Teen Prodigy Tipped as 'Next Tiger Woods' Quit Golf After 'Gut-Wrenching' Event

A teenage golf superstar that was tipped to become the next Tiger Woods suddenly had to quit the sport for a devastating reason.

Back in 2001, a 16-year-old made golf history as he amazingly made the cut at a PGA Tour event.

Ty Tryon announced himself as perhaps the most exciting prospect in golf at the 2001 Honda Classic, playing alongside some of the biggest names in the sport.

Less than a year later, the American impressively flew through PGA Tour Q-School, finishing tied for 23rd, becoming the youngest player to earn a PGA Tour card in decades and landing a seven-figure endorsement deal with Callaway in the process.

The future looked bright for a young Tyron, but things quickly took a turn for the worse as just as his career was starting to take off, everything was halted.

Ty Tyron was being labelled as the next Tiger Woods. (Image: Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

As the hype surrounding Ty was beginning to build, he was suddenly diagnosed with mononucleosis, a viral infection that causes symptoms like severe fatigue and fever.

Between battling the illness and dealing with the massive pressure that came with his meteoric rise, his game began to unravel, failing to make the cut in six out of seven events in his first full Tour season in 2002.

Tyron then spent part of 2003 on a medical exemption on the PGA Tour, making the cut in just four events before eventually losing his place on the Tour just two years after his spectacular performance at the Honda Classic.

Although he continued to play in the following years in the mini-tours and several qualifying event the talent that led to him being compared to a young Woods was clearly gone.

Despite this, he did manage to qualify for the US Open in 2011, but finished 23 over par, before returning the the PGA Tour, missing nine out of 10 cuts in what has been described as a 'gutwrenching' season.

Tyron is now enjoying time away from the spotlight. (Image: Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images)

Eventually, Tyron decided to call it quits on his professional golf tour, working as an events professional before moving and settling in China, where he met his wife and began coaching kids in golf.

Tyron then decided to move back to Florida, where he and his family now live, and is now happy playing golf in mini-tours and other lower tier events while enjoying his life away from the spotlight.