Tiger Woods timeline: the first 30 years

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For 30 years, Tiger Woods has thirlled the public with his surreal golfing abilities. (Courtesy PGA of America)

Almost from the day he was born, Eldrick Woods showed a passion for golf. From his first practice swing to his Nike deal to his 11th major and 50th PGA Tour victory, WorldGolf.com charts Tiger's long list of accomplishments.

1975: Eldrick T. Woods is born Dec. 30 in Southern California to Earl and Kultida Woods. He is nicknamed "Tiger" after a Vietnamese friend of Earl Woods.

1976: Six-month-old Tiger sees his golf-infatuated father hitting balls into a net and mimics him.

1978: Appears on The Mike Douglas Show, putting with Bob Hope.

1979: At age 3, shoots a 48 over nine holes at the Navy Golf Club in Cypress, Calif.

1981: Appears in Golf Digest and on TV's That's Incredible.

1984: Wins the first of six Optimist International Junior Championships.

1991 - At 15, becomes the youngest U.S. Junior Amateur champion in golf history. Voted Golf Digest Amateur Player of the Year.

1992: Defends at the U.S. Junior National title, becoming first repeat winner. Competes in his first Tour event, the Nissan Los Angeles Open; misses the cut.

1994: Becomes youngest winner of U.S. Amateur Championship. Enrolls in Stanford and wins his first collegiate event, the William Tucker Invitational.

1995: Wins second U.S. Amateur and ties for 41st in his first Masters appearance; he is the only amateur to make the cut.

1996: Becomes the first golfer in history to win three consecutive U.S. Amateurs. Wins the NCAA individual men's championship. Ties the British Open record for an amateur with a four-day 281. Turns pro in August and signs endorsements worth $40 million from Nike and $20 million from Titleist. Wins the Las Vegas Invitational and the Disney/Oldsmobile Classic and earns nearly $800,000 in eight events. Voted Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year.

1997: In first full season on the PGA Tour sets earnings records of $2,066,833. Wins the Masters by a record 12 strokes, becoming the youngest winner of the green jacket and the first of African or Asian descent. In his 42nd week as a pro, takes over the No. 1 world ranking. Voted PGA Player of the Year and AP Male Athlete of the Year.

1999: Demolishes own money record, earning $6,616,585 on 16 top-10 finishes in 21 Tour starts. Wins PGA Championship and the Showdown at Sherwood, the first live prime-time network golf telecast. Voted PGA Player of the Year and AP Male Athlete of the Year for the second time in three years.

2000: Begins arguably the greatest year by a player in PGA Tour history by extending winning streak begun in '99 to six events. Wins U.S. Open at Pebble Beach by 15 strokes, the biggest margin in a major, and in fifth season becomes the Tour's career money leader. Secures career grand slam by shooting a major-tournament-record 19-under at the British Open at St. Andrews, then wins his second consecutive PGA Championship, joining Ben Hogan as the only players to win three professional majors in a season.

2001: Completes the so-called "Tiger Slam" at Augusta, winning his fourth major in a row. Wins five PGA events and takes home third straight PGA Player of the Year honors.

2002: Wins his third Masters and second U.S. Open.

2003: Doesn't earn a major title for the first year since 1999, but wins five of 18 tournaments and more than $6.6 million.

2004: Passes $40 million in career earnings but loses No. 1 world ranking after a record 264 weeks to Vijay Singh and goes winless on the tour. Weds Swedish model Elin Nordegren in a $1.5-million ceremony in Barbados in October.

2005: Breaks 16-month Tour slump with Buick Invitational win in January. Wins his fourth Masters in a playoff over Chris DiMarco, then takes second British Open.

2006 : Father and mentor Earl Woods dies in May after long bout with cancer. Woods sits out tournaments between Masters and U.S. Open, where he misses his first major cut as a pro. Returns to form at the British Open at Royal Liverpool, taking his 11th major, then wins the Buick Open for his 50th Tour title. At 30 he is the youngest player to reach 50 wins, breaking Jack Nicklaus' record by three years. He then follows that up by winning his 12th major, the PGA Championship, at Medinah.

August 22, 2006