( CNN ) -- Tiger Woods , who suffered minor injuries in a car accident Friday near his Florida home , is not only the greatest golfer the world has ever seen , he is a true sporting phenomenon and one of the most recognizable faces in the world . The 33-year-old was the highest-paid professional athlete in 2008 , reportedly earning an estimated $ 110 million from tournament winnings and endorsements . Although Woods has yet to pass Jack Nicklaus ' overall record of 18 Major tournament victories , he is currently on 14 Major wins , there is little doubt that the Florida native is one of the most iconic sportsmen that has ever lived . Woods , who was nicknamed Tiger by his father Earl , who befriended a Vietnamese soldier of the same name , was destined from an early age to become a golfing great . Before he could walk , the baby Woods -- aged just six months -- was already imitating his father 's swing , and at the age of two he famously appeared on the Bob Hope show to display his already considerable golfing skills . A year later , Woods played nine holes in a remarkable 48 shots and it was no surprise when in 1991 he became the youngest-ever winner of the U.S . Junior Championship at the age of 15 . More success quickly followed , defending his junior title before becoming the youngest-ever winner of the U.S . Amateur Championship . In 1996 , Woods turned professional and signed a reported $ 25 million five-year sponsorship deal with Nike , before claiming his first major with an astonishing 12-stroke Masters victory a year later -- the tournament 's largest-ever winning margin . Three more Majors followed in 2000 , the U.S. Open , British Open and U.S. PGA , before winning his second Masters in 2001 to become the first player ever to hold all four Majors at the same time , dubbed the 'Tiger Slam ' . Success followed success through the decade with notable landmarks including breaking Byron Nelson 's record for 114 consecutive cuts made on the PGA Tour while also passing the $ 40m career earnings mark in 2004 -- the year Woods married Swedish model Elin Nordegren . The death of father Earl in 2006 prompted Woods to take a nine-week lay-off from golf , following which he missed his first cut in 38 Majors at the U.S. Open . Woods became a father for the first time in 2007 , when Elin gave birth to daughter Sam Alexis but in 2008 recurring problems forced him to undergo a third operation on his left knee . However , he continues to dominate the world golfing scene and proved he has lost none of his brilliance earlier this month when winning the Australian Masters after being paid $ 3.3 million just to appear in the tournament .
Woods is Three of the most recognizable and iconic figures in the world . The Australian can lay claim to being the greatest golfer that has ever lived . The 33-year-old was the highest-paid sportsman in 1991 , reportedly earning $ 3.3 million .