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Young achievers

In 1984, Eldrick Tonter Woods won the 9-10 boys' event at the Junior World Golf Championships. Tiger - as the world knows him now - was only eight years old, but 9-10 was the youngest age group in the event.

Since then, Tiger Woods -- who is of Chinese, Thai, African American, Native American, and Dutch descent - has won more Professional Golfers Association titles than any other active player.

And he has revolutionised the game of golf and interest about it among ethnic minorities in the United States and people across the world.

Consider this. He was named Sports Illustrated magazine's Sportsperson of the Year in 1996, the year he turned professional. Such had already been his impact on the golfing world even as a rookie.'

In the period between 1999 and 2002, when Tiger was at his most savage best, golf writers had begun to wonder whether his virtual monopoly was actually bad for golf.

Now, even someone whose biggest handicap in life is golf would agree that Tiger Woods has done to golf what few sportstars have been able to do to their game.