Tiger Woods turns 50 today. This is a milestone in itself for a man who has achieved many goals during his career as a professional golfer. 29 years of professional golf, 683 weeks as the No. 1 golfer in the world, 82 wins on the PGA Tour and 15 major championships.
Woods has taken some time off from the PGA Tour in recent years, focusing on his business and the Tomorrow’s Golf League (TGL), which is heading into its second season, but the more you learn about Woods’ career, the more you’ll be awestruck.
advertisement
Woods’ dominance in the links cannot be understated. So, as the man of time turns 50, we take a look back at the 10 greatest moments of his career.
Please note that this is a subjective list. You are allowed to disagree with it, but if you do, know that you are wrong and will look stupid.
1 / 11
See Tiger Woods’ top 10 moments as he turned 50
Tiger Woods will celebrate his 50th birthday today, December 30, 2025. That in itself is a milestone for a man who has achieved many goals during his career as a professional golfer. 29 years of professional golf, 683 weeks as the No. 1 golfer in the world, 82 wins on the PGA Tour, 15 major championships, and a partridge in a pear tree. Although Woods has taken some time off from the PGA Tour in recent years to focus on his business and the Tomorrow’s Golf League (TGL), which is heading into its second season, the more you learn about Woods’ career, the more you are awed by it. Woods’ dominance in the links cannot be understated. So, as the man of time turns 50, we take a look back at the 10 greatest moments of his career. Please note that this is a subjective list.
1 / 11
See Tiger Woods’ top 10 moments as he turned 50
Tiger Woods will celebrate his 50th birthday today, December 30, 2025. That in itself is a milestone for a man who has achieved many goals during his career as a professional golfer. 29 years of professional golf, 683 weeks as the No. 1 golfer in the world, 82 wins on the PGA Tour, 15 major championships, and a partridge in a pear tree. Although Woods has taken some time off from the PGA Tour in recent years to focus on his business and the Tomorrow’s Golf League (TGL), which is heading into its second season, the more you learn about Woods’ career, the more you are awed by it. Woods’ dominance in the links cannot be understated. So, as the man of time turns 50, we take a look back at the 10 greatest moments of his career. Please note that this is a subjective list.
2 / 11
See Tiger Woods’ top 10 moments as he turned 50
10. “Better than Most” 2001 Players Championship Ask any golfer and they’ll tell you the exact putt that gives rise to the phrase “better than most.” This iconic putt was great in itself, but the closer it got to the hole, the more enthusiasm it became, and the commentary that analyst Gary Koch repeated over and over again, “Better than Most,” made it legendary.
3 / 11
See Tiger Woods’ top 10 moments as he turned 50
9. 2000 US Open Woods’ dominance is well documented, but it wasn’t always like that. The 2000 U.S. Open was one of the first tournaments where fans began to realize how much damage Woods could do. After leading by just one stroke at the end of the first round, Woods then took his game into a new gear, leading by 6 after 36, 10 after 54 and by 15 at the end. Woods was the only player to finish under par for the entire tournament. He finished at 12 under.
4 / 11
See Tiger Woods’ top 10 moments as he turned 50
8. Woods aced 16th at the 1997 Phoenix Open. Dubbed “the loudest hole in golf,” the 16th hole at TPC Scottsdale is known for producing legendary moments. Of course, Woods had to add himself to the mix. Woods’ 1997 ace sent the crowd into an absolute frenzy and was such an explosion that Shooter McGavin lost his mind.
5 / 11
See Tiger Woods’ top 10 moments as he turned 50
7. Is it just short? 2005 Masters This is probably Woods’ most famous shot. Any golf fan can close their eyes and watch the ball come to rest on the rim of the cup, that iconic Nike logo flashing, and just before entering the cup on the final turn, much to the dismay of the crowd, everyone goes into hysterics. The fact that it happened in Augusta further deepened the legend.
6 / 11
See Tiger Woods’ top 10 moments as he turned 50
6. 2022 Masters Although Woods did not win this tournament, his career has not been all about winning; it has also been about resilience and the ability to get back up when you are down. Woods had been involved in a pretty serious car accident just 14 months before this tournament. Yet somehow Woods made it to the Masters, extending his record for consecutive Masters appearances to 22, tying him with Fred Couples and Gary Player for the longest streak in history.
7 / 11
See Tiger Woods’ top 10 moments as he turned 50
5. “Hello, World” 1996 Fresh off his third U.S. Amateur victory in his young career, the golf world waited in anticipation to see if Woods would remain an amateur. But it was clear that something was afoot. As it turns out, Woods’ father, Earl, had a five-year, $40 million contract with Nike, but it probably wasn’t a spur-of-the-moment deal. Woods’ iconic “Hello, World” marked the beginning of one of the most iconic professional careers in golf history.
8 / 11
See Tiger Woods’ top 10 moments as he turned 50
4. “Tiger Slam” 2000-2001 There aren’t many golfers who can say they’ve won a Grand Slam in their lifetime. Tiger Woods won all four tournaments that year. Some skeptics will say it doesn’t matter because they didn’t all happen in the same year, but those people don’t have friends, so who cares what they say? Woods won all four major tournaments in a row, becoming the defending champion in each of golf’s biggest events. It’s like becoming the undisputed heavyweight champion in boxing, but the chances of that happening are probably 1 in 1000. We’ll probably never see another golfer win all four majors in a row. This feat was truly insane.
9 / 11
See Tiger Woods’ top 10 moments as he turned 50
3. 2006 British Open Championship This wasn’t the first time Woods had won the British Open Championship, nor was it the second time, but Woods’ win in 2006 was symbolic considering what Woods was working on at the time. Woods lost his father, Earl, earlier that year. You can see the emotion on Woods’ face as he hugs his caddy after making the winning putt.
