Tiger Woods (born Eldrick Tont Woods in December of 1975) is a professional golfer from the USA. Tiger is best known for being one of the best golfers of all time, and he’s one of the most recognizable athletes today. He came first in the PGA tour. Woods ranked second in men’s major championships and held several golfing records. He was inducted into the World Golf Hall Of Fame.
Woods’ career began early; when Woods was just 13, he played in the Big I (1989), a major golf tournament. He was paired with John Daly (a relatively unknown player who’d turn pro later). After an outstanding career in junior, college, and amateur golfing, Tiger turned pro at the age of 20 (in 1996); he won three PGA tour events by April 1997. In 1997 he also won the Masters with a record-breaking performance. In June of the same year, he reached the top spot in the world rankings. Tiger would remain a dominant force in golf throughout the turn of the century and for the first decade. Before laser eye surgery in 1999, Woods was severely myopic. His eyesight would deteriorate again in 2007, necessitating another laser eye surgery.
He was the best golfer globally from August 1999 to September 2004 (representing 264 consecutive weeks) and again with 281 weeks from June 2005 to October 2010. He also won 13 major championships during this time.
Following on, Woods’ career was damaged by injuries and personal setbacks. He took a break from professional golfing in 2009 to resolve his marital issues, but following multiple infidelities, the couple divorced. During this time, he fell drastically to the 58th place in the world rankings. However, he returned to the top spot in 2013 but lost this in 2014 when he had the first of several back surgeries. Woods could only compete in one tournament between 2015 and 2018, dropping off the list of the top 1,000 golfers. However, he returned swinging and made steady progress, winning his first tournament in years at the Tour Championship in 2018 and his first major in more than a decade in the 2019 Masters.
Woods has achieved many golf records, including holding the top spot worldwide for the most consecutive weeks and the greatest total weeks. He was awarded the PGA’s Player of the Year Award 11 times and the Byron Nelson Award 8 times, a record-breaker. Woods has led the money list in ten separate seasons and won 15 professional major golf championships, coming second only to Jack Nicklaus (with 18) and 82 PGA tour events (tied first place with Sam Snead). Woods is the top active golfer in major career wins, and PGA tour wins. Woods is the fifth (below Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Gene Sarazen, and Jack Nicklaus) player to achieve the Grand Slam and holds the record for the youngest to do so. He’s also the second (after Jack Nicklaus) to achieve the Grand Slam three times. Woods won 18 World Golf Championships and was part of the team that won the 1999 Ryder Cup. President Donald Trump awarded Woods the Medal Of Freedom in May of 2019 (the fourth golfer to receive such an hour).
In November 2021, Woods took part in an interview with Golf Digest and indicated that his professional golf career was over, though he may still play “a few events.” He returned to the PGA tour for the 2022 Masters Tournaments but won’t play golf tournaments at his past frequency. The change is thought to be caused by a serious road collision Woods was involved in on February 23, 2021, which required emergency surgeries to fix fractures and a shattered ankle.
Famous Tiger Woods trademarks
Tiger Woods is a multi-millionaire with a reported net worth of over 800 million. A large part of his wealth comes from brand endorsements, sponsorships, etc. Nike famously endorses Tiger Woods. And his prowess on the golf course has made him a wealthy man, too. But all of this is alongside a growing portfolio of intellectual property; let’s take a look at some famous registered trademarks owned by Tiger Woods (under the ETW Corp’s name).
Tiger Woods
Like many famous personalities, Tiger Woods trademarked his own name. This wordmark was registered in 2000 following its first use in 1996 for use in:
- Sports clothing such as athletic footwear, coats, caps, golf shirts, shoes, etc
- Golf paraphernalia, including golf bag covers, bag tags, golf ball markers, golf clubs, gloves, tees, and headcovers
- Computer game software featuring golf
- Personal appearances by a sports celebrity
- A website on a global computer network regarding the biography or information related to a professional golfer
Tiger Jam
Tiger Jam is the name of a weekend event hosted to raise funds for Tiger Wood’s non-profit charity, the Tiger Woods Foundation (also known as TGR foundation). It’s a “nonstop entertainment event’ that aims to raise as much money as possible for various causes.
The name “Tiger Jam” was trademarked in 1999, following its first use in 1998, in just one category:
- Concerts featuring live musical performances
Three triangle logo
You may be familiar with this logo, which is seen on marketing material related to the TGR Foundation and other ventures belonging to Tiger Woods. It consists of three plain triangles facing upright. This logo was first seen in 2017, and the trademark registration took place a year later. The logo is registered for use in:
- Consulting services related to the design of golf courses or golf driving ranges
- Maintenance of golf courses, including lawn mowing services
- Landscaping services
- Appearances by a sports celebrity
- A website online about appearances, accomplishments, or movements of a celebrity
- Charitable services and fundraising
- Charitable services aimed at the youth
Related: How you can trademark a logo
TGR Design
In 2021, Tiger Woods trademarked “TGR Design” to be used in his business operations’ design/architectural arm. The trademark is registered for use in:
- Consulting services related to the design, construction, and building of golf courses and driving ranges
- Providing design services and consultation services
- Landscaping design services
TGR Foundation
Through various charitable initiatives, including Tiger Jam and substantial personal donations, the TGR Foundation has helped “equip young people with the tools and support they need to discover their interests, enhance their knowledge and build their path to personal and professional success.” The trademark for the TGR foundation was registered in 2022, following its first use in 2016. It is registered in the following categories:
- Charitable events and fundraising
- Charitable services, specifically, conducting programs for youth such as literacy, maths, and youth sports tutoring
- Charitable services aimed at inner-city youth
Wrapping up
Tiger Woods is an American icon and one of the greatest modern golfers to grace a golf course, with many unique achievements, including accolades from US President Donald Trump. Still, following a series of unfortunate events, he has all but retired from professional golfing. Still, he remains a keen philanthropist, active sportsperson, and celebrity.
If you don’t register your intellectual property with the trademark office, you have no legal recourse if a competitor misuses your name or work. Tiger Woods is aware of this, with around a dozen active trademarks as of 2022. His high-profile lifestyle and significant net worth mean that trademark protections are crucial, and he’s no stranger to filing trademark applications with the USPTO via his corporate presence, the ETW Corp.
