The iconic golfer returned this year to the world No 1 spot he had held for so long until his self-imposed exile from the game December 2009.
And now the 37-year-old is back at the top of Forbes' annual list of the world's 100 highest paid athletes.
Show me the money: Woods is back at the top of the Forbes list
Power year: Woods, seen at left in his trademark
red shirt at a tournament in Ohio last weekend, has attended a number
of events (including the Met Ball at right) with his new girlfriend
Olympic skier Lindsey Vonn
The American has earned $71.8million in the last year. The vast majority of which came from endorsement deals worth $65million and the remaining $13.1million came from winnings.
Woods was top of the list for 11 consecutive years until 2012, when he was usurped by Swiss tennis star Roger Federer.
This has been a year of rehabilitation for Woods, who has come out from seemingly self-imposed hiding after the fallout from his multiple extramarital affairs surfaced.
Silver and bronze: Tennis star Roger Federer
came in second with $71.5million and basketball legend Kobe Bryant made
$61.9million
Meeting of the money makers: LeBron James went
over to greet David Beckham after the soccer star watched the Miami
Heat's game on June 3. James made $59.8million and Beckham made
$47.2million, making him the highest-earning Brit on the Forbes list in
8th place
Though Vonn is wealthy in her own right from her endorsement deals following Olympic medals, she did not make the cut of Forbes' top 100 athletes.
There were only three women who did actually make the list. Though Maria Sharapova is currently ranked number two to Serena Williams in the tennis world, Sharapova beat her by a wide margin in the Forbes list as the Russian blonde came in 22nd with $29million while the younger Williams sister ranked 68th with $20.5million.
While Federer may have had his money crown taken back by Tiger, he still came in second place over all on the Forbes list, earning $71.5million.
On and off the court: Maria Sharapova is ranked
second in tennis to Serena Williams, but Sharapova made $8.5million more
than the number 1 champ last year
The next four spots are held by Americans who are at the top of their fields: Kobe Bryant and LeBron James came in third and fourth with $61.9million and $59.8million respectively.
The basketball stars are following closely by two football stars: Drew Brees and Aaron Rodgers with $51million and $49million respectively.
The highest represent Brit on the list is David Beckham in eighth, having taken home $47.2million last year.
The former England captain is also the highest placed footballer, just ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo in ninth and Lionel Messi in 10th.
The World’s Top 10 Highest-Paid Athletes:
| Rank | Athlete | Sport | Total ($m) | Salary/winnings ($m) | Endorsements ($m) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tiger Woods | Golf | 78.1 | 13.1 | 65.0 |
| 2 | Roger Federer | Tennis | 71.5 | 6.5 | 65.0 |
| 3 | Kobe Bryant | Basketball | 61.9 | 27.9 | 34.0 |
| 4 | LeBron James | Basketball | 59.8 | 17.8 | 42.0 |
| 5 | Drew Brees | American Football | 51.0 | 40.0 | 11.0 |
| 6 | Aaron Rodgers | American Football | 49.0 | 43.0 | 6.0 |
| 7 | Phil Mickelson | Golf | 48.7 | 4.7 | 44.0 |
| 8 | David Beckham | Football | 47.2 | 5.2 | 42.0 |
| 9 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Football | 44.0 | 23.0 | 21.0 |
| 10 | Lionel Messi | Football | 41.3 | 20.3 | 21.0 |
