Grand Central Publishing acquires book by Tiger
Grand Central Publishing (GCP), a division of Hachette Book Group, is thrilled to announce the acquisition of UNTITLED TIGER WOODS 1997 MASTERS BOOK by sports icon Tiger Woods, co-written with Lorne Rubenstein. Jamie Raab, president and publisher at GCP, negotiated world rights to the book with Mark Steinberg of Excel Sports Management, with Gretchen Young, VP, Executive Editor at GCP editing. The book will be published in hardcover, e-book and audio editions in March 2017 in conjunction with the 20th anniversary of Tiger’s win at the 1997 Masters.
Tiger, then only 21, won the 1997 Masters by a historic 12 shots, which remains the widest margin of victory in the tournament’s history, making it arguably among the most seminal events in golf. In UNTITLED TIGER WOODS 1997 MASTERS BOOK, Woods will recount, in his own words, his experience of winning his first major, becoming the youngest Masters champion ever. The 1997 Masters was Tiger’s first appearance in the tournament as a professional; he had turned pro only the previous August. Tiger was already among the most-watched and closely examined athletes in history. He was the first African-American/Asian player to win the Masters, and this at the Augusta National Golf Club, perhaps the most exclusive club in the world, and one that had in 1990 admitted its first black member. His utter domination of the field after shooting a 4-over-par 40 on the front nine of the first round, and then recovering with a 6-under-par 30 on the back nine, captivated and astonished the golf world and beyond. Tiger has called it the defining tournament of his career, having won 13 more major championships since.
The book, Woods’ first since his 2001 book, “How I Play Golf,” will explore Woods’ history with the game, the tournament itself, how golf has changed over the last 20 years and what it was like winning. Woods will open up about his relationship with father Earl Woods, dispel previous misconceptions and will candidly reveal many more stories that have never been told before.
“The 1997 Masters was one of the most important tournaments in my life for many reasons,” Tiger said. “I think about the hug with my dad and all the events that went on that week. A lot of people know generally about that tournament, but this gives me a chance to tell in detail what happened on and off the course.”
“It is a great privilege to help bring to light this vivid account by the legendary Tiger Woods of his barrier-breaking win at the 1997 Masters Tournament,” Young said of the acquisition. “For the first time he shares with readers the personal, professional and societal challenges he experienced in reaching and winning the tournament, providing keen insight from one of the game’s all-time greats on the Masters then and now, as well as on the sport itself.”
Tiger, now 40 years old, has had an unprecedented career since becoming a professional golfer in the late summer of 1996. He has won 105 tournaments, 79 of those on the PGA TOUR, including the 1997, 2001, 2002 and 2005 Masters Tournaments; 1999, 2000, 2006 and 2007 PGA Championships; 2000, 2002 and 2008 U.S. Opens; and 2000, 2005 and 2006 British Opens. With his second Masters victory in 2001, Tiger became the first ever to hold all four professional major championships at the same time.
In winning the 2000 British Open at St. Andrews, Woods became the youngest to complete the career Grand Slam of professional major championships and only the fifth ever to do so, following Ben Hogan, Gene Sarazen, Gary Player and Jack Nicklaus. Tiger also was the youngest Masters champion ever, at the age of 21 years, three months and 14 days, and was the first African-American or individual of Asian heritage to win a major championship.
He is the career victories leader among active players on the PGA TOUR and is the career money list leader. He is second in career PGA TOUR victories (79) and major championships (14).
