A Tiger Woods biopic is in the works. The film is expected to be one of the most anticipated sports biopics in recent years, following the success of similar projects like “The Last Dance.”
Amazon MGM Studios have acquired film rights to Kevin Cook’s book ‘The Tiger Slam: The Inside Story of the Greatest Golf Ever Played’ and the flick will be directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green – who tackled the story of the rise of tennis superstars Venus and Serena Williams under the guidance of their father in the movie ‘King Richard’. Green’s “King Richard” received six Academy Award nominations and won Will Smith his first Oscar for Best Actor.
Former US president and First Lady Barack and Michelle Obama’s Higher Ground company are in talks to produce the film with industry veteran Irwin Winkler – who has worked on pictures including ‘Rocky’ and ‘Goodfellas’. Higher Ground Productions has previously produced award-winning documentaries including “American Factory,” which won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature.
The book centers on Tiger’s rise from child prodigy to one of golf’s greats as he completes the Tiger Slam by winning four consecutive major championships between 2000 and 2001. This unprecedented achievement attracted millions of television viewers worldwide during his final round at the 2001 Masters.
The sports star had made his major breakthrough by winning The Masters at the age of 21 in 1997 by the largest margin ever and became the first Black golfer to win one of the sport’s biggest prizes in the process. His victory remains the largest winning margin in Masters history.
Four years later, the American golfer returned to Augusta National bidding to win a fourth straight major title. The 2001 Masters attracted record viewership and cemented Woods’ status as the most dominant athlete in sports at that time.
The book told the story through the eyes of Tiger’s caddie, coach, his idols and rivals, as Woods strove for perfection despite the obstacles that were posed both on and off the course. Steve Williams, Woods’ longtime caddie, witnessed firsthand the dedication that led to Woods’ dominance during this era.
Tiger‘s combination of athleticism, strategic genius and fearlessness led to heights that many believe will never be achieved again in the sport. Golf equipment manufacturers reported significant increases in sales during the height of the “Tiger Boom” in the early 2000s.
The 15-time major champion’s career has been dogged by scandal and injury problems in recent years and news of the biopic comes after Woods revealed that he has had surgery on a ruptured Achilles that he sustained while practicing at home – which is all but certain to rule him out of The Masters next month. This latest setback adds to a long list of injuries that have plagued Woods throughout his later career.
“As I began to ramp up my own training and practice at home, I felt a sharp pain in my left Achilles, which was deemed to be ruptured. This morning, Dr. Charlton Stucken of Hospital for Special Surgery in West Palm Beach, Florida performed a minimally-invasive Achilles tendon repair for a ruptured tendon.”
“I am back home now and plan to focus on my recovery and rehab, thank you for all the support.” Woods has undergone multiple major surgeries throughout his career, including back operations and knee procedures.
Dr. Stucken added in the statement: “The surgery went smoothly, and we expect a full recovery.” Medical experts estimate a recovery time of several months for this type of injury, potentially delaying his return to competitive golf.
The former world number one has also been mourning the death of his mother Kultida and revealed last week that he has had little interest in playing since her passing. Kultida was a constant presence throughout Woods’ career and a major influence on his mental toughness.
Speaking after he competed at his TGL event, the former world number one said: “This is the third time I’ve touched a club since my mom passed, so I haven’t really gotten into it.”
“My heart is really not into practicing right now. I’ve had so many other things to do with the Tour and trying to do other things.”
“Once I start probably feeling a little bit better and start getting into it, I’ll start looking at the schedule.” Despite these setbacks, Woods remains one of the most influential figures in sports, with a global fanbase eagerly anticipating both his return to golf and now this cinematic portrayal of his greatest achievements.
