THE name Tiger Woods has become synonymous with golf, with the US superstar picking up 15 majors in his long career.
But, it is not his real name, rather a moniker given to his parents as a child – so what is the name on his birth certificate?
What is Tiger Woods’ real name?
Tiger’s full name is actually Eldrick Tont Woods.
It is believed that his mother chose the name Eldrick as it began with an ‘E’ – like his father Earl – and ended in a ‘K’ for her own name Kultida.
As the middle name, it is a traditional Thai name, where his mother hails from, loosely translating to mean “beginning” in English.
The initials ETW are what Woods has used as the name of one of his companies, ETW Corporation and continues to use Eldrick Tont on all official records, having never legally changed to Tiger.
Why the nickname Tiger?
One of Earl Woods’ Army buddies during the Vietnam War was a South Vietnamese soldier named Col. Vuong Dang Phong.
Phong’s nickname was Tiger, and Earl began calling his son that as a homage to him.
Woods has apparently never changed his name formally to Tiger, with documents relating to his divorce from Elin Nordegren refer to him at Eldrick Tont Woods.
How old is Tiger Woods?
Tiger was born on December 30, 1975 in Cypress, California.
That makes him 45 years old.
He is the only child of Earl and Kultida – but has half-siblings Earl Jr, Kevin and Royce from his father’s first marriage.
