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    PGA Championship: Tiger Woods asks cameraman to ‘back off’ while walking down fairway

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    Tiger Woods and his grouping of Jordan Spieth and Rory McIlroy started their first round of the PGA Championship on Thursday on the back nine.

    Woods was walking down the fairway at the PGA Championship after teeing off on his first hole and addressed the cameraman who was following him.

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    Tiger Woods plays his shot during the first round of the PGA Championship at Southern Hills Country Club on May 19, 2022, in Tulsa, Oklahoma. (Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)

    “Mind giving me some breathing space, please?” he was heard asking.

    Woods then asked a second time before asking the cameraman to “back off and give me some breathing space.”

    PGA CHAMPIONSHIP 2022: WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE SECOND MAJOR OF THE SEASON

    He birdied two holes and bogeyed two holes in his first nine on the day. But as he approached the front nine, Woods went on a string of bogeys that dropped him back in the pack.

    Tiger Woods walks on the 11th hole during the first round of the PGA Championship on May 19, 2022, in Tulsa, Oklahoma. (Andrew Redington/Getty Images)

    Woods was participating in his second major event since he suffered a devastating leg injury in a 2021 Los Angeles car crash. He previously played all four rounds of the Masters in April.

    Woods addressed how he was feeling at the beginning of the week.

    “I’ve gotten a lot stronger since the Masters,” Woods said, via New York Post. “We went back to work on Tuesday [after the Masters]. Monday was awful. I did nothing and Tuesday was leg day. So, we went right back after it.”

    Tiger Woods lines up a putt on the fourth green during the PGA Championship at Southern Hills Country Club on May 19, 2022.  (Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)

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    He hadn’t played any events in between, opting to rest as he is still hampered by the leg injury.

    PGA Championship: Anirban Lahiri’s whirlwind week includes birth of child, practice round with Tiger Woods

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    Anirban Lahiri had a whirlwind of a week leading up to the PGA Championship.

    Lahiri, who has most of his professional wins on the Asian Tour, was home earlier in the week expecting the arrival of his newborn son, putting any chance of him making it to the major in doubt. However, his second child arrived early, and it gave him enough time to get to Southern Hills in Oklahoma.

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    Anirban Lahiri plays his shot during a practice round before the 2022 PGA Championship at Southern Hills Country Club on May 18, 2022, in Tulsa, Oklahoma. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

    “Family comes first. I made a mental note that if Avyaan came any later than Tuesday morning, I would have to withdraw,” he said, via The Times of India. “The greatest moment until the last couple of days ago was when our daughter came into our lives, and it trumps anything that I can accomplish on this golf course.

    “I’m so glad I was there with my wife when my boy came. Avyaan did arrive early… He was due this coming Sunday, and it always looked like he was going to come early.”

    Lahiri arrived for a practice round on Wednesday and little did he know he was practicing with Tiger Woods.

    PGA CHAMPIONSHIP 2022: WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE SECOND MAJOR OF THE SEASON

    Anirban Lahiri prepares for the 2022 PGA Championship at Southern Hills Country Club on May 18, 2022, in Tulsa, Oklahoma.  (David Cannon/Getty Images)

    “There were some confusion as to who was going and it was then just me and Tiger, and he asked me (to play together) and why would I ever say no to that invitation?” he said, via Reuters. “It was just random, it was serendipity.

    “I actually haven’t played much golf with him, so to actually go out and play nine holes, kind of have a chill day was a lot of fun. He was super relaxed and very friendly.”

    Lahiri, who resides in Florida but was born in India, is tied for 9th all-time in wins on the Asian Tour with seven. He has two wins on the European Tour but none on the PGA Tour.

    Anirban Lahiri walks up the seventh fairway with Tiger Woods during practice for the 2022 PGA Championship at Southern Hills Country Club on May 18, 2022, in Tulsa, Oklahoma. (David Cannon/Getty Images)

    He hasn’t played in the PGA Championship since 2018, missing the cut. In 2015, he finished tied for fifth. It was his best finish in any major championship.

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    He is set to tee off at 1:36 p.m. ET on Thursday.

    PGA Championship 2022: What to know about the second major of the season

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    The PGA Championship is set to tee off Thursday morning at Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and run through Sunday evening.

    The PGA Championship is the second major of the PGA Tour season and will feature some of the top golfers in the game, including Tiger Woods, Jordan Spieth, Rory McIlroy and Justin Thomas.

    Spieth finished second at the AT&T Byron Nelson and won the RBC Heritage. He missed the cut at the Masters and will be looking to bounce back to complete the career Grand Slam with a win at the PGA.

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    Tiger Woods hits his tee shot during a practice round for the PGA Championship, Wednesday, May 18, 2022, in Tulsa, Oklahoma. (AP Photo/Matt York)

    “Long-term, it would be really cool to say that you captured the four biggest tournaments in the world, that are played in different parts of the world, and different styles, too. You feel like you kind of accomplished golf,” he said Wednesday.

    Woods will be playing his second event since suffering a devastating leg injury in a 2021 car crash. He said earlier in the week his lower body was feeling stronger.

    “I’ve gotten a lot stronger since the Masters,” Woods said, via New York Post. “We went back to work on Tuesday [after the Masters]. Monday was awful. I did nothing and Tuesday was leg day. So, we went right back after it.”

    PGA CHAMPIONSHIP: TIGER WOODS TALKS PHIL MICKELSON’S ABSENCE AMID GOLFER’S RIFT WITH TOUR

    Jordan Spieth chips to the green during a practice round for the PGA Championship golf tournament, Wednesday, May 18, 2022, in Tulsa, Oklahoma. (AP Photo/Matt York)

    Woods, Spieth and McIlroy are grouped together in the first two rounds.

    Noticeably missing are Phil Mickelson and Bryson DeChambeau.

    Mickelson, the defending champion, bowed out of the tournament after catching flak for his comments about Saudi Arabia and why he found LIV Golf, the Saudi-backed rival league, to be a good opportunity, criticizing the PGA Tour in the process.

    He hasn’t played a tournament since February.

    DeChambeau is dealing with a wrist injury and won’t be able to compete in the major tournament. He practiced at Southern Hills for two days before pulling out.

