Why Tiger Woods Returning From Scandal in 2010 was One of His Defining Career Moments: A Top 50 Countdown

As Tiger Woods approaches his 50th birthday, SI Golf will count down the biggest moments—the highs and the lows—of his career. We begin with Nos. 50-41.

Woods has had a life and career like no other. / Clockwise from top-left: Sam Greenwood, Cliff Hawkins, Pete Fontaine, Al Messerschmidt,, Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images

On Dec. 30, Tiger Woods turns 50 years old. To honor the moment, and Woods's life and career, SI Golf will look back at all of it and rank his top 50 defining moments—including incredible triumphs and big business deals, on-course defeats, injuries and, yes, even the scandals.

It’s all part of Woods's life story, and we’ll rank them as we see them, starting today with Nos. 50-41. Look for four more installments in this series leading up to Woods’s birthday.

In his late 40s, Woods has been busy, and more accomplished, off the course rather than inside the ropes. But that doesn’t mean he isn't having a major impact on the game. (Even while no longer contending at the four majors.) So our list begins.

No. 50: Co-founds TGL, plays for his own Jupiter Links team

At first it was odd to see Tiger Woods in a made-for-TV exhibition, playing alongside teammates adorned in his trademark blood-red polo shirts. But late-40s Woods is diversifying his business interests, and this move alongside Rory McIlroy to launch an indoor golf league—Woods and McIlroy’s TMRW Sports did so in partnership with the PGA Tour—was certainly bold. TGL aired on ESPN networks last winter and will kick off Season 2 later this month.

It debuted with six teams, including McIlroy as captain of Boston Common and Woods headlining Jupiter Links. Woods didn’t play particularly well, and even had a few made-for-TV blunders, but he appeared in good spirits even without anything close to a sharp golf game. His team finished fifth in the season-long standings (McIlroy’s team was sixth) but no matter: a new league is born and its return this year gives Woods more runway to help grow the league and reap rewards from his investment. — Jeff Ritter

No. 49: First U.S. Amateur win in 1994

At age 18, Tiger rallied several times at the U.S. Amateur, including coming from 6 holes down in the 36-hole final to defeat Trip Kuehne at TPC Sawgrass. It was his first of three U.S. Amateur victories. Earlier in the tournament, he had to rally on the back nine to defeat former U.S. Open champion Buddy Alexander, who was then the University of Florida golf coach. — Bob Harig

No. 48: Beats Phil Mickelson by one in thrilling Sunday duel at Doral

In what still remains the best head-to-head duel of their careers, Woods and Mickelson were paired together during the final round of the 2005 Ford Championship at Doral. It turned out to be an epic encounter that lived up to the hype, with Woods starting the final round two strokes back.

The atmosphere was electric as both players battled into the back nine. Woods pulled ahead with birdies on the 10th and 12th holes, but Mickelson then caught him and fell a shot behind when Woods birdied the 17th. At 18, Mickelson narrowly missed chipping in to tie, as Woods prevailed to regain the No. 1 ranking in the world. This was when Woods and Mickelson were in the midst of trading green jackets, as Tiger would prevail at Augusta National a month later. — Bob Harig

Woods and Mickelson went head-to-head on Sunday at Doral in 2005. / Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

No. 47: Named by commissioner Jay Monahan to PGA Tour Policy Board

Late-career (and late-40s) Woods has seen him evolve from an all-time GOAT competitor capable of winning tournaments, including a Masters at age 42 (more on that in a future edition of our countdown) to an influential golf power broker. With his board appointment by former PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan, Woods was given a seat at the table that is both metaphorical and literal, and he is now directly involved with helping the Tour sort through some significant issues. How will the Tour work together (or in opposition with) LIV Golf? How might the schedule change? How can it fit the vision of new Tour CEO Brian Rolapp? Woods may not be driving the bus, but his hands are firmly on the wheel. — Jeff Ritter

Woods and Monahan at the 2023 Genesis Invitational. / Cliff Hawkins/Getty Images

No. 46: Wins 2012 Arnold Palmer Invitational for first Tour title since scandal

Tiger Woods made a triumphant return at the 2012 Arnold Palmer Invitational. / Fred Vuich/Sports Illustrated

It was an eternity for Woods. He had not won an official Tour event since the 2009 BMW Championship, two months before news of his marital affairs created international headlines and ended his marriage (more on that later in our countdown).

