Being popular is a curse in itself, with the general public failing to understand the stars. And after winning the Masters in 1997, Tiger Woods entered extreme public visibility, with the media labeling his stardom as ‘Tiger-mania.’ 

When Woods talks about his rise to stardom, no one really understands the true extent of it. No one except the two people who truly knew what the 15-time major champion was going through. 

On episode one of ‘Tiger Woods: 30 Years of Influence’, the golfer said, “The only two people that really understood kind of what I was going through was, obviously, MJ. What he experienced with the [Chicago] Bulls all those years, and just the mania but with the Bulls, and then winning all those championships, and just the mobs of people.”

“And the other one who was about my age that made his major league debut in '96 was Jeets [Derek Jeter].”

Winning the 1997 Masters by 12 strokes and becoming the youngest Masters winner at 21 drew in about 44 million viewers on TV. And that was the beginning of Tiger Woods, as the fans witnessed the shift of a prodigy into a legend.

But with that rise in fame came a few troubles that only people with similar troubles could understand. 

So, Woods would meet up with Jordan and Jeter, and the trio would hang out at a Chicago Bulls game or watch the New York Yankees. But it was often the golfer who’d pick on the others’ brains. 

“I was like, what is going on here? You're in Chicago doing your thing, MJ, and it's crazy,” Woods said. “It's crazy around the league. Jeets, you're in the biggest media market in the world. How are you handling this? You're a little bit older than I am, but still, this is all new to you. How are you dealing with it?”

Jeter and Woods were trying to figure out the same thing at around the same time. But for the 50-year-old, it was certainly beneficial to “bounce stuff” off of Jeter and Jordan back then.

And during his Hall of Fame induction speech in 2022, Woods highlighted the role his friends and close ones played in his success. 

Tiger Woods Made an Honest Confession About His Stance in Golf

Woods didn’t have it easy. His parents, Earl and Kutilda, sacrificed a lot trying to mold him into a great junior golfer. Meanwhile, his mentors and friends kept supporting him through the highs and lows. And Woods understood it pretty well. 

“Golf is an individual sport,” he told the world as he entered the Hall of Fame. “But in my case, I didn’t get here alone. I had unbelievable parents, mentors, and friends who supported me in the toughest times, the darkest of times, and celebrated the highest of times.”

“All of you allowed me to get here.”

Jordan and Jeter gave Woods a rare understanding amid overwhelming fame. Their shared experiences helped him manage pressure and sustain long-term greatness. And Woods has remained grateful for that. 

What do you think of them being each other's support? Tell us in the comments!

Follow Daily Club Golf for more golfing stories.

Written by

Krushna Pattnaik

Edited by

Oajaswini Prabhu