Tiger Woods World's First Billion Dollar Athlete

From Gold Digest magazine, Tiger Woods is set to be become the world’s first billion-dollar sportsman in 2010, according to a new study.

Just this past year in 2007, Tiger Woods set a new record for an athlete taking home a staggering $122.7m - an increase of $26 from 2006 reported Golf Digest magazine.

The same story cites Gillette (I use Gillette and I love it) and Gatorade (I always pack a Gatorade when I play a round) as the major sponsors.

Tiger also enjoyed a boom year on the golf course, winning his 13th Major title, as well as a $10m bonus for winning the FedEx Cup competition.

The magazine estimates that since turning pro in 1996 Woods has earned $769.4m in total earnings.

In 1996 only nine golfers earned more than $1m a year, but in 2007, 158 players, including 99 on the PGA tour topped that figure.