Tiger Woods makes Forbes ‘Richest Entrepreneurs Under 40’ list for 1st and last time

Lydia Ko and Inbee Park are duking it out for bragging rights in the LPGA Tour’s season finale while embattled Rory McIlroy got off to a strong start to his Race to Dubai title defense in the curtain-dropper on the European Tour, Olympics critic Adam Scott’s birdie barrage put him on top after 18 holes Down Under, and Dubai truant Sergio Garcia got into it with fans on Twitter.

So, naturally, this week is all about Tiger Woods.

Woods, who, last anyone knew, was bed-ridden after undergoing his third back surgery since March 2014, popped up recently in an Instagram photo snapped at a kids’ soccer game in Miami.

That outing seemed to open the floodgates of Tiger headlines washing over the golf world, because next thing you knew, Golf Channel was bringing us breaking news about Woods being named a vice captain of the 2016 US Ryder Cup team. Along with that came talk about how his real goal was to make the squad as a player, and that he was back to practicing some aspect of his game.

Oh, and this just in: the former world No. 1, now hovering around 400th at 384, is very rich. Woods will still be filthy wealthy in 2016 but this is the first, and last, year he’ll make it into Forbes’ roster of the 40 most affluent entrepreneurs under 40 because he’ll be 40 on Dec. 30.

Woods, ranked 26th on this menu, does not exactly fit the description of young Silicon Valley techies who populate the publication’s inaugural 40-under-40 list. With a net worth of $700 million, he’s also the only athlete in the Forbes lineup.

Most of Tiger’s bounty comes from endorsements, with tournament purses accounting for only some 10 percent of the $1.35 billion he has earned in his professional career, according to Forbes. That’s good news for Woods, who owned the PGA Tour money list for years but won just $783,594 on the course over the last two years.

Meanwhile, back inside the ropes, Ko (3-under 69) bested Park by two shots in the opening round of the CME Group Tour Championship. Lots of golf left to play, so the sprint for so many awards -- the $500,000 first-place purse, Race to the CME Globe’s $1 million bonus, Player of the Year, Vare Trophy (low scoring average), and money list -- is too close to call.

Park would also qualify for the LPGA Hall of Fame with a win this week in Naples, Fla., or by capturing the PoY or Vare Trophy. The 17-time LPGA winner needs just one point to make it to the Hall.

Over on the European Tour, Rory McIlroy was discussing his strong start in his Race to Dubai title defense when Tiger’s name popped up. Woods’ Nike stablemate was in the middle of his post-opening round press conference when he was surprised to hear that Tiger had been named a vice captain of the 2016 U.S. Ryder Cup team.

“I mean, he’s not playing?” asked McIlroy, whose 4-under 68 put him two shots shy of the 18-hole leaders. “I don’t know what to think about that. ... Just sort of makes me think what really his health is like and how he feels.”

Scott, who earlier in the week criticized the format of golf matches in next year’s Rio Olympics, took a one-stroke lead into the second round of the Australian Masters.

“I’ve been pretty open and outspoken that it’s not really a priority of my scheduling next year which is based around the majors, and if the Olympics fits in then it does,” Scott told the Associated Press on Wednesday. “There is a gap in the schedule there. ... Some time off looks quite good actually.’’

Should Scott hoist the trophy in Melbourne, it would be his third Aussie Masters victory. The native Australian, of course, hired Woods’ ex-caddie after Tiger gave Steve Williams the heave-ho in 2011.

And then there’s Garcia, who took a pass on this week’s Dubai tilt, heard about it on social media, and reacted as only Sergio can.