Very few sportspeople go above and beyond their sport when it comes to commercial success and recognizable fame. One man who has definitely done that though, and at one point was the biggest sports star in the world, is Tiger Woods.
Woods was unstoppable in golf in the early 00s and just when we thought he was done in the Major Championships in the sport, he returned to his best to claim the 2019 US Masters.
Here’s a look at how Woods became a household name across the world, even to those who don’t follow golf.
People Love Winners in Sport
At the age of 22, Woods won his first Major, the US Masters at Augusta. The American didn’t just prevail in Georgia, he blew the field away by 12 shots. Even to this day, this is one of the best performances ever seen at the prestigious tournament.
Less than a year after his win at Augusta, Woods was the number one ranked golfer in the world. His dominance of the sport continued into the new millennium as between 1999 and 2016, he won 13 Major Championships.
Woods has played golf with an aggressive approach from his arrival on the pro scene in 1997. He is not afraid to take the driver from the tee, and he attacks every pin. Like in every sport, fans love to see attacking play, especially to the excellence that Woods delivered.
Although Woods is no longer the number one golfer in the sport, he is still able to challenge the very best. The 44-year-old is +1800 in the golf betting to win the US Masters for a fourth time this November. Given his record at Augusta, it would be foolish to rule out his chances of collecting the Green Jacket once again.
Commercial Deal with Nike
You only have to look at the success of the partnership between basketballer Michael Jordan to see how influential Nike can be with their sports stars.
Jordan was the face of Nike’s brand in the late 90s, and neither party could have envisaged the journey they would go on together.
Once Woods broke onto the scene in golf, Nike were quick to swoop in ahead of their rivals to sign up the American. They saw the promise in Woods, and since then both parties have benefited greatly from the deal.
Nike has stood by Woods even during the tough times in his career. The American renewed his contract with the brand for a further five years. Nike recognizes that Woods remains one of the biggest sports stars in the world and are not prepared to end its long-serving partnership just yet.
Woods is now three Majors short of the record in the sport held by Jack Nicklaus with 18 titles. This target looked a mountain too big to climb just a couple of years ago. However, his resurgence in the sport means there could be an epilogue to what has been an incredible career on and off the course.
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