    According to PGA Tour.com, the weather could play a big part in who wins the major. Gusts are expected to reach up to 30 mph in the first three rounds and still reach up to 20 mph Sunday. Temperatures to start the tournament could reach into the 90s and then fall into the 70s by the end.

    The first group will feature John Daly, Shaun Micheel and Y.E. Yang. They will begin the tournament, teeing off at 8 a.m. ET.

    How to watch

    Golf fans will be able to watch the PGA Championship on ESPN and CBS. The first two rounds will air solely on ESPN on Thursday and Friday with CBS taking over the coverage on Saturday and Sunday afternoons into the evening.

    ESPN’s coverage begins at 8 a.m. ET on each day while CBS begins its coverage at 1 p.m. ET.

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    Past champions

    Phil Mickelson walks between holes during the second round of the Charles Schwab Cup Championship at Phoenix Country Club on Nov. 12, 2021, in Arizona. (Allan Henry-USA Today Sports)

    2021: Phil Mickelson

    2020: Collin Morikawa

    2019: Brooks Koepka

    2018: Brooks Koepka

    2017: Justin Thomas

    2016: Jimmy Walker

    2015: Jason Day

    The Associated Press contributed to this report.

    PGA Championship: Tiger Woods talks Phil Mickelson’s absence amid golfer’s rift with Tour

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    Tiger Woods planted his flag firmly in favor of the PGA Tour Tuesday while discussing the recent controversy surrounding Phil Mickelson. 

    Mickelson, 51, hasn’t played in a tournament in months after he criticized the PGA Tour and backed a Saudi-funded golf league that is set to rival the Tour. 

    Just two days before the start of the PGA Championship, Woods was asked about the absence of Mickelson, who recently withdrew from the tournament despite being the defending champion and the PGA welcoming his participation. 

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    In this April 14, 2019, file photo, Tiger Woods reacts as he wins the Masters golf tournament in Augusta, Ga. Woods’ appeal worldwide, particularly in Asia, remains stronger than ever after his 15th major title (AP Photo/David J. Phillip, File)

    “It’s always disappointing when the defending champion is not here,” Woods told reporters in a roughly 30-minute press conference ahead of the tournament. “Phil has said some things that I think a lot of us who are committed to the Tour and committed to the legacy of the Tour have pushed back against. And he’s taken some personal time, and we all understand that.”

    “But I think that some of his views on how the Tour could be run, should be run, been a lot of disagreement there,” Woods added. “As a professional, we miss him being out here. I mean, he’s a big draw for the game of golf. He’s just taking his time, and we all wish him the best when he comes back. Obviously, we’re going to have difference of opinions, how he sees the Tour, and we’ll go from there.”

    Woods admitted he hasn’t talked with Mickelson since the golfer stepped away from the sport in February. The comments by Woods detailing his support for the PGA Tour were in stark contrast to Mickelson, who accused the Tour of “obnoxious greed” in an interview with Golf Digest. 

    Phil Mickelson watches his tee shot on the 13th hole during the first round of The Players Championship golf tournament Thursday, March 14, 2019, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

    “He has his opinion on where he sees the game of golf going. I have my viewpoint on how I see the game of golf, and I’ve supported the Tour, and my foundation has run events on the Tour for a number of years,’’ Woods said.

    PGA CHAMPIONSHIP: PHIL MICKELSON’S ABSENCE LEAVING ORGANIZERS, GOLFERS ‘DISAPPOINTED’

    “I just think that what Jack [Nicklaus] and Arnold [Palmer] have done in starting the Tour and breaking away from the PGA of America and creating our Tour in 1968 or 1969, somewhere in there. I just think there’s a legacy to that,” Woods added. “I’ve been playing out here for… over a couple of decades, and I think there’s a legacy to it. I still think the Tour has so much to offer, so much opportunity.”

    Woods said he understood different viewpoints, but he believes in “legacies” and “major championships.”

    Tiger Woods waves to the crowd on the 18th green after finishing his round during the final round of the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club on April 10, 2022, in Augusta, Georgia. (Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

    “I believe in big events, comparisons to historical figures of the past. There’s plenty of money out here, The Tour is growing,” Woods said. “But it’s just like any other sports, like tennis, you have to go out there and earn it. You’ve got to go out there and play for it. We have an opportunity to go ahead and do it. It’s just not guaranteed upfront.”

    In an excerpt from Alan Shipnuck’s unauthorized biography, which is set for a release this month, Mickelson revealed how he had been working behind the scenes to promote the rival league funded by the Saudi Public Investment Fund and run by Greg Norman. Mickelson described the Saudis as “scary” but noted he could look past their history of human rights abuses if it meant a chance to change the PGA Tour.

    This week, the PGA announced it would not be granting releases for players looking to compete in the ​​first LIV Golf Invitational next month.

    Woods didn’t appear to mention the LIV Golf Invitational Series by its name during the press conference. 

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    The PGA Championship kicks off Thursday. Woods, Rory McIlroy, and Jordan Spieth will be grouped together for the opening two rounds. 

    PGA Championship: Tiger Woods’ presence still packs punch for competitors, golfer says

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    Tiger Woods may be far and wide away from what he used to be on the golf course, but his aurora is still strong and affecting the young golfers.

    Robert MacIntyre, who is set to tee off at the 10th tee in the first and second rounds at the PGA Championship starting Thursday, recalled Monday what it was like being around Woods at the Masters in April. He said he was on the putting green at one point and heard a stampede coming.

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    The group of Lee Westwood of England (L) and Robert MacIntyre of Scotland walks across the second hole during the third round of the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club on April 9, 2022 in Augusta, Georgia. (Andrew Redington/Getty Images)

    “I was standing on the putting green during the Masters and it was like a herd coming,” the 25-year-old said, via The Herald Scotland. “You could hear the rumble. It was wild. The attention on the event was unbelievable.”

    During the third round of the Masters, MacIntyre said he hit a ball into the trees and was hoping he would be able to play it from where it landed. He was worried about going back to the tee with Woods watching and lurking behind him.

    “I’d hit a bad tee shot and ended up in the tree. I said, ‘I’m not going back to the tee, I know he (Woods) is there’. But I did. I didn’t even look at him or his playing partner, Kevin Kisner. But I thought, ‘He’s just another man.’ I mean I’ve spoken to Phil (Mickelson) on the range at Torrey Pines but Tiger now is the only man that I will be in awe of playing with,” he added.

