Tiger’s tale

It’s not clear whether the public will embrace Tiger Woods after his return to golf at the Masters golf tournament this week in Augusta, Georgia.

But one thing is certain — the international furor over his marital woes confirms that Woods is one of the most recognizable people in the world today.

His path to international fame started on the fairway.

Known for his booming 300-yard drives, great putting and remarkable mental toughness, Woods has won 97 tournaments as a professional golfer, including 71 on the PGA Tour.

The 33 year old has captured 14 major titles, including four Masters, three U.S. Opens, three British Opens and four PGA Championships. That’s the second-highest total of any male player in history.

Woods was the world’s top-paid professional athlete last year, earning an estimated $110-million (U.S.) in winnings and endorsements.

Eldrick Woods was born in December 1975, and was barely walking when he first swung a golf club. The California native showed great promise right away, demonstrating his skills on television.

When he was just two years old he exchanged puts with comedian Bob Hope on the Mike Douglas Show.

A year later, he shot 48 over nine holes at a California golf club.

He enrolled at Stanford University in 1994 after a stellar junior career, and turned professional two years later.

Woods competed in eight PGA events in 1996, winning two titles and being named the Tour’s outstanding rookie.

A year later, Woods became the youngest man (21) and the first African-American to win the Masters. He dominated the competition, setting a course record and finishing 12 strokes ahead of his nearest competitor.

Also that year, he won three other PGA events, and became the top-ranked golfer on the pro tour.

In 1999, Woods became the first golfer in more than two decades to win eight PGA tournaments in a year.

He made history again the following year with a record-breaking win at the U.S. Open.

In 2001, Woods became the first player to win consecutively the four major golf tournaments – the Masters, the U.S. Open, the British Open and the PGA Championship.

Woods slowed down in 2004, losing his number-one ranking to Vijay Singh. But he came back in 2005, winning both the Masters and the British Open.

Woods dominated the tour in 2006, winning nine events including the British Open and the PGA Championship.

Woods underwent arthroscopic surgery in April 2008. Two months later, he won the U.S. Open in a dramatic 19-hole playoff despite suffering pain in his ailing knee. With that, he completed his third career Grand Slam.

A few days later, he withdrew from competition to undergo more knee surgery.

Woods returned to action this year. He has won several tournaments in 2009, but no major titles.

Woods’ has experienced great highs and lows in his personal life.

He married Sweden’s Elin Nordegren in October 2004, and the couple had two children in subsequent years – a daughter, Sam, in June 2007 and a son, Charlie, in February 2009.

Woods suffered a major setback in 2006 when Earl, his father and mentor, died of prostate cancer. “My dad was my best friend and greatest role model, and I will miss him deeply,” Woods wrote on his web site.