Sam Tremlett
What Is Tiger Woods' Net Worth?
Tiger Woods is one of the most successful golfers of all time, winning 15 Major titles and a total of 110 professional tournaments worldwide. The American is by far the richest active golfer on the planet, with his net worth estimated at $800m back in 2018. Since then he has won his 15th Major at the 2019 Masters and his 82nd PGA Tour title at the 2019 ZOZO Championship. In the 2022 Forbes Rich List, amongst athletes he ranked 14th, making $68m with only 40k of that coming from on-course earnings. This shows how strong his sponsorship portfolio is (more on that later).
In 2022, Forbes estimated his net worth to be at least $1 billion, based on his lifetime earnings, making him one of just three known athlete billionaires. The other two are LeBron James and Michael Jordan, two NBA basketball players. The 15-time Major winner has earned $1.7bn from endorsements alone since turning professional in 1996 according to Forbes, having topped the $1bn mark from all earnings back in 2009.
Unbelievably, this could have been a lot more as well because the Saudi-backed LIV Golf tour offered what would've been a mind blowing offer of high nine figures, according to LIV CEO Greg Norman. Woods however declined this offer.
The Californian has won over $120m on the PGA Tour, which is $25m ahead of second-placed Phil Mickelson. It is thought that Woods is single-handedly responsible for prize money increasing on the PGA Tour throughout his career.
In 1996, when Woods turned pro, Tom Lehman topped the PGA Tour money list with £1.78m and Nick Price was 50th with $402,000. Fast forward 10 years to 2006 and Woods topped the money list with $9.94m and Richard Johnson in 50th place won $1.56m. In 2019, 50th-placed JB Holmes won $2.15m and FedEx Cup winner Rory McIlroy won just shy of $23m thanks to a $15m bonus.
He has sponsorship deals with Nike, TaylorMade (see full WITB), Monster, GOLFTV, Bridgestone, Vantelin Kowa, Hero, Upper Deck, Full Swing Simulators and Centinel Spine. These deals collectively net him $60m per annum.
In a Forbes article written in 2022, sports business consultant and Columbia lecturer Joe Favorito said; “He hit the right time in the right sport, being an athlete with a diverse background who was approachable. Brands love knowing they’re getting someone who is embraced not just by the traditional but also by the casual fans.”
We believe Tiger also has sponsorship deals with Rolex, Autograph, 2K Gaming and he also co-owns Popstroke. According to the website; "PopStroke is an experiential golf and casual dining concept merging a dynamic, technologically advanced competitive golf environment with food and beverage." Tiger's design company, TGR Design has created many of the Popstroke putting complexes at different locations around the United States.
Woods has also taken stakes in Full Swing, and Heard, a hospitality software startup. Woods is also identified as a partner in a SPAC announced in January, and he is an investor alongside the Tavistock Group, Ernie Els and Justin Timberlake in NEXUS Luxury Collection, a group of clubs and resorts.
Woods has been with Nike since 1996, where he signed a huge $40m deal over five years, which was renewed for a reported $100m over a further five years. The Nike contract after that one is said to have been worth anywhere in between $20m-$40m per annum for eight years. Since then, his contracts have been undisclosed.
Apex Marketing estimated that his 2019 Masters victory was worth over $22m to Nike just from the screen time. Nike have stuck by Woods through thick and thin, especially after his high-profile late-2009 scandal where the likes of Gillette, Gatorade, Accenture and AT&T all dropped him.
A view of Payne's Valley designed by TGR Design
As well as his on-course and endorsement incomes, Woods is also a course designer, a restaurant owner and is in the events business, with the Genesis Invitational, Hero World Challenge, Nexus Cup, Tiger Jam and Tiger Woods Invitational. These are all in aid of his TGR Foundation charity, which helps offer education resources to students and teachers.
Additionally in August 2022 Woods and Rory McIlroy revealed TMRW Sports, a venture which will see the formidable duo team up with former Golf Channel President Mike McCarley in a bid to "shape the way that media and technology improve the sports experience."
The pair then quickly announced TGL - a technology focussed golf league in partnership with the PGA Tour. TGL is said to showcase team matches from a purpose-built venue on Monday evenings in a prime-time 2 hour slot, which combines live action with advanced technology.
For more content on the American, get to know his caddie Joe LaCava in our post on them.
