And a lot of it

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"Forbes: Tiger Woods is first athlete to reach $1 billion Posted at 11:13 AM by Ryan Reiterman | Categories: Tiger Woods It's good to be Tiger Woods. Forbes.com is reporting that Woods is the first athlete to reach $1 billion in earnings, beating out Michael Jordan and Michael Schumacher. Woods earned more than $10.5 million in giant cardboard checks this year on the PGA Tour and added another $10 million last weekend by winning the FedEx Cup. According to Forbes, that little bonus was enough to push Woods over the $1 billion mark. Forbes has been tracking athlete earnings since before Tiger turned pro. Woods had earned a cumulative $895 million going into 2009, by our estimates, from prize money, appearance fees, endorsements, bonuses and his golf course design business. If you add his $10.5 million in 2009 prize money, the FedEx bonus and his take so far this year from his more than $100 million in annual off-the-course earnings, Woods' career earnings are now 10 figures. The article points out that only Woods's accountant truly knows if he's a billionaire, but one thing is certain: Tiger's money-making potential won't slow down anytime soon. The most stunning part is that Woods is only 33 years old--he might have 15 years of competitive golf left in him, and 30-plus years of designing courses. This is only the first billion for Woods. Woods has been the highest-paid American athlete for years, and the competition isn't even close. In this year's Fortunate 50, SI's annual ranking, Woods's estimated total earnings were nearly $100 million, far exceeding Phil Mickelson in second ($53 million) and LeBron James in third ($42.4 million). Amazingly, Woods made even more the year before, according to SI -- $128 million."

http://blogs.golf.com/presstent/2009/10/forbes-tiger-woods-is-first-athlete-to-reach-1-billion.html

10/1/2009 1:09:49 PM

I think ESPN was calling him the first billion dollar athlete 10 years ago

10/1/2009 1:12:46 PM

I knew he would get there, but I didn't think it would be this quick.

10/1/2009 1:13:57 PM

I'll be interested to see if he ever becomes the majority owner of football or basketball team

My lean is no, but he'll certainly have the means by the time he's 45

10/1/2009 1:29:12 PM

He needs to buy Augusta and make it 18 Par-5's

10/1/2009 1:31:50 PM

He needs to buy Augusta and let them finally put it his own video game

10/1/2009 1:37:10 PM

Congratulations, racism is over!

10/1/2009 1:38:00 PM

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"I'll be interested to see if he ever becomes the majority owner of football or basketball team My lean is no, but he'll certainly have the means by the time he's 45 "

it would be interesting; i think he would rather continue using that money to do stuff with his foundation. his dad was really big on giving back and if there is one thing we know about tiger, it is that he lives and dies by every word/thing his dad ever said/taught. tiger has said he wants to build more foundation school places like the one in california in other places around the world

10/1/2009 2:57:29 PM

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"He needs to buy Augusta and let them finally put it his own video game"

Yeah no shit. Augusta used to not even let them televise the front 9 holes up until a few years ago.

Stingy bastards.

10/1/2009 3:11:25 PM

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"Stingy bastards."

Stingy? They broadcast 56 of every 60 minutes and shun big bucks from sponsors, and that's stingy? They turn down Tiger's request to use their course in a video game, once again, turning away big bucks, and they are stingy? Breath of fresh air if you ask me, they make there own rules and money doesn't seem to influence them or compromise what they perceive to be the integrity of the course/tournament/membership/town of Augusta.

10/1/2009 3:19:04 PM

I meant stingy in the case of trying to keep people out and keep it all exclusive....I know about their sponsor and money cases. I am talking about how they keep unwanted people out and for example won't put the course on the game. Money is not an issue for these people.

10/1/2009 3:30:30 PM

Phil you fucking bum, you didn't win shit and only made $53 M, sucks to be you!

10/1/2009 6:43:31 PM