    PGA CHAMPIONSHIP: PHIL MICKELSON’S ABSENCE LEAVING ORGANIZERS, GOLFERS ‘DISAPPOINTED’

    Robert MacIntyre of Scotland plays his shot on the second hole during the final round of the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club on April 10, 2022 in Augusta, Georgia.  (Andrew Redington/Getty Images)

    MacIntyre explained he doesn’t want to be in a situation in which he couldn’t control his comfort level. He said at the 2019 Open Championship he removed his name from a group with Ian Poulter in it. He would finish tied for sixth in that event.

    But if Woods wanted to be in his group, that would be a different story.

    “I’d say, ‘No problem, in you come,” MacIntyre added. “Until that happens, though, I’ll not put my name next to his. I want to play with him, though. Growing up, he was the best I’ve ever seen. If I get the chance it’ll be something I’ll never forget.”

    Tiger Woods smiles on the driving range before a practice round for the PGA Championship golf tournament, Tuesday, May 17, 2022, in Tulsa, Okla. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

    He hasn’t finished better than tied for 49th at the PGA Championship. He will be making his third appearance at the event. He has two professional wins under his belt: 2017 on the MENA Tour’s Sahara Kuwait Championship and the European Tour’s Aphrodite Hills Cyprus Showdown in November 2020.

    He tees off at 8:30 a.m. at Southern Hills in Oklahoma for the PGA Championship on Thursday. His group includes Ryan Palmer and Alex Noren.

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    Luckily, Woods will tee off at 9:11 a.m. on Thursday.

    PGA Championship: Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth grouped together

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    The 2022 PGA Championship and second major of the year kicks off at Southern Hills Country Club Thursday with some big names set to play together. 

    On Tuesday, the PGA Tour announced that Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth will be grouped together for the opening two rounds. 

    Woods was the last player to win the PGA at the course in Tulsa, Oklahoma, which is hosting its first major in roughly 15 years. He competed in the Masters last month, showing the world he could go all 72 holes against high-level competition since suffering devastating leg injuries in a February 2021 car crash.

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    Tiger Woods waves to the crowd on the 18th green after finishing his round during the final round of the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club on April 10, 2022 in Augusta, Georgia. (Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

    “I’ve gotten a lot stronger since the Masters,” Woods said this week, via New York Post. “We went back to work on Tuesday [after the Masters]. Monday was awful. I did nothing and Tuesday was leg day. So, we went right back after it.”

    Woods is a four-time winner at the PGA, while McIlroy has won this event twice and is hoping for his first major championship since 2014. Spieth is looking to earn his first career grand slam, and he is fresh off winning the 2022 RBC Heritage last month. 

    Rory McIlroy, of Northern Ireland, reacts after holing out from the bunker for a birdie during the final round at the Masters golf tournament on Sunday, April 10, 2022, in Augusta, Ga. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

    The group tees off together at 9:11 a.m. ET Thursday morning for the opening round and again at 2:36 p.m. ET Friday for the second round. 

    TIGER WOODS PREPARES FOR PGA CHAMPIONSHIP, SAYS HE’S GOTTEN ‘STRONGER’ SINCE MASTERS

    The fact that Woods, Spieth and McIlroy are playing together is certain to excite golf fans. 

    However, another high-powered grouping will also likely attract attention as it features the top-three ranked players in the world.

    World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, who is fresh off a victory in the 2022 Masters, will be playing alongside No. 2 Jon Rahm and No. 3 Collin Morikawa.

    Hideki Matsuyama, of Japan, helps Scottie Scheffler put on the green jacket after winning the 86th Masters golf tournament on Sunday, April 10, 2022, in Augusta, Ga. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

    The grouping tees off at 2:36 p.m. ET Thursday and again on Friday with an earlier 9:11 a.m. ET tee time. 

    Other notable groupings include Dustin Johnson, Patrick Cantlay and Justin Thomas, as well as Jason Day, Rickie Fowler and Harold Varner III.

    Here’s a list of the full tee times and pairings for Thursday. All times are Eastern.

