ASTROLOGY ARTICLES BY JON

WHAT MAKES A TIGER?

Eldrick "Tiger" Woods was born December 30, 1975 at 10:50pm in Cypress, California, the son of a retired army officer Earl Woods (Vietnam vet) and Kulita Woods from Thailand. Tiger has a diverse ethnic background consisting of Caucasion, black, American Indian and Asian ancestory.

Yesterday, Tiger won his fourth consecutive PGA tournament, a streak that includes two major championships: the British and the PGA. All of this coming on the heels of his father's recent passing, after a long battle with cancer, on May 3, 2006. Earl Woods played a most significant role in his son's success getting him started in golf at the ripe old age of three.

With his Sun in Capricorn in the fourth house, square Pluto in the first house, his chart paints a vivid picture of an undeniably powerful and influential father. The father is particulary important figure in the life of a capricorn male, and he would have instilled discipline, ambition and patience in young Tiger — traits that would sustain him on the long jouney up the mountain to success.

Tiger's Sun (which represents the father in a chart) is in the fourth house traditionally called "the house of home." His Moon sits right on his I.C (the cusp of the fourth house). He said shortly after his father died that he "was never afraid to fail because he always had a house full of love to come home to". This a very comfortable and secure placement for his Sun and Moon and it seems both his parents were very supportive.

Sun square Pluto indicates that his father was an extremely powereful and dominnering force in his life, to the point he was an all consuming and domineering presence. This doesn't neccessarily mean he was a bad parent at all, and in Tiger's case, it drove him to the monumental success that he is currently enjoying.

However, there comes a time when one must come "into his own" and confront some of the psychological issues from childhood. This is signified in Tiger's chart by transiting Pluto (death and rebirth) currently crossing his I.C (parental axis) and into the fourth house (private self). This transit signifies a deep transformation in Tiger's core foundation (psyche) and his father's passing set this in motion.

His Moon is athletic and adventurous in Sagittarius, and in a chart symbolises the mother. So his Sagittarian good nature, enthusiasm and optimism is probably a gift from mom. With the Moon opposite Mars (self will), she also gave him his firery temper and competitive spirit. With Mars at the Midheaven (career), you would expect him to be in a very competitive profession such as a professional athletics.

Virgo was rising when Tiger was born. A keyword for Virgo is perfection, and who is a better symbol for perfection than Tiger Woods. Tiger is very hard on himself on the golf course when he's not living up to his high standard of excellence. Self criticism is another Virgo trait.

Tiger is only 30 years old and just past his Saturn return, our rite of passage into adulthood. He's achieved so much already it will be interesting to see what all he will accomplish. It will also be interesting to see how he changes and matures over time.