‘Project Tiger’ A Book by Gavin Newsham Chronicling Tiger’s Early Golfing Years

With an upcoming release date of March 17, Gavin Newsham’s new book entitled “Project Tiger – The Birth of Genius and the Price of Greatness” chronicles the formation and path of Tiger Wood’s early years of golfing.

Newsham’s 288-page work, “Project Tiger” outlines the path Earl Woods orchestrated to make his son the greatest golfer that ever lived.

Although Tiger had the talent to swing golf clubs before his first birthday, it was his father’s drill-sergeant coaching that motivated him with fear into obsession. As a result, Tiger emotionally detached as he rapidly ascended creating a volatile perseverance culminating in entitlement, arrogance, and selfishness.

Drawing upon his dozens of interviews with the school friends, teammates, and coaches of young Tiger, Gavin Newsham guides readers of “Project Tiger” to discover the unique traits that led Woods to the pinnacle of his success.

Answers from Microsoft copilot, DuckDuckGo search assist, and Wikipedia state that thirty (or more) books have been written about Tiger Woods, and I believe the sources used and credited by Newsham in “Project Tiger” to be the most authentic and factual of all.

Among others, Gavin cites his interviews with Stanford teammates Casey Martin, Dave Garcia, and Eri Crum; rivals from college golf Robert Floyd, Steve Scott, and Todd Dempsey; pro golfers Dave Stockton Jr., Jeff Hart, and Robert Wrenn; close friends, Jeff Anderson and Trip Kuehne; and former friend Dina Gravell; as sources. One cannot come any closer to the subject than those.

My favorite takeaways from my reading of “Project Tiger” are two episodes both found in chapter 15 that reveal the ‘pros and cons’ of the emerging / already emerged persona of Tiger Woods.

Proving his worth as the consummate teammate, at the NCAA Regionals in Albuquerque, NM, in May 1995, Tiger and his road roommate Casey Martin were simultaneously stricken with food poisoning. Affecting Casey first, then Tiger, beginning around 1:00am the pair alternated trips to the bathroom with vomiting sessions. Around 4:30am Casey called Stanford Coach Wally Goodwin and said “Coach, I’m dying.”

Someone (of these two) had to play the next day or Stanford would be eliminated. After making another emergency trip to the bathroom Woods told Notah Begay and Coach Goodwin “I’ll try and give it a go.” Woods played later that day experiencing regular bouts of on-course vomiting, finishing the round scoring 72. Both Woods and Martin were sent to the local emergency room and were placed on IV drips.

Also in his chapter 15, Newsham provides quotes from a letter shared with him “written by Tiger Woods” to his teenage girlfriend Dina Gravell. Dina and her parents had come up to Palo Alto to watch Tiger golf in the 1995 US Intercollegiate Golf Invitational. Tiger was forced to withdraw during the second day of the event and headed to the hospital for an MRI.

While Dina waited for results of the MRI back at a hotel, a package containing her belongings and terse break-up letter was delivered. The letter ended with a postscript: “P.S. Please mail back my necklace I gave you to me when you get back home. Don’t show up at the tournament tomorrow because you are just not welcomed.” The break-up was abrupt and brutal and the unnecessarily cruel letter, Gravell believed, was dictated by Earl and Tida to Tiger who signed it.

Near the very end of Newsham’s final chapter of “Project Tiger” mention is made of Tiger’s first PGA Tour tournament appearance made at the 1996 Greater Milwaukee Open. While his current estimated net worth is between $1.1 – $1.3 billion, Tiger pocketed $2,544 for a T60 finish. “That’s my money,” he said. “I earned this.”

The book’s Epilogue comments on the passing of Earl Woods, the importance of the life and the significance of the death of his mother, Tida, and briefly touches on the argument and divorce with Elin Nordegren.

Spoiler alert: there are no photos or illustrations in this work. The book is also available in kindle format.

Product details
ASIN : B0FFTHLMDF
Publisher : Diversion Books
Publication date : March 17, 2026
Format : Hardcover
Language : English
Print length : 288 pages
ISBN-13 : 979-8895150948
Item Weight : 1.14 pounds
Height : 9.25 inches
Width : 6.25 inches
Thickness : 1.00 inch