[2020's Great Challenge②] Woods "83 Career Wins, Olympic Gold, 18 Major Titles"

PGA Tour Most Wins Within Reach, Challenging 'Career Golden Slam' at Next Year's Tokyo Olympics, Final Goal is 'Most Major Wins'

Tiger Woods won the Zozo Championship last October, tying Sam Snead's PGA Tour record for the most victories with 82 wins.

[Asia Economy Kim Hyun-jun, Golf Specialist Reporter] "A total of 83 wins, Olympic gold, and 18 major victories"

'The returning golf emperor' Tiger Woods (USA) faces his greatest life mission. First, he won the Zozo Championship in October last year, which counts toward the 2020 season, tying Sam Snead's (USA) record for the most PGA Tour wins (82 wins). It is even more regrettable that the PGA Tour was completely suspended due to the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). The global golf community eagerly awaits the end of COVID-19 and the creation of a new chapter in Woods' history.

Woods made a spectacular comeback by winning the Tour Championship, the final fourth round of the Playoffs (PO), in September 2018. It is remarkable considering he had suffered from various injuries, including back surgery, for five years and one month since the Bridgestone Invitational in August 2013. He has completely recovered from his injuries and combined that with performance comparable to his prime. He tearfully said, "My body was a wreck," and "I realized I could do it as I found my swing again."

Tiger Woods is wearing the Green Jacket after securing his 15th major win at the Masters in April last year.

Last April’s Masters was the highlight. He donned the Green Jacket for the fifth time in 14 years, following his wins in 1997, 2001 and 2002 (back-to-back), and 2005. For Woods, it was especially significant as it restarted his major championship clock after 11 years since the 2008 US Open. It was his 15th major victory, bringing him within three wins of the 'old golf emperor' Jack Nicklaus (USA), who holds the record for most major wins at 18. In October, he added the Zozo Championship trophy during his Japan tour.

In December, he took on dual roles as both player and captain for the U.S. team in the Presidents Cup, an intercontinental golf competition between the United States and the International Team. He achieved a perfect 3-0 record, surpassing veteran Phil Mickelson (USA) to set the Presidents Cup record for most wins (27 wins, 1 draw, 15 losses). He led the U.S. to its eighth consecutive victory since 2005, showcasing his exceptional captain charisma. Woods himself expressed confidence, saying, "I couldn’t have had a better year than this."

However, this year’s pursuit of the 83rd win encountered the variable of COVID-19. With the Masters indefinitely postponed, even the chance to defend his title disappeared. The PGA Tour is currently shut down until mid-May, including the second major, the PGA Championship. It is noteworthy that Woods felt strain on his back ahead of March’s The Players Championship, known as the 'fifth major.' Fortunately, rumors suggest the Masters may be rescheduled for October or November, giving him ample time to recover.

Tiger Woods' gold medal at next year's Tokyo Olympics will directly lead to the historic achievement known as the 'Career Golden Slam.'

The Tokyo Olympics, originally scheduled for July, have been postponed by one year. Woods had coveted the Olympic gold medal from the start of the year. This is because he aims for the 'Career Golden Slam,' which combines victories in four different majors with an Olympic gold medal. Woods is the youngest career Grand Slam winner, having won the 1997 Masters, 1999 PGA Championship, 2000 US Open, and The Open consecutively at age 24?two years earlier than Nicklaus, who achieved it at 26.

Golf was reinstated as an official Olympic sport at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics in Brazil, after a 112-year hiatus since the 1904 St. Louis Olympics in the United States. Tennis, which allowed professional players to compete starting in 1988, has seen players like Steffi Graf (Germany), Andre Agassi (USA), and Rafael Nadal (Spain) join the 'Golden Slam Club' consecutively, but in golf, Inbee Park (32, KB Financial Group) remains the only member. The golf world’s attention is focused on the path Woods is taking.