LOS ANGELES May 19 – Former world number one Tiger Woods' golf game may have taken a turn for the worse, but his star power remains almost as bright as ever.LOS ANGELES May 19 – Former world number one Tiger Woods’ golf game may have taken a turn for the worse, but his star power remains almost as bright as ever.
The 35-year old American continues to be the biggest sports celebrity in the world, sitting at No. 6 on Forbes magazines annual ‘Celebrity 100’ list of the most powerful people in the entertainment business.
Woods, who has not won a golf tournament in the past year and a half, is the highest ranked athlete on the Forbes list. There are 19 athletes listed including NBA basketball player LeBron James (10th), tennis star Roger Federer (25th) and soccer icon David Beckham (tied for No. 35).
Woods’ last victory was the 2009 Australian Masters. He is expected to drop out of the world golf rankings top 10 next week. It will make the first time he with be out of the top ten in 14 years.
In 2008, Woods won the most recent of his 14 majors at the US Open in San Diego, California after which his career slumped, firstly due to a crippling knee injury that required surgery, and then over the infidelity that wrecked his marriage.
Forbes said the 19 athletes on the list this year earned a combined $647 million.
Filipino boxing sensation Manny Pacquiao was 55th on last year’s list but dropped out of the top 100 this year. Controversial American cyclist Lance Armstrong also tumbled off the list after placing 65th last year.
