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| '''Eldrick 'Tiger' Woods''' (], ] |
'''Eldrick 'Tiger' Woods''' (born ], ]) is one of the greatest ]s of all-time. As of July ], at only 26 years of age, Woods had already won 8 ] events on the ]. He is the only player in the history of ] to hold the championships to all four major tournaments at once, although this did not occur in a calendar year, and is subsequently not recognized by all as a true "Grand Slam". Before joining the PGA Tour, Woods won three consecutive United States amateur titles, and one NCAA championship while studying at ]. | ||
| Woods' Grand Slam tournament victories are as follows: | |||
| ⚫ | Woods is credited with prompting a major surge of interest in the game of golf, especially among minorities in the United States. | ||
| *] (1997, 2001, 2002) | |||
| His success has led to three completely different backlashes of criticism from three entirely different groups: | |||
| *] (2000, 2002) | |||
| *] (2000) | |||
| *] (1999, 2000) | |||
| Woods has an excellent all-around game. He is one of the longer drivers on the tour, routinely hitting the ball over 300 yards. His iron play is excellent, as evidenced by the fact that he is usually among the tour leaders in Greens in Regulation. His putting is usually top-notch, although it can sometimes desert him. | |||
| Clarence Page of the ] decried the "racially charged, money-linked sports obsession" fueled by a "fixation in which the riches and fame of such sports heroes as Michael Jordan have caused a wildly disproportionate number of young black Americans, in particular, to focus on the brass ring of professional sports at the expense of more realistic and productive career paths." Woods in fact dropped out of Stanford to pursue his golf career. | |||
| ⚫ | Woods is credited with prompting a major surge of interest in the game of golf, especially among minorities and younger people in the United States. | ||
| As Page writes, "That works out fine for his bank account, but, for too many others it only reinforces the wrongheaded notion that academics should take a back seat to athletics." | |||
| Woods has fallen under some criticism from various groups, usually for not speaking out more on social issues. | |||
| The second criticism focuses on the ecological impact of golf as a game, its negative social justice impact in ], and Woods' paid promotions of an ] (the 2002 ] Rendezvous) deemed second-most-dangerous by the ], and of mutual funds implicated in ecological devastation. Woods is sometimes criticized for promoting the game and products that have the worst possible impact on the Earth's ecology, human health, and social justice. In addition, claims the ], his long drives might cause golf courses themselves to expand onto more land, destroying its ecology. | |||
| This last criticism, at least, may be partially undone by the third: "The question has been asked, seriously, and more than once: Isn't Tiger Woods actually bad for golf?" - Bill Lyon, Knight-Ridder | |||
| Apparently, some fear that Woods may drive all spirit of competition out of the game of golf, by obsoleting existing courses, and having no competitors. | |||
| If that is so, those who oppose golf itself may well have cause to celebrate. | |||
| External links: | |||
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Revision as of 09:27, 2 August 2002
Eldrick 'Tiger' Woods (born December 30, 1975) is one of the greatest golfers of all-time. As of July 2002, at only 26 years of age, Woods had already won 8 grand slam events on the PGA Tour. He is the only player in the history of golf to hold the championships to all four major tournaments at once, although this did not occur in a calendar year, and is subsequently not recognized by all as a true "Grand Slam". Before joining the PGA Tour, Woods won three consecutive United States amateur titles, and one NCAA championship while studying at Stanford University.
Woods' Grand Slam tournament victories are as follows:
- The Masters (1997, 2001, 2002)
- US Open (2000, 2002)
- British Open (2000)
- PGA Championship (1999, 2000)
Woods has an excellent all-around game. He is one of the longer drivers on the tour, routinely hitting the ball over 300 yards. His iron play is excellent, as evidenced by the fact that he is usually among the tour leaders in Greens in Regulation. His putting is usually top-notch, although it can sometimes desert him.
Woods is credited with prompting a major surge of interest in the game of golf, especially among minorities and younger people in the United States.
Woods has fallen under some criticism from various groups, usually for not speaking out more on social issues.