Tiger Woods is 50 years old as of October 2026, having been born on December 30, 1975, in Cypress, California — and the 15-time major champion remains one of the most compelling figures in sports, even as injuries have sharply limited his competitive golf in recent years. With 82 PGA Tour victories, tying the all-time record, Woods redefined what a golfer could be on the course and in the marketplace. Off the course, Forbes estimates his net worth at about $1.5 billion, making him one of only a small handful of athletes to reach billionaire status. This biography covers his early life, record-breaking career, recent injuries and comeback attempts, his business empire including the TGL golf league, and his personal life.
Quick Facts
| Full Name | Eldrick Tont Woods |
|---|---|
| Born | December 30, 1975 |
| Age | 50 years old |
| Birthplace | Cypress, California, United States |
| Occupation | Professional golfer, entrepreneur, golf course designer |
| Nationality | American |
| Height | 6 feet 1 inch |
| Partner | Vanessa Trump (dating since 2024) |
| Children | 2 — daughter Sam Alexis Woods and son Charlie Axel Woods |
| Estimated Net Worth | Approximately $1.5 billion (Forbes estimate) |
Early Life and Career
Eldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods was born to Earl Woods, a retired U.S. Army lieutenant colonel, and Kultida "Tida" Woods, who was born in Thailand. Earl named his son "Tiger" in honor of a Vietnamese soldier friend, Nguyen "Tiger" Phong, known for his courage. Woods showed remarkable golf talent almost immediately: he appeared on the Mike Douglas Show at age two putting alongside Bob Hope, appeared in Golf Digest at age five, and won the U.S. Junior Amateur three years in a row as a teenager — a feat no other player has matched.
He accepted a golf scholarship to Stanford University in 1994 and won the NCAA Individual Championship in 1996 before turning professional in August of that year. Nike signed him to a then-unprecedented $40 million deal before he had won a single pro event. It proved prophetic. In 1997, at age 21, Woods won the Masters by a record 12 strokes, becoming the youngest champion in tournament history and the first Black golfer to win a major championship.
What followed was the most dominant stretch in modern golf history. Woods completed the career Grand Slam by age 24 and held all four major titles simultaneously in 2000–2001 — the famous "Tiger Slam." Across his career he has collected 15 major championships, second only to Jack Nicklaus's 18, and 82 PGA Tour wins, tying Sam Snead's all-time record. His 2019 Masters victory — his fifth green jacket — came eleven years after his previous major win and stands as one of the great comeback stories in all of sports.
His competitive appearances have thinned dramatically since a serious car accident in February 2021 left him with severe leg injuries requiring multiple surgeries. He returned to limited action, winning admirers for his resilience, but the toll continued: Woods ruptured his left Achilles tendon in March 2025 and underwent disc replacement surgery on his back in October 2025. He has not played on the PGA Tour since the 2024 Open Championship. His lone competitive appearance in 2026 came in March, when he played one match for his Jupiter Links team in the TGL season finals — the indoor tech-infused golf league he co-founded with Rory McIlroy through their company TMRW Sports. Through most of the 2026 season he served in a non-playing role while continuing rehabilitation.
Off the course, 2026 brought turbulence as well. On March 27, 2026, Woods was involved in a rollover crash on Jupiter Island, Florida, and was arrested on suspicion of DUI; he later pleaded no contest to reckless driving, with his license suspended for five years. He stepped away from golf to focus on recovery and treatment, and by September he was back swinging a club publicly at a golf clinic in New Jersey — with speculation swirling about whether the newly 50-year-old will eventually test himself on the Champions Tour, where golf carts are permitted and the 54-hole format would be kinder to his battered body.
Personal Life
Woods was married to Swedish model Elin Nordegren from 2004 until their divorce in 2010, following a widely publicized infidelity scandal that reshaped his public image. The former couple share two children: daughter Sam Alexis and son Charlie Axel, who has followed his father's path into competitive junior golf and announced in February 2026 that he will play collegiate golf at Florida State University.
Since 2024, Woods has been dating Vanessa Trump, the former wife of Donald Trump Jr. and mother of five. Woods made the relationship public himself in March 2025 by sharing photos of the couple on social media. The two families share overlapping South Florida social circles, and several of their children play golf — Woods's son Charlie and Vanessa's daughter Kai, who committed to the University of Miami golf team. The couple have kept most of their family life private, making only occasional public appearances, including at the TGL finals in March 2026.
Woods has remained close with both of his children throughout his injury battles, and Charlie's appearances alongside his father at exhibition events and the PNC Championship — where they have twice finished runner-up playing as a team — have become a beloved fixture for golf fans.
Net Worth
Forbes estimates Tiger Woods's net worth at approximately $1.5 billion, a figure reported by Sports Illustrated in 2026. Forbes first certified him as a billionaire in 2022, making him only the second active athlete ever to reach the milestone after LeBron James. What makes the figure remarkable is how little of it came from tournament golf: Woods holds the PGA Tour career prize-money record at roughly $121 million, but estimates suggest about 90 percent of his lifetime earnings — approaching $2 billion in pretax career earnings — came from endorsements and business ventures.
The cornerstone was his 27-year partnership with Nike, which began with that $40 million deal in 1996 and ended in 2024, after which Woods launched his own Sun Day Red apparel brand. His sponsorship portfolio also includes Rolex, TaylorMade, Monster Energy and Upper Deck. Beyond endorsements, Woods owns two homes on Jupiter Island in Florida, runs the TGR Design golf-course architecture firm, operates the TGR Foundation and TGR Learning Lab, and co-founded TMRW Sports — the company behind the TGL league, which has drawn major investment and is reportedly valued at more than $1 billion in its latest funding round. Like any such estimate, the $1.5 billion figure is based on publicly available holdings and market prices rather than a confirmed audit, but it is widely regarded as the best available picture of his fortune.
Frequently Asked Questions
How old is Tiger Woods?
Tiger Woods was born on December 30, 1975, making him 50 years old as of October 2026. He will turn 51 on December 30, 2026 — an age that makes him eligible for the PGA Tour Champions, the senior circuit for golfers 50 and older.
What is Tiger Woods's net worth?
Forbes estimates Tiger Woods's net worth at approximately $1.5 billion, making him a billionaire since 2022. The vast majority of his fortune came from endorsements — most notably his 27-year Nike partnership — and business ventures including TMRW Sports, rather than his $121 million in career tournament prize money.
How many major championships has Tiger Woods won?
Tiger Woods has won 15 major championships, the second-most in history behind Jack Nicklaus's 18. His majors include five Masters titles, four PGA Championships, three U.S. Opens and three Open Championships, with his most recent major victory coming at the 2019 Masters.
Is Tiger Woods married, and who is his girlfriend?
Tiger Woods is not currently married. His ex-wife is Elin Nordegren, with whom he has two children, Sam and Charlie. Since 2024 he has been dating Vanessa Trump, the former wife of Donald Trump Jr.; Woods publicly confirmed the relationship in March 2025.
Is Tiger Woods still playing golf?
Tiger Woods has not officially retired, but he has not played on the PGA Tour since the 2024 Open Championship. His only competitive appearance in 2026 was a single match in the TGL season finals in March, following a ruptured Achilles tendon in March 2025 and back surgery in October 2025. He has hinted at returning to competitive golf and is frequently discussed as a potential Champions Tour player now that he is 50.