    Starting at Tee No. 1

    (8:00 a.m.) John Daly, Shaun Micheel, Y.E. Yang

    (8:11 a.m.) Takumi Kanaya, Matthew Borchert, Troy Merritt

    (8:22 a.m.) Dean Burmester, Kyle Mendoza, Chris Kirk

    (8:33 a.m.) Nic Ishee, Mito Pereira, Sam Horsfield

    (8:44 a.m.) Kevin Streelman, Shaun Norris, Carlos Ortiz

    (8:55 a.m.) Matt Kuchar, Cameron Davis, Rikuya Hoshino

    (9:06 a.m.) Stewart Cink, Jason Dufner, Padraig Harrington

    (9:17 a.m.) Kramer Hickok, Abraham Ancer, Thomas Pieters

    (9:28 a.m.) Richard Bland, Matt Jones, Garrick Higgo

    (9:39 a.m.) Beau Hossler, Tom Hoge, Si Woo Kim

    (9:50 a.m.) Shawn Warren, Pablo Larrazabal, Ryan Fox

    (10:01 a.m.) Zac Oakley, Yuki Inamori, Sebastián Muñoz

    (10:12 a.m.) Brendan Steele, Casey Pyne, Bio Kim

    (1:30 p.m.) Ryan Brehm, Wyatt Worthington II, Min Woo Lee

    (1:41 p.m.) Nicolai Hojgaard, Sean McCarty, Justin Harding

    (1:52 p.m.) Cameron Tringale, Hudson Swafford, Adam Hadwin

    (2:03 p.m.) Shane Lowry, Brooks Koepka, Adam Scott

    (2:14 p.m.) Dustin Johnson, Patrick Cantlay, Justin Thomas

    (2:25 p.m.) Jason Day, Rickie Fowler, Harold Varner III

    (2:36 p.m.) Jon Rahm, Collin Morikawa, Scottie Scheffler

    (2:47 p.m.) Daniel Berger, Louis Oosthuizen, Ian Poulter

    (2:58 p.m.) Kevin Kisner, Tommy Fleetwood, Billy Horschel

    (3:09 p.m.) Sergio Garcia, Charl Schwartzel, Matthew Fitzpatrick

    (3:20 p.m.) Harry Higgs, Joaquin Niemann, Erik van Rooyen

    (3:31 p.m.) Alex Beach, Bernd Wiesberger, Jhonattan Vegas

    (3:42 p.m.) Jared Jones, Aaron Wise, Joel Dahmen

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    Starting at Tee No. 10

    (8:05 a.m.) Ryan Palmer, Robert MacIntyre, Alex Noren

    (8:16 a.m.) Adri Arnaus, Colin Inglis, Jinichiro Kozuma

    (8:27 a.m.) Mackenzie Hughes, Michael Block, Sadom Kaewkanjana

    (8:38 a.m.) Hideki Matsuyama, Xander Schauffele, Tony Finau

    (8:49 a.m.) Tyrrell Hatton, Bryson DeChambeau, Max Homa

    (9:00 a.m.) Viktor Hovland, Will Zalatoris, Cameron Smith

    (9:11 a.m.) Jordan Spieth, Rory McIlroy, Tiger Woods

    (9:22 a.m.) Patrick Reed, Justin Rose, Bubba Watson

    (9:33 a.m.) Kevin Na, Lucas Glover, Daniel van Tonder

    (9:44 a.m.) Cameron Young, Sam Burns, Davis Riley

    9:55 a.m. Francesco Molinari, Lee Westwood, Gary Woodland

    (10:06 a.m.) Brian Harman, Ryan Vermeer, Oliver Bekker

    (10:17 a.m.) Dylan Newman, Lanto Griffin, Laurie Canter

    (1:25 p.m.) Brandon Bingaman, Talor Gooch, Ryosuke Kinoshita

    (1:36 p.m.) Tim Feenstra, Anirban Lahiri, Kyoung-Hoon Lee

    (1:47 p.m.) Rich Beem, Jesse Mueller, Alex Cejka

    (1:58 p.m.) Russell Knox, Seamus Power, Scott Stallings

    (2:09 p.m.) Jason Kokrak, Corey Conners, Christiaan Bezuidenhout

    (2:20 p.m.) Martin Kaymer, Marc Leishman, Keegan Bradley

    (2:31 p.m.) Zach Johnson, Russell Henley, Cameron Champ

    (2:42 p.m.) Webb Simpson, Branden Grace, Henrik Stenson

    (2:53 p.m.) Sepp Straka, J.J. Spaun, Adam Schenk

    (3:04 p.m.) Matthew Wolff, Joohyung Kim, Keith Mitchell

    (3:15 p.m.) Chad Ramey, Austin Hurt, Lucas Herbert

    (3:26 p.m.) Tyler Collet, Chan Kim, Maverick McNealy

    (3:37 p.m.) Luke List, Paul Dickinson, Patton Kizzire

    The tournament runs from May 19-22.

    Tiger Woods prepares for PGA Championship, says he’s gotten ‘stronger’ since Masters

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    Tiger Woods is set to participate in his second major PGA Tour event following a devastating leg injury suffered in a 2021 car crash in Los Angeles.

    Woods will play the PGA Championship at Southern Hills Country Club in Oklahoma. He played the Masters in April but hasn’t played in any events in between. He made the cut at Augusta National and finished the tournament 13 over par.

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    Tiger Woods plays his shot from the fourth tee during the final round of the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club on April 10, 2022, in Georgia. (Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

    “I’ve gotten a lot stronger since the Masters,” Woods said, via New York Post. “We went back to work on Tuesday [after the Masters]. Monday was awful. I did nothing and Tuesday was leg day. So, we went right back after it.”

    It was unclear whether Woods was going to play the PGA Championship after the Masters. 

    He expressed interest in playing after his final round at Augusta, though he was setting his sights on The Open Championship. He said “everything” has been better since he and his camp started to ramp up for the event a week or so ago.

    PHIL MICKELSON WITHDRAWS FROM PGA CHAMPIONSHIP AMID CONTROVERSY

    Tiger Woods plays his shot on the 11th hole during the final round of the Masters on April 10, 2022, in Augusta, Georgia. (Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

    Woods was able to walk the Masters completely on the troubled leg. Augusta is considered one of the toughest courses to walk on because of the hills and slopes.

    He expressed his excitement about playing future events, though he’ll never get back to his full-time schedule.

    “It’s only going to keep getting stronger,” Woods said of his lower body. “The more I use it, the more strength it gains. Am I ever going to have full mobility? No. Never again. But I’ll be able to get stronger. It’s going to keep getting better. It’s going to keep getting stronger. It’s going to ache, but that’s the way it’s going to be.”

    Tiger Woods walks down the fifth fairway during the final round at the Masters, April 10, 2022, in Augusta, Georgia. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File)

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    Woods hasn’t won the PGA Championship since 2007. He’s won four times at the event. The 2007 event was also played at Southern Hills.

    Rush Limbaugh, Tiger Woods among the most successful college dropouts of our time

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    As college graduation season approaches this year, here’s a smart reminder: A college degree is not for everyone.

    In a culture in which higher education is often promoted as a must-have for everyone, some very well known and successful individuals (in an array of fields) decided to ditch the academics in their own lives — and wound up doing very well thanks to hard work, enormous drive and total passion for their interests.

    These eight prominent Americans left college behind and made it big. 

    Some of the most famous college dropouts in America include household names — and some of them may surprise you. 

    Here’s a look at eight prominent Americans who left college behind and made it big. 

    Rush Limbaugh 

    Radio talk show host and media dynamo Rush Limbaugh will always be remembered for his impressive career in political and cultural commentary and broadcasting — all achieved without a college degree.

    FORMER VP PENCE NARRATES ‘AGE OF RUSH,’  A LOOK AT THE MAN BEHIND THE GOLDEN MICROPHONE

    The native of Cape Girardeau, Mo., was known as shy growing up, but there was no doubt he had a passion for radio broadcasting.

    Talk show host Rush Limbaugh is shown in the early days of his radio career preparing for his program at KSEV radio station in Houston, Texas. (Photo by © Shepard Sherbell/CORBIS SABA/Corbis via Getty Images)

    In the Fox Nation four-part series “Age of Rush,” narrated by former Vice President Mike Pence, excerpts from Limbaugh’s past piece together his trajectory in radio fame.

    “I knew I wanted to do radio when I was 12,” he said in a 2012 interview. “Because I hated school. And getting ready for school every morning, my mother had the radio on. That guy was having fun — and I was having drudgery.”

