U.S. President Donald Trump awarded Tiger Woods the nation's highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, on Monday. Trump described the 43-year-old 15-time major champion as a "true legend'' who transformed golf and then fought through years of injury to return to the sport's summit.

Woods turned pro in August 1996 at the age of 20, and won six PGA Tour events over the next 11 months, including his first major at the 1997 Masters.

He went on to claim 71 overall titles and 14 majors before taking a break in December 2009 to try to save his marriage after multiple affairs created a public scandal, but soon divorced and his performances became inconsistent.

Woods underwent the first of four back surgeries in March 2014, sought treatment for other injuries from a doctor linked to performance-enhancing drugs, and was arrested for a DUI two years ago. He finally ended a five-year winless drought at last season's Tour Championship, and with his victory at the Masters, is now just three majors away from the record of 18.

Woods is the fourth golfer to earn the distinction and certainly the youngest. The others are Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, and Charlie Sifford. Woods dominated the sport for more than a decade before a series of scandals and injuries derailed his career. He won his first major in nearly 11 years at last month's Masters to cap a comeback that has captivated the sporting world.

Created by John F. Kennedy in 1963, presidents have complete discretion over selection of recipients of the medal, but Trump's decision to award the nation's highest civilian honor to Woods also raised scrutiny about whether the president should be boosting the profile of a business associate of The Trump Organization, and the continued conflict of interest since the U.S. leader refused to divest himself from his businesses when he took office.

Trump said: "This evening we are in the presence of a true legend: an extraordinary athlete that has transformed golf and achieved new levels of dominance. He's also a great person. He's a great guy. Tiger's introduced countless new people to the sport of golf from every background and from every walk of life. He's inspired millions of young Americans with his thrilling wire-to-wire victories. Tiger Woods is a global symbol of American excellence, devotion, and drive."