Tiger Woods hurt in car crash, released from hospital

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GREATEST GOLFER IN A GENERATION

Woods is the greatest golfer of his generation and arguably the best of all time. He trails his childhood idol Jack Nicklaus by just four majors in all-time standings.

Forbes magazine said in September that Woods' victory in the FedEx Cup, with its USD 10 million prize, had made him the first billionaire athlete. He has lucrative endorsement deals with Nike, Buick, Gillette and Gatorade.

Forbes said earlier this year that Woods was the highest earner in sports with USD 110 million during the previous 12 months, two-and-a-half times that of his nearest competitor.

His impact on the sport has gone beyond his performances and earnings. As a player of mixed ethnic descent -- his father was an African-American and his mother from Thailand -- he is credited with broadening the appeal of the game.

Woods is scheduled to host his annual Chevron World Challenge tournament in Thousand Oaks, California, next week, starting on Thursday.

Born in Cypress, California, Woods was destined for golf stardom when he won three consecutive U.S. junior titles and three successive U.S. amateur championships before turning pro in late 1996.

He had swift success as a pro, becoming the youngest winner of the Masters tournament at Augusta National in 1997. His victory margin of 12 shots was the biggest in the tournament's history.