Tiger Woods | 1990s

Golf Race Barrier Broken By Tiger Woods

Eldrick “Tiger” Woods is a well known professional golfer in today’s society. All sports fans and the majority of society know of Tiger because of all of his Masters wins in the Professional Golf Association. Tiger is not the only one in his family with the gifted talent of golfing, his father was as well. Many people started to recognize Tiger during his college career. Once he achieved his goal of entering the PGA he won his first Masters during his second year of playing. Tiger was known for his great golfing success but many people are unaware that he was also the first African American to enter the professional golf association. Tiger Woods is a major name around the U.S. today.

Tiger was introduced to golf at an extremely young age, actually he was two years old when his father had him on a golf course with a golf club in his hand. Earl Woods, Tigers father, was a phenomenal golfer which is where some could say Tiger gets his talent for golf. Earl had a very superb career with golf and noticed his son had the same talent growing up. Earl worked with Tiger only because Tiger wanted to become successful like his father. Tiger had a gold club in his hand from the time he was two years of age and ended up earing himself a college scholarship for golfing to Stanford University. Tiger had a tremendous four years while attending Stanford. He won six major events, three U.S. junior Amateurs Championships and followed with three U.S. amateur championships. Needless to say Tiger was a well-known name in the NCAA throughout all sports. He was a four year All-American during his golfing career at Stanford University.

Tiger had a huge impact on the game of golf. Once he graduated from the University of Stanford he proceeded to take his talents to the Professional Golf Association. This means right after college Tiger went straight to competing against the best in the world. During his first year Tiger was playing and competing well with all the others in the PGA. In his first year in on the PGA tour he was named rookie of the year along with several other accolades (“History.com.”) Astonishingly, it only took Tiger Woods two years to win his very first Masters. Actually, he accomplished this goal at the age of twenty-two years old being the youngest ever to win a Masters along with the first African-American to win the Masters (“Espn.com.”) The impact on golf is not just because of all the awards and green jacket he won. He took it to a whole other level. Tiger began having hats, shirts and pants made after himself. People absolutely loved Tiger. For the longest time he was the most popular golfer in the world with a very large following. His impact on the United States is like something we have never seen.

Tiger Woods broke one of the biggest barriers in the United States all by himself. He was the very first African American to play on the PGA tour. This was huge for our country. Who would have thought this smart and very gifted golfer would have broken a race barrier in the world. This was a big step for the PGA. No one had ever seen an African American in this league. Tiger proved a lot to the world. Not only can the African American race succeed in the PGA but it wasn’t a problem that African Americans and Americans play this game together.

Tiger Woods is known as one of the best golfers to play the game. He did not get this said “title” from getting his name out to the world. Tiger has worked extremely hard for the recognition he receives today in the golfing community. He would not be half of the golfer he is today if his father did not spend the countless hours working with him to help his achieve his dreams of being a professional golfer. The road was not easily traveled for Tiger Woods or his family but that did not stop him. Tiger has won over a hundred different times in his professional career and set outstanding records during his time at Stanford University. Tiger Woods deserves the accomplishments he has simply because he has worked for them but, Tiger is a man who inspires those around him and all he can to become the best version of themselves. This is what makes Tiger Woods the world’s best golfer.

Works Cited

"Tiger Woods Wins His First Masters." History.com. A&E Television Networks, 2016. Web. 12 Sept. 2016.

"Tiger Woods." ESPN.com. N.p., 2016. Web. 12 Sept. 2016.