Tiger Woods was born in California in 1975. His father was in the U.S.
Army. His mother is a homemaker. She is from Thailand. From his father’s
side and his mother ’s side, Tiger is Asian, African American, Native
American, and European.
Tiger’s real name is Eldrick. He got the nickname “Tiger” from his father.
His father had a friend in the Vietnam War. The friend’s nickname was Tiger.
After this friend saved his life, Tiger’s father decided to give his son the
same name.
Tiger’s father decided to make his son the best golfer in the world. When
Tiger was 6 months old, he watched his father play golf for hours. When he
was 2 years old, he started to play golf. For a small child he played very well.
Soon he was on TV shows like CBS News. At age 4, Tiger took golf lessons.
His teacher said that he was amazing. When he was 8, he started to play in a
series of games or tournaments. By age 11, he had won thirty championships!
Tiger was a champion at golf, but he was like other children. He watched
TV and went to the mall. He loved and obeyed his parents. They always told
him that school was important. Tiger was a good student. He said, “School
comes first, golf second.”
After high school, Tiger went to Stanford University. During this time, he
won many championships. He began to play with the top people in golf. He
wanted to be a professional like them. Up to then, he did not make money
because he was not a professional. So, in 1996, Tiger left college and became a
professional. He made millions of dollars. But that did not change him.
In 1997, Tiger played in the most important golf game the Masters tournament. Tiger won! He was the youngest person to win the tournament. He
was also the first African American or Asian American to win the Masters.
Tiger continues to win championships. He is one of the greatest players in
the history of golf. He has also changed our ideas about people who play golf.