Tiger joins LeBron, Jordan on sport billionaire list: Forbes

MIAMI: Tiger Woods, a 15-time major golf champion, has joined NBA icons Michael Jordan and LeBron James as athletes with a net worth of US$1 billion, Forbes magazine reported Friday (Jun 10).

Woods, making a comeback at age 46 from severe leg injuries suffered in a February 2021 car crash, has made about US$1.7 billion in prize money, endorsements and business deals over his 27-year career, Forbes reported.

The earnings update said that was the most money of any athlete the magazine has tracked, with less than 10% of revenues for Woods coming from his winnings.

Jordan, who won six NBA crowns in the 1990s with the Chicago Bulls, was the first sportsman to reach the milestone, his endorsement pitchman role and Jumpman logo products setting standards for athletes.

Los Angeles Lakers playmaker James, a four-time NBA champion and four-time NBA Most Valuable Player, crossed the US$1 billion figure only last week, according to the magazine, which said he made US$121.1 million gross in the past year.

Woods, whose 82 career US PGA Tour victories is level with Sam Snead for the all-time record, ended a 14-month injury layoff in April at the Masters, making the cut in a fightback effort where simply walking 72 holes at hilly Augusta National was considered a major effort.

Woods made the cut last month at the PGA Championship but withdrew before the final round after limping his way over Southern Hills in the third round.

While he will skip next week's US Open, Woods plans to play in next month's British Open at St. Andrews.

Greg Norman, commissioner of the new Saudi-backed LIV Golf Invitational Series, said Woods was pitched an offer in the "high nine digits" to join the upstart tour, but Woods said at the PGA Championship he prefers the