    COLLEGE DEGREE DOESN’T MEAN MORE MONEY: AMERICA’S CAREER COACH

    Limbaugh landed his first radio job as a disc jockey at a local station before he completed high school. After his graduation in 1969, Limbaugh attended Southwest Missouri State College — and then dropped out to get back on the air. 

    Rush Limbaugh is awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in Feb. 2020 during President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress at the U.S. Capitol; then-first lady Melania Trump cheers him on as he reacts to the honor. (REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst)

    In 1973, Limbaugh found himself in front of the mic once again under the alias Jeff Christie. 

    It would be another decade before Limbaugh launched his career in political commentary, influenced by former President Ronald Reagan’s persuasive radio presence. Limbaugh himself then influenced scores of others in his field throughout his legendary career.

    Tiger Woods

    Inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame this year, golf icon Tiger Woods risked his college diploma for a chance to go pro.

    Following a childhood in which he developed his love of the links, Woods attended Stanford University in 1994, where he played NCAA golf and studied economics. 

    Tiger Woods practices on Griffith Park golf course as a 16-year old in 1991. (Photo by Per-Anders Pettersson/Corbis via Getty Images)

    Woods won a record-tying 11 tournaments between his freshman and sophomore years at Stanford, but that’s exactly how long his college experience would last.

    When Woods was offered the opportunity to join the PGA in 1996, he made the decision to withdraw from the university to pursue his pro career.

    TIGER WOODS’ 20 MOST INSPIRATIONAL QUOTES AND LIFE LESSONS

    Since his professional debut, Woods, 46, has clenched 106 worldwide wins and 15 majors. The golfer also has 82 PGA Tour wins under his belt — and is tied with Sam Snead, one of the greatest players of all time, for the most wins.

    Tiger Woods looks on from the second tee during the second round of The Masters at Augusta National Golf Club on April 8, 2022 in Augusta, Ga. 

    Woods, most recently, is the 12th-highest paid professional athlete in the world, according to Forbes, earning $60 million in 2021 alone.

    Bill Gates

    Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates may very well be considered the pioneer of the college-dropout-turned-billionaire trend.

    Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates is pictured on Sept. 1, 1983. (Photo by © Doug Wilson/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images)

    Gates ditched his promising education at Harvard University in 1975 after his first two years as a pre-law student. He had discovered his immense potential in the tech space. 

    Today, Microsoft is one of the largest tech companies in the world.

    As part of an undergrad combinatorics course, Gates developed an algorithm to address an unsolved problem — which held the record for speed for 30 years, according to Best Colleges.

    The young student decided to take a leave of absence from the university to found software company Microsoft — today one of the largest tech companies in the world. As of April 2022, it has a more than $2.1 trillion market cap. 

    In this image taken from video, Bill Gates speaks during the White House Climate Leaders Summit on April 23, 2021. The White House brought billionaires, CEOs and others to help sell President Biden’s climate-friendly transformation of the economy at a virtual summit of world leaders.  (AP)

    The multi-billionaire, 66, has since given back big-time through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which works with partner organizations around the world. In 2021, the Gates Foundation doubled the total amount of donations with $15 billion in allocations, according to The Conversation. 

    Alicia Keys

    Award-winning musician and artist Alicia Keys has brains, beauty and singing ability — but pursuing academics wasn’t in her make-up.

    Alicia Keys is shown on tour in Munich, Germany, on Sept. 7, 2001. (Photo by Fryderyk Gabowicz/picture alliance via Getty Images)

    Keys graduated early from New York’s Professional Performing Arts high school as valedictorian at only 16 years old. The musician went on to attend Columbia University. 

    Keys has won 15 Grammy Awards and sold more than 65 million records worldwide.

    College life, however, was short-lived for her in the 1990s: The teenager ditched Columbia University for a record deal with Columbia Records after one semester, Variety reported.

    Even though her deal with Columbia fell through, Keys, 41, was saved by producer Clive Davis and signed to Arista Records shortly after, producing her debut album “Songs In A Minor” in 2001.

    Host Alicia Keys speaks at the 62nd annual Grammy Awards on Sunday, Jan. 26, 2020, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Matt Sayles/Invision/AP)

    The hit album featured notable songs like “Fallin,’” which spent six weeks at no. 1 on Billboard’s Hot 100. The soul singer went on to win 15 Grammy Awards and 9 Billboard Music Awards. She has sold more than 65 million records worldwide.

    Rachael Ray

    Celebrity chef Rachael Ray knows what to cook up in the kitchen — and doing so didn’t require a college education.

    Rachael Ray during a book signing at Sur La Table in San Jose, Calif., on Dec. 10, 2004. (Photo by John Medina/WireImage)

    The popular chef, known for her 30-minute meals, first attended Pace University in 1986 to study literature and communications. After two years, Ray dropped out to save money and re-focus her career goals, according to Good Housekeeping.

    Rachel Ray’s first cookbook sold 10,000 copies in two weeks.

    Ray, 53, began offering cooking classes at a gourmet grocery store in Albany, N.Y., fueled by her love of working with food, which turned into demonstrations on local TV. By 1999, her first cookbook sold 10,000 copies in two weeks.

    After making soup during a snowy segment of “The Today Show” in 2001, Ray’s career hit the ground running and she landed a contract with the Food Network.

    Chef Rachael Ray on stage during a culinary demonstration at the Grand Tasting presented by ShopRite; it featured culinary demonstrations at The IKEA Kitchen and was presented by Capital One at Pier 94 on Oct. 12, 2019, in New York City. (Photo by John Lamparski/Getty Images for NYCWFF)

    “Good food and a warm kitchen are what makes a house a home,” she has said.

    Ryan Seacrest

    Media personality Ryan Seacrest, born in Atlanta, always knew a life in broadcasting was for him, no matter the sacrifice.

    Ryan Seacrest receives an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree during University of Georgia’s commencement at Sanford Stadium on May 13, 2016, in Athens, Ga. (Photo by Marcus Ingram/Getty Images)

    After interning at Atlanta FM radio station WSTR in high school, he enrolled in the University of Georgia to pursue journalism in 1992. 

    Two years later, the college junior gave his first “Seacrest, out!” to college life and moved to Los Angeles. There, he fronted KYSR-FM’s afternoon drive-time show called “Ryan Seacrest for the Ride Home.”