10 / 11
See Tiger Woods’ top 10 moments as he turned 50
2. 1997 Masters Woods was under a lot of pressure before this tournament. He was a young, up-and-coming player who ushered in a new era in golf. However, he had never won a major and had not yet made a major impact on the sport. Then the 1997 Masters was held. He won by 12 strokes, setting a then-record four-round score of 270 (-18). Even more emblematic was Woods’ resilience throughout the tournament. After nine holes, Woods was left with a 4-over card, but he was having a tough time. He then had 4 birdies and 1 eagle on the back nine to finish the first round at 2 under par. It was just a taste of everything that was to come.
11 / 11
See Tiger Woods’ top 10 moments as he turned 50
1. 2019 Masters By 2019, Woods was well past his prime. He wasn’t some dominant force that shook the earth as he passed. Woods hadn’t won a major in over 10 years. Fans looked down on him, but Woods wasn’t done. It was a flash from the past that made fans happy and giddy. He wasn’t able to dominate like fans were used to all those years ago, but he came out victorious anyway. The best part was definitely him hugging the kids behind the 18th green. It was the same spot where he hugged his parents after winning in 1997. It was truly a full-circle moment, an exclamation point on one of the greatest careers of all time.
Top 10 moments of Tiger Woods’ career
10) “Better than Most” — 2001 Players Championship
Ask any golfer and they’ll tell you the exact putt that gave rise to the phrase “better than most.” This iconic putt was great in itself, but the closer it got to the hole, the more enthusiasm it became, and the commentary that analyst Gary Koch repeated over and over again, “Better than Most,” made it legendary.
Woods’ dominance is well documented, but it wasn’t always like that. The 2000 U.S. Open was one of the first tournaments where fans began to realize how much damage Woods could do. After leading by just one stroke at the end of the first round, Woods then took his game into a new gear, leading by six points after 36, 10 points after 54, and by 15 points by the end.
advertisement
Woods was the only player to finish under par for the entire tournament. He finished at 12 under.
8) Woods aced 16th at the 1997 Phoenix Open.
Dubbed “the loudest hole in golf,” the 16th hole at TPC Scottsdale is known for producing legendary moments. Of course, Woods had to add himself to the mix. Woods’ 1997 ace sent the crowd into an absolute frenzy and was such an explosion that Shooter McGavin lost his mind.
7) Is it just short? — 2005 Masters
This is probably Woods’ most famous shot. Any golf fan can close their eyes and watch the ball come to rest on the rim of the cup, that iconic Nike logo flashing, and just before entering the cup on the final turn, much to the dismay of the crowd, everyone goes into hysterics. The fact that it happened in Augusta further deepened the legend.
6) 2022 Masters
Although Woods did not win this tournament, his career has not been all about winning; it has also been about resilience and the ability to get back up when you are down. Woods had been involved in a serious car accident just 14 months before this tournament. Yet somehow Woods somehow managed to qualify, extending his record for consecutive Masters cuts to 22, tying him with Fred Couples and Gary Player for the longest streak in tournament history.
Fresh off his third U.S. Amateur victory in his young career, the golf world waited in anticipation to see if Woods would remain an amateur. But it was clear that something was afoot. As it turns out, Woods’ father, Earl, had a five-year, $40 million contract with Nike, but it probably wasn’t a spur-of-the-moment deal.
advertisement
Woods’ iconic “Hello, World” marked the beginning of one of the most iconic professional careers in golf history.
4) “Tiger Slam”
There aren’t many golfers who can say they’ve won a Grand Slam in their lifetime. Tiger Woods won all four tournaments that year. Some skeptics will say it doesn’t matter because they didn’t all happen in the same year, but those people don’t have friends, so who cares what they say?
Woods won all four major tournaments in a row, becoming the defending champion in each of golf’s biggest events. It’s like becoming the undisputed heavyweight champion in boxing, but the chances of that happening are probably 1 in 1000.
advertisement
We’ll probably never see another golfer win all four majors in a row. This feat was truly insane.
3) 2006 British Open Championship
This wasn’t the first time Woods had won the British Open Championship, nor was it the second time, but Woods’ win in 2006 was symbolic considering what Woods was working on at the time. Woods lost his father, Earl, earlier that year. You can see the emotion on Woods’ face as he hugs his caddy after making the winning putt.
2) 1997 Masters
Woods was under a lot of pressure before this tournament. He was a young, up-and-coming player who ushered in a new era in golf. However, he had never won a major and had not yet made a major impact on the sport.
advertisement
Then the 1997 Masters was held. He won by 12 strokes, setting a then-record four-round score of 270 (-18).
Even more emblematic was Woods’ resilience throughout the tournament. After nine holes, Woods was left with a 4-over card, but he was having a tough time. He then had 4 birdies and 1 eagle on the back nine to finish the first round at 2 under par. It was just a taste of everything that was to come.
1) 2019 Masters
By 2019, Woods was well past his prime. He wasn’t some dominant force that shook the earth when he passed by. Woods hadn’t won a major in over 10 years. Fans looked down on him, but Woods wasn’t done.
advertisement
It was a flash from the past that made fans happy and giddy. He wasn’t able to dominate like fans were used to all those years ago, but he came out victorious anyway. The best part was definitely him hugging the kids behind the 18th green. It was the same spot where he hugged his parents after winning in 1997. It was truly a full-circle moment, an exclamation point on one of the greatest careers of all time.
The biggest news every morning. Subscribe to USA TODAY Sports’ newsletter to stay up to date on major sports developments.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Tiger Woods turns 50; Top 10 moments of his golf career
