Sports Illustrated Writer Bob Harig Releases The Book Drive The Lasting Legacy Of Tiger Woods

The 2019 Masters golf tournament became the defining moment of just what a comeback is - both in sports and in life. Over two-and-a-half decades ago the sports world in general, and the golf establishment in particular, was struck by a bolt of lightning, the likes of which they never dreamed. Twenty-one-year-old wunderkind Tiger Woods won the most prestigious golf tournament in the world, The Masters, by a record twelve strokes and breaking the course record.in his first time playing the tournament.and in his first appearance in a major tournament. He was the youngest golfer to win The Masters, and the first African-American or Asian-American player to win a major. As Bob Harig reports in his new book, DRIVE: The Lasting Legacy of Tiger Woods (St. Martin's Press, on sale date March 26, 2024; $30), history wasn't just made that day, rather, it was only just beginning. Over the next 15+ years Woods transformed the game, setting course records and winning majors at a record pace. What he was doing, though, was more than just winning on the golf course. He was winning fans over like no one had ever done before in golf. In doing so, ratings were never higher, marketing the game was never more so successful. He is tied for the most wins in PGA history, second in major tournament victories, and according to Forbes magazine, he is a billionaire who amassed over $110 million dollars in tour winnings along with over a billion dollars in endorsement money. Winnings and notoriety aside, as Harig points out, Woods is a complicated figure, and has been throughout his entire career in the spotlight.