    Ryan Seacrest’s higher education pursuit finally came full circle when he earned an honorary doctorate from the University of Georgia in 2016.

    Seacrest’s emergence into the national limelight was arguably his 2002 debut as co-host of the TV singing competition “American Idol.” 

    The emcee, 47, still hosts the program today — and has added to his on-screen repertoire. He took over the hosting of such iconic specials as “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve.”

    The co-hosts and finalists of “American Idol” season one — from left, Ryan Seacrest, finalists Kelly Clarkson and Justin Guarini, and Brian Dunkleman — appear on stage on Sept. 3, 2002 at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood. (REUTERS/Fred Prouser)

    Seacrest’s higher education pursuit finally came full circle when he earned an honorary doctorate from the University of Georgia in 2016 after delivering the school’s commencement address that year.

    Lady Gaga

    Native New Yorker Lady Gaga, born and raised as Stefani Germanotta, always recognized her calling toward stardom.

    The pop star grew up experiencing ridicule by her peers, but her passion for music fueled her fire to make it big. At the age of 11, Gaga began studying with Christina Aguilera’s vocal coach Don Lawrence and continued to practice classical piano and acting as a kid, Mic reported.

    Lady Gaga performs with Tony Bennett during her “JAZZ & PIANO” residency at Park Theater at Park MGM on Jan. 20, 2019, in Las Vegas. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Park MGM Las Vegas)

    After graduating from high school, Gaga sought out an education at NYU Tisch School of the Arts. But it didn’t last long.

    Gaga’s first album, “The Fame,” topped the charts, with tracks like “Just Dance” and “Poker Face” hitting no. 1 on Billboard’s Hot 100.

    At 19 years old, the future star abandoned that life and dropped out of NYU to pursue her dreams. “I left my entire family, got the cheapest apartment I could find and ate s— until somebody would listen,” she told New York Magazine in a 2010 interview.

    After she was signed and then dropped by Def Jam records, Gaga was discovered by R&B artist Akon — who signed her to his own label in 2008.

    Singer Lady Gaga performs on stage at the Oxford Arts Factory on September 24, 2008, in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Don Arnold/WireImage)

    Gaga’s first album, “The Fame,” topped the charts, with tracks like “Just Dance” and “Poker Face” hitting no. 1 on Billboard’s Hot 100. 

    LADY GAGA’S GREAT KINDNESS TOWARD LIZA MINNELLI: ETIQUETTE EXPERT SAID WE’VE OVERLOOKED IT

    Gaga, 36, has won numerous awards and accolades during her career; was ranked fourth on VH1’s Greatest Women in Music (2012); and was named one of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people in the world in both 2010 and 2019.

    John Mayer

    There may be a running joke about the frequency of music school dropouts, but John Mayer, 44, turned the stigma into a success.

    Mayer, who grew up in Fairfield, Conn., enrolled in Boston’s Berklee College of Music in 1998 but soon realized school wasn’t really his style.

    John Mayer and Bill Kreutzmann of Dead & Company perform during Band Together’s Bay Area fire benefit concert on Nov. 9, 2017, in San Francisco.

    In a 2002 interview with MTV, Mayer said his grades at Berklee “were pronounced like ‘d-d-d-f-f-f-f-f’ — like static,” as he had less professional training than his classmates.

    The singer left the competitive music school and moved to Atlanta to pursue a solo career. 

    CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

    Three years later, he released his debut album, “Room for Squares.” He won a Grammy Award in 2003 for the chart-topping hit “Your Body Is a Wonderland.” 

    Singer John Mayer poses with his Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for his song “Your Body is A Wonderland,” at the 45th annual Grammy Awards at New York’s Madison Square Garden, on Feb. 23, 2003. (REUTERS/Peter Morgan)

    Mayer has taken home six more Grammys since.

    In 2004, Mayer returned to Berklee — and taught a clinic on making it in the business.

    Rush Limbaugh, Tiger Woods among the most successful college dropouts of our time

    NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

    As college graduation season approaches this year, here’s a smart reminder: A college degree is not for everyone.

    In a culture in which higher education is often promoted as a must-have for everyone, some very well known and successful individuals (in an array of fields) decided to ditch the academics in their own lives — and wound up doing very well thanks to hard work, enormous drive and total passion for their interests.

    These eight prominent Americans left college behind and made it big. 

    Some of the most famous college dropouts in America include household names — and some of them may surprise you. 

    Here’s a look at eight prominent Americans who left college behind and made it big. 

    Rush Limbaugh 

    Radio talk show host and media dynamo Rush Limbaugh will always be remembered for his impressive career in political and cultural commentary and broadcasting — all achieved without a college degree.

    FORMER VP PENCE NARRATES ‘AGE OF RUSH,’  A LOOK AT THE MAN BEHIND THE GOLDEN MICROPHONE

    The native of Cape Girardeau, Mo., was known as shy growing up, but there was no doubt he had a passion for radio broadcasting.

    Talk show host Rush Limbaugh is shown in the early days of his radio career preparing for his program at KSEV radio station in Houston, Texas. (Photo by © Shepard Sherbell/CORBIS SABA/Corbis via Getty Images)

    In the Fox Nation four-part series “Age of Rush,” narrated by former Vice President Mike Pence, excerpts from Limbaugh’s past piece together his trajectory in radio fame.

    “I knew I wanted to do radio when I was 12,” he said in a 2012 interview. “Because I hated school. And getting ready for school every morning, my mother had the radio on. That guy was having fun — and I was having drudgery.”

    COLLEGE DEGREE DOESN’T MEAN MORE MONEY: AMERICA’S CAREER COACH

    Limbaugh landed his first radio job as a disc jockey at a local station before he completed high school. After his graduation in 1969, Limbaugh attended Southwest Missouri State College — and then dropped out to get back on the air. 

    Rush Limbaugh is awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in Feb. 2020 during President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress at the U.S. Capitol; then-first lady Melania Trump cheers him on as he reacts to the honor. (REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst)

    In 1973, Limbaugh found himself in front of the mic once again under the alias Jeff Christie. 

    It would be another decade before Limbaugh launched his career in political commentary, influenced by former President Ronald Reagan’s persuasive radio presence. Limbaugh himself then influenced scores of others in his field throughout his legendary career.

