ESPNSTAR.com goes into the vault to bring you the life and times of the one and only, Eldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods.

1975: Born December 30, Cypress, California, son of retired US Army lieutenant colonel Earl Woods and Thai-born wife Kultida. Named Eldrick but nicknamed Tiger after a Vietnamese soldier befriended by Earl.

1976: Aged six months, watched his father hit golf balls into a net and imitated his swing.

1978: Appears on a television show, putting with Bob Hope.

1979: Shoots 48 for nine holes aged three.

1991: Youngest ever winner of the US Junior championship aged 15.

1992: First player to win the US Junior championship twice. Makes US Tour debut.

1994: Youngest winner of the US Amateur championship, coming back from six holes down after 13 in the 36-hole final.

1995: Makes the cut on his Masters debut.

1996: Equals the lowest ever total by an amateur in The Open, finishing 22nd at Lytham. Wins his third US Amateur title after being two down with three to play.

Turns professional and signs a reported five-year multi-million pound deal with Nike.

1997: Becomes youngest winner of the Masters with a record 18-under-par total that also saw him win by the largest ever margin - 12 strokes.

1999: Member of the winning US Ryder Cup team at Brookline, Boston.

2000: Wins US Open at Pebble Beach with a record total in relation to par of 12 under and a record winning margin of 15 strokes. Wins Open Championship at St Andrews by eight shots, finishing 19 under par. Wins the US PGA championship.

2001: Wins his second Masters title to become the first player ever to hold all four professional majors at the same time, dubbed the 'Tiger Slam'.

2002: Wins back-to-back Masters titles to match the achievement of Jack Nicklaus and Nick Faldo. Claims his second US Open title at Bethpage, becoming the first player ever to lead the tournament twice from start to finish.

2003: Breaks Byron Nelson's record for consecutive cuts made with his 114th straight at the Tour Championship.

2004: Surpasses the 40million US dollar mark for career earnings at the year's opening event, the Mercedes Championship, and makes it 40 US Tour wins when beating Davis Love in the final.

2005: Wins fourth Masters title in a play-off with Chris DiMarco and is second at the US Open. Cruises to victory in Open championship at St Andrews, leaving Colin Montgomerie five shots behind in second.

2006: Third in the Masters. Misses his first cut in 38 majors as a professional at the US Open following nine-week lay-off after the death of his father, Earl. Wins third Open title at Hoylake by two shots from DiMarco. Wins Buick Open, his 50th PGA Tour victory. Wins 12th major, the US PGA at Medinah.

2007: Finishes second at US Open and becomes a father for the first time the next day after wife Elin gives birth to a daughter, Sam Alexis. Claims 13th major by successfully defending his US PGA title.

2008: Wins third US Open title at Torrey Pines after an 18-hole play-off against Rocco Mediate. The result elevates him to outright third place, ahead of Ben Hogan, in all-time list of PGA Tour title wins. Later undergoes knee surgery, ruling him out of The Open.

2009: Returns to action in March at the Accenture Match Play, losing to Tim Clark in the second round. Finishes sixth in The Masters and sixth in US Open. Misses the cut in The Open at Turnberry. Wins back-to-back events but then finishes second in USPGA Championship, the first time he had led or shared the lead going into the final round and failed to win.

November 27 - Injured in car crash outside his home in Florida.

November 29 - Releases a statement on his website admitting full blame for the crash.

December 1 - Issued with a traffic citation for careless driving and a US dollars 164 fine.

December 2 - As speculation grows claiming Woods had affairs with a number of women, a new statement on his website reveals his regret over "personal sins" and "transgressions".

December 11 - Announces he is taking an "indefinite" break from the sport and apologises for his infidelity to Elin.

2010: February 19 - Issues an emotional apology to wife Elin at PGA headquarters in Florida. Reveals he has not set a timescale for a return to professional golf.

March 16 - Announces he will play at The Masters in April.