Tiger Woods has been in the spotlight ever since he could walk.
The 15-time major winner is a global icon and arguably the greatest golfer to ever play the game.
The 48-year-old was a child prodigy who was introduced to golf before the age of two by his ex military father Earl Woods.
Earl’s tough methods left an indelible mark on the young Tiger cub and undoubtedly moulded him into one of sport’s fiercest competitors.
Woods’ precocious talent was evident from the get-go and he featured on a Los Angeles TV news segment that showed several toddlers at a local driving range.
Mike Douglas, television talk show host of The Mike Douglas Show, saw the segment and noticed that one youngster in particular stood out, and invited him onto the show.
That youngster was a two-year-old Tiger Woods, who went on the show with his father Earl on the same day that comedian Bob Hope and actor Jimmy Stewart were also in the studio.
The shy-looking youngster trotted into the studio with a red cap and golf bag before smacking a couple of balls off an artificial turf mat and making a few putts.
“I remember seeing this in the student lounge of my dorm, senior year in college. I recall saying to myself, ‘I’ve got to keep my eye on this kid…”, one fan later said.
“Its amazing to see the birth of a legend,” added another.
5
5
5
5
In an interview in 2000, Douglas discussed the segment with Woods, telling the Cincinnati Enquirer how he first spotted him.
“(Tiger) stood out like a sore thumb, because they were all swinging like babies, and he swung like he does now,’ he recalled.
After appearing on his show, Douglas said: “Tiger smacked two balls 10 feet past the hole, then walked up and placed a golf ball on the lip of the cup. The studio howled; Mr. Hope doubled over in laughter.”
Michael Bamberger, author of ‘The Second Life of Tiger Woods,” reflected: “If you look at 2-year-old Tiger here, to me you see a shy and modest kid, one who is happy to let his clubs do the talking.
“He of course has no idea that Bob Hope and Jimmy Stewart are icons, and why would he? Their role is to look at him.
“He shows a natural rhythm, very much in line with how his father swung the club in that period. The club is certainly way too heavy for him.
“I imagine Tiger looks at that Mike Douglas swing he made, likes the rhythm, and he also likes how his first move is inside, appropriately so. He’s inside but the body is turning.”
Three years later, a five-year-old Woods was on the TV show That’s Incredible in a segment hosted by Pro Football Hall of Fame QB Fran Tarkenton.
From there, Woods dominated the junior golf circuit, winning the Junior World Championships six times, including four consecutive wins from 1988 to 1991.
He turned pro in 1996 after competing on the collegiate level at Stanford University which marked the start of a storied professional career.
Sadly, Woods is no longer golf’s pre-eminent force.
Age, injuries and personal issues have all played a part in his decline, while golf’s new generation of stars, led by world no. 1 Scottie Scheffler, are now experiencing their moment in the sun.
Woods missed the cut at this week’s PGA Championship following a disastrous second-round display that left him at seven-over-par to exit the tournament.
Despite the disappointment, Tiger’s legacy lives on.
Throwback footage of his younger years serves as a gentle reminder at just how incredible his journey has been.