    Tiger Woods

    Inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame this year, golf icon Tiger Woods risked his college diploma for a chance to go pro.

    Following a childhood in which he developed his love of the links, Woods attended Stanford University in 1994, where he played NCAA golf and studied economics. 

    Tiger Woods practices on Griffith Park golf course as a 16-year old in 1991. (Photo by Per-Anders Pettersson/Corbis via Getty Images)

    Woods won a record-tying 11 tournaments between his freshman and sophomore years at Stanford, but that’s exactly how long his college experience would last.

    When Woods was offered the opportunity to join the PGA in 1996, he made the decision to withdraw from the university to pursue his pro career.

    TIGER WOODS’ 20 MOST INSPIRATIONAL QUOTES AND LIFE LESSONS

    Since his professional debut, Woods, 46, has clenched 106 worldwide wins and 15 majors. The golfer also has 82 PGA Tour wins under his belt — and is tied with Sam Snead, one of the greatest players of all time, for the most wins.

    Tiger Woods looks on from the second tee during the second round of The Masters at Augusta National Golf Club on April 8, 2022 in Augusta, Ga. 

    Woods, most recently, is the 12th-highest paid professional athlete in the world, according to Forbes, earning $60 million in 2021 alone.

    Bill Gates

    Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates may very well be considered the pioneer of the college-dropout-turned-billionaire trend.

    Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates is pictured on Sept. 1, 1983. (Photo by © Doug Wilson/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images)

    Gates ditched his promising education at Harvard University in 1975 after his first two years as a pre-law student. He had discovered his immense potential in the tech space. 

    Today, Microsoft is one of the largest tech companies in the world.

    As part of an undergrad combinatorics course, Gates developed an algorithm to address an unsolved problem — which held the record for speed for 30 years, according to Best Colleges.

    The young student decided to take a leave of absence from the university to found software company Microsoft — today one of the largest tech companies in the world. As of April 2022, it has a more than $2.1 trillion market cap. 

    In this image taken from video, Bill Gates speaks during the White House Climate Leaders Summit on April 23, 2021. The White House brought billionaires, CEOs and others to help sell President Biden’s climate-friendly transformation of the economy at a virtual summit of world leaders.  (AP)

    The multi-billionaire, 66, has since given back big-time through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which works with partner organizations around the world. In 2021, the Gates Foundation doubled the total amount of donations with $15 billion in allocations, according to The Conversation. 

    Alicia Keys

    Award-winning musician and artist Alicia Keys has brains, beauty and singing ability — but pursuing academics wasn’t in her make-up.

    Alicia Keys is shown on tour in Munich, Germany, on Sept. 7, 2001. (Photo by Fryderyk Gabowicz/picture alliance via Getty Images)

    Keys graduated early from New York’s Professional Performing Arts high school as valedictorian at only 16 years old. The musician went on to attend Columbia University. 

    Keys has won 15 Grammy Awards and sold more than 65 million records worldwide.

    College life, however, was short-lived for her in the 1990s: The teenager ditched Columbia University for a record deal with Columbia Records after one semester, Variety reported.

    Even though her deal with Columbia fell through, Keys, 41, was saved by producer Clive Davis and signed to Arista Records shortly after, producing her debut album “Songs In A Minor” in 2001.

    Host Alicia Keys speaks at the 62nd annual Grammy Awards on Sunday, Jan. 26, 2020, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Matt Sayles/Invision/AP)

    The hit album featured notable songs like “Fallin,’” which spent six weeks at no. 1 on Billboard’s Hot 100. The soul singer went on to win 15 Grammy Awards and 9 Billboard Music Awards. She has sold more than 65 million records worldwide.

    Rachael Ray

    Celebrity chef Rachael Ray knows what to cook up in the kitchen — and doing so didn’t require a college education.

    Rachael Ray during a book signing at Sur La Table in San Jose, Calif., on Dec. 10, 2004. (Photo by John Medina/WireImage)

    The popular chef, known for her 30-minute meals, first attended Pace University in 1986 to study literature and communications. After two years, Ray dropped out to save money and re-focus her career goals, according to Good Housekeeping.

    Rachel Ray’s first cookbook sold 10,000 copies in two weeks.

    Ray, 53, began offering cooking classes at a gourmet grocery store in Albany, N.Y., fueled by her love of working with food, which turned into demonstrations on local TV. By 1999, her first cookbook sold 10,000 copies in two weeks.

    After making soup during a snowy segment of “The Today Show” in 2001, Ray’s career hit the ground running and she landed a contract with the Food Network.

    Chef Rachael Ray on stage during a culinary demonstration at the Grand Tasting presented by ShopRite; it featured culinary demonstrations at The IKEA Kitchen and was presented by Capital One at Pier 94 on Oct. 12, 2019, in New York City. (Photo by John Lamparski/Getty Images for NYCWFF)

    “Good food and a warm kitchen are what makes a house a home,” she has said.

    Ryan Seacrest

    Media personality Ryan Seacrest, born in Atlanta, always knew a life in broadcasting was for him, no matter the sacrifice.

    Ryan Seacrest receives an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree during University of Georgia’s commencement at Sanford Stadium on May 13, 2016, in Athens, Ga. (Photo by Marcus Ingram/Getty Images)

    After interning at Atlanta FM radio station WSTR in high school, he enrolled in the University of Georgia to pursue journalism in 1992. 

    Two years later, the college junior gave his first “Seacrest, out!” to college life and moved to Los Angeles. There, he fronted KYSR-FM’s afternoon drive-time show called “Ryan Seacrest for the Ride Home.”

    Ryan Seacrest’s higher education pursuit finally came full circle when he earned an honorary doctorate from the University of Georgia in 2016.

    Seacrest’s emergence into the national limelight was arguably his 2002 debut as co-host of the TV singing competition “American Idol.” 

    The emcee, 47, still hosts the program today — and has added to his on-screen repertoire. He took over the hosting of such iconic specials as “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve.”

    The co-hosts and finalists of “American Idol” season one — from left, Ryan Seacrest, finalists Kelly Clarkson and Justin Guarini, and Brian Dunkleman — appear on stage on Sept. 3, 2002 at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood. (REUTERS/Fred Prouser)

    Seacrest’s higher education pursuit finally came full circle when he earned an honorary doctorate from the University of Georgia in 2016 after delivering the school’s commencement address that year.

