Tiger Woods: first athlete to earn USD1 billion
It was reported in Forbes in October that Tiger Woods is the first ever athlete to earn USD1 billion (that’s more than RM3 billion!).
He’s been the highest-paid American athlete in years: not even basketball legend Michael “Air” Jordan or seven-time Formula 1 champion Michael Schumacher could get close.
Yes, he’s the first 10-figure sports earner.
Apart from championship purses, the money also rolls in through other channels: appearance fees, endorsements, bonuses, even perhaps doing promotional tote bags, and last but not least, golf course design.
His off the course so far in 2009 is more than USD100 million, much much more than mere tournament prizemoney.
And he’s only 33, he’s good for at least another 15 years on the greens and probably double that at designing courses.
Several more billion dollars is in the works.
