You don’t win 15 major championships while being short on self-confidence. And although Tiger Woods might no longer exert the dominance on the golf course that he did during his peak years, the sporting icon is clearly not shy when rating his achievements.
As well as his major haul, bettered by only Jack Nicklaus who has 18, the 48-year-old has numerous professional records to his name.
From June 2005 to October 2010 he was ranked as the world No.1 for an unprecedented 281 consecutive weeks, and his total of 82 PGA Tour wins is matched only by the legendary Sam Snead.
Related articles
His career prize money falls just short of the £93million mark, more than any other PGA or European Tour player in history. And while amid his long-term injury problems he’s unlikely to significantly boost his incredible numbers before he finally retires, his standing among the game’s all-time greats is not up for dispute.
It's no wonder that Woods isn’t afraid to name himself when pressed on his ‘Mount Rushmore’ of golf. The term refers to the giant sculpture in South Dakota, which contains the granite faces of former US presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln.
In sport, the site is traditionally mentioned when people are pressed to name their four greatest of all time. And Woods was asked just that in a promotional video for the Team USA Ryder Cup team ahead of their bid to regain the trophy in 2025.
“What’s my Mount Rushmore of golf?” Woods said, repeating the question he’d been asked. “Well, probably Sam Snead, Bobby Jones, Jack Nicklaus…….me.”
Despite the lack of modesty, few fans will argue with the decision of Woods to include himself. Naming Nicklaus was also inevitable, while the inclusion of Snead and Jones, who won 13 amateurs between them, will please the more nostalgic followers.
Since his high-speed car crash in February 2021, which left Woods needing multiple surgeries for injuries in both legs, he’s played in eight major events. And despite only making the cut in three of them, with a best finish of 47th at the 2022 US Masters, he still insists he has the self-belief to win tournaments.
Don't miss...
Rory McIlroy shares plan to skip PGA Tour events after being handed £2.3m fine [INTERVIEW]
Tom Kim hit with punishment for causing locker room damage after painful loss [LATEST]
Ryder Cup icon lays into PGA Tour after proposing controversial LIV Golf idea [REACTION]
Prior to the Open Championship at Royal Troon, he insisted he was not just there to make up numbers. “I’ll play as long as I can play and I feel like I can still win the event," he said.
And prior to his fabled return to Augusta two years ago, he declared “I still believe I can” when asked if he had any hope of repeating his remarkable 2019 triumph. He’s now played 95 major events, and has outlined his ambition to reach three figures as he continues to hone his schedule around the season’s four biggest tournaments.
