Eldrick "Tiger" Woods (born December 30, 1975) is an American golfer who is considered one of the greatest golfers of all time. In 2005, at the age of 29, he reached the milestone of winning a tenth major golf championship, placing him third on the all time list behind Jack Nicklaus and Walter Hagen.

Including his three U.S. Amateur Championship wins he and Bobby Jones are the only golfers to win thirteen majors before age 30. He has won more times on the PGA Tour than any other active golfer and he holds the PGA Tour record for most consecutive tournament cuts made with 142. Woods, who is of mixed race, is credited with prompting a major surge of interest in the game of golf, especially among racial minorities and younger people in the United States. (wikipedia)

Woods was a child prodigy who began to play golf at age three. While still a small child, he demonstrated his golf skills in a television appearance with Mike Douglas. In 1984 he won the 9-10 boys' event at the Junior World Golf Championships. He was only eight years old, but 9-10 was the youngest age group at that time. He went on to win the U.S. Junior Amateur title in 1991, 1992 and 1993. He remains the youngest ever winner and the only multiple winner. He followed this with three consecutive U.S. Amateur titles the next three years. With his first US Amateur win in 1994, the year that he graduated high school, he became the youngest man ever to win that event.

His five USGA Championships before age 20 qualify him for consideration as the greatest golfer of all time under age 20. He attended Stanford University and won one NCAA individual championship. Woods decided to leave Stanford after two years because he believed he was ready to succeed as a professional.
(wikipedia)