By mustang6560 on 1/30/13

Here is some fodder for the pro-Tiger Woods people out there. Tiger isn't just good for golf, he's good for the economy!

We've heard how golf's financial well-being rises and falls with Tiger Woods. But what if it was the entire American economy that hinged on the state of Woods' game?

You laugh. Yet a closer look at the fluctuations in the Nasdaq Composite Index over the last 17 years show a remarkably similar pattern to Woods' own ups and downs as a professional.

Consider: When Woods turned pro in August 1996, the Nasdaq bounced around in the 1,100 range. A little more than a year later, with Tigermania in full swing following Woods' landmark win in the 1997 Masters, the Nasdaq had eclipsed 1,700. The upward progression continued as Woods overhauled his swing under Butch Harmon and then embarked on the most dominant golf stretch of golf in the game's history. In May 2000, when Woods was busy winning five of six majors, the Nasdaq famously surpassed 5,000 points.

So there you have it — the next time you decide to root against Tiger, just know you're also rooting against ... the world. You don't want to be a 'world hater' do you?

I would encourage you to click the link below to see the cool graph that compares Tiger's success over the years and the NASDQ performance. I'd include it here but I don't have the rights to do so.


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