Tuesday September 19 4:13 PM ET Tiger May Make $54M/Yr. Off Course By DOUG FERGUSON, AP Golf Writer The total purse on the PGA Tour the year Tiger Woods turned pro was $69.1 million. It might not be too long before he makes that much in a year, on and off the golf course. Once his new five-year contract with Nike Inc. (NYSE:NKE - news) takes effect next August, Woods will bring in about $54 million each year from endorsement deals he has with 11 companies, according to this week's issue of Golf World. The magazine cited a variety of sources familiar with the contracts, which range from the $100 million deal Woods signed Friday with Nike to a five-year, $10 million deal with the company that performed Lasik eye surgery on Woods a year ago. On the course, Woods already has earned close to $8.3 million this year with three tournaments still to play. He receives a reported $1 million appearance fee when he plays overseas, such as the Johnnie Walker Classic in Thailand, and he also plays the unofficial Grand Slam of Golf and his own Williams World Challenge. While Woods grew up in a middle-class home, such riches are nothing new since he turned pro in 1996, and signed a five-year, $40 million deal with Nike. Since then, he has won 24 times on the PGA Tour, including the career Grand Slam. ``Money has never been important to Tiger,'' his father, Earl Woods, told The Associated Press. ``If it was, Tiger would have about five times, or maybe seven times, as many endorsement dollars as he does have. He'd be a hell of a lot richer. Obviously, it would curtail his development and affect his performance.'' Money hasn't done much to change Woods, who has raised the standards in golf. He became the first player since 1953 to win three straight majors, and already at age 24 has enough tour victories to achieve a lifetime exemption. ``Probably the single most thing I admire about Tiger Woods is he can sign a $100 million deal today, and wake up tomorrow with the same desire to be the best in the world,'' Hal Sutton said Monday when told of the new Nike contract. According to Golf World, Woods' biggest deals after that with Nike are with Buick, EA Sports and Asahi Beverages, each worth about $30 million over five years. He also has a five-year deal with American Express that the magazine said was worth $26 million. Perhaps the greatest example of Woods' endorsement power is the deal with TLC Laser Eye Centers, which he signed in February. Among the first golfers to have the Lasik surgery were Fred Funk and former PGA champion Mark Brooks. Mike Biggs of Gaylord Sports Entertainment, which represents Brooks, once said he approached the company with the idea of a ``TLC team'' on the PGA Tour. The players involved would not have had such a high profile as Woods, and the proposal was not nearly as lucrative. ``We were told ... they had just turned a profit and could not justify spending endorsement money on a golfer,'' Biggs said. ``Six months later, we start hearing rumors about Tiger reaching a seven-figure deal with TLC.'' Woods gives TLC nothing more than a testimonial about his experience with Lasik, and gets $2 million. Where does the money go? Earl Woods said his son puts the money earned from tournaments into a fund to build a house in Orlando, Fla. Some of the endorsement money goes to the Tiger Woods Foundation, which was created to provide more minority participation in golf. ``Many people want Tiger to design golf courses or take over joint-capital ventures,'' his father said. ``He doesn't need inherited problems. Nothing comes between Tiger and what he is supposed to be doing.'' As for the amount of money Woods will be making, his father saw no problem with that. ``Actors and actresses routinely make as much money or more by virtue of having a minimal talent of the ability to act, or play guitar and scream over a microphone with no trained voice,'' Earl Woods said. ``It's because they're entertainers.'' ------------------ In order to be a success in life, you need 2 things: 1. Don't tell everything you know.
I friend of mine said this about Tiger HE *IS* TALENTED BUt the dividing factor is his work ethic He simply out-works the other golfers He pushes weights [I hear he benches 300] He swings until Dark most nights He has made Golf into a SPORT meaning it has ATHLETES not a bunch of retired doctors with a beer in one hand and a club in another. He has brought Athletics to the sport [Look at Duvall . . .he is lifting too] Rocket River ------------------ [This message has been edited by Rocket River (edited September 19, 2000).]
Agree 100% River. He is making Golf into a game for athletes. ------------------ In order to be a success in life, you need 2 things: 1. Don't tell everything you know.
Bob I think that is why folx dislike him I mean h*ll until i hit 25 i still had a fantasy that i could go . . work out and then walk on a Football or Basketball team . .*if* i really tried. Imagine if you think your 2 handicap can be brought down and you could possible catch the tour. . at 45 I think the disillusionment of a dream is a powerful thing B4 tiger I didn't think of golf as a sport at all More like a game. . .a leisurely game where guys strolled up the course over the course of several hours. . . Now we actually get into Double Digits. . . OFTEN!! Rocket River ------------------
Remember when he won the US Open by like 10 strokes? Well, Jimmy Roberts went to interview him at 5pm after he finished playing and he was practicing his driving and his putts. Roberts said that he waited for 90 minutes and Tiger hadn't finished yet. So, Roberts asked him if he can ask him a couple of questions while he practices. Tiger said sure. The next morning at 8am, Roberts went to check the course and see how the light rain from the night before might affect the course. Guess who he saw out there practicing? You can say what you want about Jordan or Tiger and how much they get paid or how hyped they are. But even Coachboy has to admit, the one underlining thing about athletes such as these is work ethic. Tiger has all the talent. But, he simply outworks everyone else. That is to be admired. Even Dream spent hours and hours and hours and hours working on his low posts moves over and over and over again. You have to admire Malone for his work ethic also. Look at the man at his age still kill people at his position despite being an a00hole. How else can you get better if you have talent and don't work on developing it? You think Dream actually had to work that hard to be a very good player? Or did he work that hard to be an all time great? ------------------
Almu, Excellent post!!! Thats what seperates the Legends from the rest. How many athletes have shown incredible talent, yet lacked the work ethic to take it to the next level? I saw a long time freind of Tiger's on the Jay Leno show. He told the story of the time they were 16 years old and on vacation in Las Vegas. He said they would gamble a little and watch some of the shows, but Tiger would always disappear. He eventually figures it out. Tiger was going out to the driving range to hit balls and work on his game!!! The man is relentless in his pursuit of excellence. ------------------ In order to be a success in life, you need 2 things: 1. Don't tell everything you know.
