Tiger Tracker

Tiger Tracker (a man much, much cooler than the 007 dude pictured to the right) joined Golf Channel in 2012, ironically in the midst of Woods’ longest-ever streak without a major. No matter, this intrepid observer has followed Woods across the globe, from Australia to Abu Dhabi to California, providing readers with invaluable insight into golf’s biggest attraction.

Tracker was born, raised and still resides in Las Vegas, where his connection to Woods first began.

In 1996, Tracker was working as a standard bearer when Woods won his first PGA Tour event, the Las Vegas Invitational. The story goes that after Woods’ final-round 64, a young TT told him: “Hey, nice playing, Tiger. Congrats on the ‘W.’” To which Woods responded, with a wink: “Hell, you might be good luck. You should follow me all the time.”

Ever since, Tiger Tracker resolved to take Woods at his word and follow his career with intense interest … unless Tiger is playing poorly, of course. Because if Woods doesn’t care, neither does Tracker.

Though they obviously have met and recognize each other at events, the two never socialize and maintain a respectful, professional distance. Golf Channel prefers that editorial independence, anyway.

The son of a casino owner, Tracker enrolled at Pepperdine University to study economics, though his close friends have joked for years that he only attended the private school near Malibu to enjoy the, um, scenery, both natural and otherwise. He dropped out after two years, upon discovering that the educational system was too confining for his broad, insatiable educational appetite.
 
Though he never earned a degree, Tracker considers himself a student of life, having devoted himself to the study of various subjects in his world travels. He’s a world-rated baccarat player and has a black belt in five forms of martial arts, including Jiu-jitsu and Surma stick fighting. He’s also a highly skilled free-solo rock climber whose conquests include the Mercer River Canyon in Yosemite National Park and Kathmandu Valley in Nepal.

Golf? Well, yes, of course Tracker plays golf. Once a scratch, he has since slipped to a 4-handicap, but he always brings his sticks to play the Monday (or Saturday) after Tiger’s events. If you see him at your local 19th hole, order Tracker his favorite adult beverage – a Crown and ginger ale. You just have to figure out who he is first.