.
The Best Lessons from Tiger Woods, Organized by Topic
- Irons (compress the ball): Tiger Woods' Nine Opportunities with the Irons, Tiger Woods' Set of Irons: Choosing Your Shot in Windy Conditions, Tiger Woods and Collin Morikawa: The Art of the Iron Shot, Long Irons: Tiger Woods' Clinic with Rory McIlroy and Scheffler.
- Short Game (wedge play, pitching, and chipping): The clock's marker, Score from inside 100 yards, The high-hand chip: Tiger Woods and Scheffler's go-to shot, Tiger Woods' Short Game: Multiple Ways to Play Each Shot.
- Putting (Putting): Putting: Tiger Woods' Two-Tee Drill.
- Driving (Driving): Improve Your Driving with Rory McIlroy, Driver: Nelly Korda and Rory McIlroy's Settings with Tiger.
- Mental game (Psychology and Mental Game): Tiger Woods' Mindset: Play Each Hole Backward, from the Green to the Tee.
FAQ About Tiger Woods
How old is Tiger Woods?
Tiger Woods was born on December 30, 1975, in Cypress, California. He is 50 years old (as of November 3, 2026) and will turn 51 on December 30, 2026.
How many major tournaments has Tiger Woods won?
15 majors: 5 Masters, 4 PGA Championships, 3 U.S. Opens, and 3 Open Championships. Only Jack Nicklaus has more (18).
How many PGA Tour victories does Tiger Woods have?
82 official wins on the PGA Tour, a record he shares with Sam Snead.
What grip does Tiger Woods use?
An interlocking grip for the long game and a “reverse overlap” grip for putting.
How much is Tiger Woods worth?
Forbes estimates it will be worth about $1.5 billion in 2026, mainly due to sponsorship.
Is Tiger Woods still playing golf?
He has not played in an official PGA Tour event since the Open in July 2024, but competed in the TGL Finals in March 2026. As of early November 2026, his participation in the Hero World Challenge (December 3–6) has not been announced.
What is Tiger Woods' swing like?
Since 2018: a neutral grip, a one-piece takeaway, a calm transition and a strong leg drive with the shoulders staying closed for longer. He has been his own coach since 2014.
