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'Try and Block All That Out': Tiger Woods Revealed Why Early Fame Was Harder Than It Seemed

Originally posted on DailyClubGolf | By Avishek Sarkar | Last updated Mar 28, 2026 12:36 PM ET

Tiger Woods has revealed the intense focus required to handle his early global fame. He explained how trying to block out the constant pressure and media attention actually ended up being helpful.

Golf had not witnessed someone like Tiger Woods. The hype he brought, the media attention he got, and the history he eventually made. With all the fame came the pressure, distractions, and struggles.

“That was a challenge in itself,” Woods said in a video the Golf Channel uploaded on March 1. “One of the reasons I’ve focused as hard as I did is to try and block all that out,”

However, Woods, known for his calm disposition and focus, used pressure to his advantage. After winning the 2008 US Open, Woods said, “Well, it’s pressure, there’s no doubt. I was nervous, and that’s a good thing.”

Woods was everywhere, including talk shows, commercials, magazines, and events. attracted huge crowds at golf courses. Poll results of Gallup named him as the nation’s No. 1 athlete after he won four straight majors.

Woods ranked at the top of the Q Score, which highlights popularity and marketing appeal for most of the early 2000s.

He was at No.2 on the annual Celebrity 100 list brought out by Forbes in 2008. Wherever he went, the crowd followed. Woods created such an unparalleled hype that they had to name it.

The Tiger Effect

“That whole wave that they called Tiger Mania at that time,” said Woods. Even when he faced multiple injuries and rarely participated in events from 2013 to ’17, his influence remained.

During that period, television viewership fell by 18% and attendance by 11%. Woods’ comeback in 2018, as expected, witnessed the ratings of Championship events rise.

His win at Atlanta in the Tour Championship 2008 led to a 206% surge in the ratings.

“Tiger Woods is the most dominant, most skilled player we have ever seen,” said the seven-time major champion, Arnold Palmer.

So tell us what you thought of Tiger Woods in his prime, and follow Club Golf for more.

This article first appeared on DailyClubGolf and was syndicated with permission.

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