Coming to Bay Hill in 2012, there were concerns about Woods’s physical health. Two weeks prior, he was taken off the course at Doral during the final round with tightness in his left Achilles tendon, the same injury that caused him to miss three months in 2011. But at Bay Hill he didn’t suffer the same fate. Woods dominated the event, shooting 13-under 275 to beat Graeme McDowell by five strokes. It was his first victory in 923 days. — Max Schreiber

No. 45: A terrible pairing with Mickelson at the 2004 Ryder Cup

Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson lost twice on Day 1 of the 2004 Ryder Cup, which turned out to be a historic loss for the U.S. / Fred Vuich/Sports Illustrated

In truth, U.S. captain Hal Sutton’s pairing of Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson at Oakland Hills was at first well received—before they bombed. Where it went wrong was after a 2-and-1 loss to Padraig Harrington and Colin Montgomerie in the first match of the Ryder Cup. Sutton put them together again for the afternoon foursomes session. Woods and Mickelson lost again, and the U.S. was down 6½ to 1½ to Europe after the first day. It went on to be a historic 18½ to 9½ U.S. defeat on home soil.

The Woods-Mickelson pairing became the overriding story from that blowout loss. For all his individual accomplishments, Woods only played on one winning Ryder Cup team in his career and has a 13–21–3 record in eight appearances in the event. — Bob Harig

No. 44: Misses Masters in 2014 for first time as a pro

At first you wondered if it was an April Fool’s prank. On April 1, 2014, a news release stated that Woods had undergone back surgery and would miss the Masters for the first time. It turned out to be no joke—golf writers learned how to spell microdiscectomy and that surgery kicked off a decade of back problems for Woods. He returned that June, which was probably too soon. He played poorly at that summer’s British Open, withdrew with nine holes to play at the WGC Bridgestone and then missed the cut at the PGA. Woods’s back would give him fits throughout another painful 2015. — Bob Harig

After missing the Masters, Woods was a shell of his usual self at the 2014 British Open. / Andrew Redington/Getty Images

No. 43: Returns 14 months after car crash and makes cut at the Masters

At the time, Tiger produced his worst 72-hole score at the 2022 Masters—301, 13 over par. He finished tied for 47th, also his worst. And his Saturday and Sunday scores of 78 were also his worst in 94 Masters rounds.

But no matter. The fact that Woods played at all was a huge victory.

It was just 14 months after the horrific car crash of February 2021 that severely damaged his lower right leg and led to multiple surgeries. Woods walked with a noticeable limp and it was clear he was struggling. But it was Augusta and he was out there for four full rounds. — Bob Harig

Woods received a warm reception at the 2022 Masters. / Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

No. 42: Returns from scandal at the 2010 Masters and ties for 4th

Of course, 2022 wasn’t Woods’s only notable “return to golf at Augusta.” With immense focus after being away from the game for more than four months due to the marital scandal that unfolded over the previous Thanksgiving, Woods sat before a packed media room on the Monday of the 2010 tournament week in an unprecedented news conference that had very little to do with golf. Later, playing his first competitive round since December’s Australian Masters, he shot 68. And he was in contention throughout the weekend, fighting his swing the entire way, frustrated he wasn’t winning—especially when Phil Mickelson emerged with his third green jacket. Woods tied for fourth in an underrated performance given the circumstances. — Bob Harig

Woods wasn't his sharpest, but his performace at the 2010 Masters was still impressive. / Andrew Redington/Getty Images

No. 41: Wins 2019 Zozo Championship for PGA Tour record-tying 82nd title

Woods’s game cooled off after his 2019 Masters victory (more on that coming soon in our countdown) and it sure didn’t seem like he’d have much success in Japan after undergoing a microscopic knee surgery in August, which kept him out of action until the October event outside of Tokyo.

Woods actually bogeyed the first three holes of the tournament but rallied to shoot 64 and ended up winning over local favorite Hideki Matsuyama after a Monday finish caused by a tsunami. This was Woods's 82nd PGA Tour title—and third in a little more than a year—to tie Sam Snead for the all-time record. — Bob Harig