    Lady Gaga

    Native New Yorker Lady Gaga, born and raised as Stefani Germanotta, always recognized her calling toward stardom.

    The pop star grew up experiencing ridicule by her peers, but her passion for music fueled her fire to make it big. At the age of 11, Gaga began studying with Christina Aguilera’s vocal coach Don Lawrence and continued to practice classical piano and acting as a kid, Mic reported.

    Lady Gaga performs with Tony Bennett during her “JAZZ & PIANO” residency at Park Theater at Park MGM on Jan. 20, 2019, in Las Vegas. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Park MGM Las Vegas)

    After graduating from high school, Gaga sought out an education at NYU Tisch School of the Arts. But it didn’t last long.

    Gaga’s first album, “The Fame,” topped the charts, with tracks like “Just Dance” and “Poker Face” hitting no. 1 on Billboard’s Hot 100.

    At 19 years old, the future star abandoned that life and dropped out of NYU to pursue her dreams. “I left my entire family, got the cheapest apartment I could find and ate s— until somebody would listen,” she told New York Magazine in a 2010 interview.

    After she was signed and then dropped by Def Jam records, Gaga was discovered by R&B artist Akon — who signed her to his own label in 2008.

    Singer Lady Gaga performs on stage at the Oxford Arts Factory on September 24, 2008, in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Don Arnold/WireImage)

    Gaga’s first album, “The Fame,” topped the charts, with tracks like “Just Dance” and “Poker Face” hitting no. 1 on Billboard’s Hot 100. 

    LADY GAGA’S GREAT KINDNESS TOWARD LIZA MINNELLI: ETIQUETTE EXPERT SAID WE’VE OVERLOOKED IT

    Gaga, 36, has won numerous awards and accolades during her career; was ranked fourth on VH1’s Greatest Women in Music (2012); and was named one of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people in the world in both 2010 and 2019.

    John Mayer

    There may be a running joke about the frequency of music school dropouts, but John Mayer, 44, turned the stigma into a success.

    Mayer, who grew up in Fairfield, Conn., enrolled in Boston’s Berklee College of Music in 1998 but soon realized school wasn’t really his style.

    John Mayer and Bill Kreutzmann of Dead & Company perform during Band Together’s Bay Area fire benefit concert on Nov. 9, 2017, in San Francisco.

    In a 2002 interview with MTV, Mayer said his grades at Berklee “were pronounced like ‘d-d-d-f-f-f-f-f’ — like static,” as he had less professional training than his classmates.

    The singer left the competitive music school and moved to Atlanta to pursue a solo career. 

    CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

    Three years later, he released his debut album, “Room for Squares.” He won a Grammy Award in 2003 for the chart-topping hit “Your Body Is a Wonderland.” 

    Singer John Mayer poses with his Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for his song “Your Body is A Wonderland,” at the 45th annual Grammy Awards at New York’s Madison Square Garden, on Feb. 23, 2003. (REUTERS/Peter Morgan)

    Mayer has taken home six more Grammys since.

    In 2004, Mayer returned to Berklee — and taught a clinic on making it in the business.

    Rush Limbaugh, Tiger Woods among the most successful college dropouts of our time

    NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

    As college graduation season approaches this year, here’s a smart reminder: A college degree is not for everyone.

    In a culture in which higher education is often promoted as a must-have for everyone, some very well known and successful individuals (in an array of fields) decided to ditch the academics in their own lives — and wound up doing very well thanks to hard work, enormous drive and total passion for their interests.

    These eight prominent Americans left college behind and made it big. 

    Some of the most famous college dropouts in America include household names — and some of them may surprise you. 

    Here’s a look at eight prominent Americans who left college behind and made it big. 

    Rush Limbaugh 

    Radio talk show host and media dynamo Rush Limbaugh will always be remembered for his impressive career in political and cultural commentary and broadcasting — all achieved without a college degree.

    FORMER VP PENCE NARRATES ‘AGE OF RUSH,’  A LOOK AT THE MAN BEHIND THE GOLDEN MICROPHONE

    The native of Cape Girardeau, Mo., was known as shy growing up, but there was no doubt he had a passion for radio broadcasting.

    Talk show host Rush Limbaugh in the early days of his radio career preparing for his program at KSEV in Houston, Texas. (©Shepard Sherbell/Corbis Saba/Corbis via Getty Images)

    In the Fox Nation four-part series “Age of Rush,” narrated by former Vice President Mike Pence, excerpts from Limbaugh’s past piece together his trajectory in radio fame.

    “I knew I wanted to do radio when I was 12,” he said in a 2012 interview. “Because I hated school. And getting ready for school every morning, my mother had the radio on. That guy was having fun — and I was having drudgery.”

    COLLEGE DEGREE DOESN’T MEAN MORE MONEY: AMERICA’S CAREER COACH

    Limbaugh landed his first radio job as a disc jockey at a local station before he completed high school. After his graduation in 1969, Limbaugh attended Southwest Missouri State College — and then dropped out to get back on the air. 

    Rush Limbaugh is awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in February 2020 during President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address. (Reuters/Jonathan Ernst)

    In 1973, Limbaugh found himself in front of the mic once again under the alias Jeff Christie. 

    It would be another decade before Limbaugh launched his career in political commentary, influenced by former President Ronald Reagan’s persuasive radio presence. Limbaugh himself then influenced scores of others in his field throughout his legendary career.

    Tiger Woods

    Inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame this year, golf icon Tiger Woods risked his college diploma for a chance to go pro.

    Following a childhood in which he developed his love of the links, Woods attended Stanford University in 1994, where he played NCAA golf and studied economics. 

    Tiger Woods practices on Griffith Park golf course as a 16-year old in 1991. (Per-Anders Pettersson/Corbis via Getty Images)

    Woods won a record-tying 11 tournaments between his freshman and sophomore years at Stanford, but that’s exactly how long his college experience would last.

    When Woods was offered the opportunity to join the PGA in 1996, he made the decision to withdraw from the university to pursue his pro career.

    TIGER WOODS’ 20 MOST INSPIRATIONAL QUOTES AND LIFE LESSONS

    Since his professional debut, Woods, 46, has clenched 106 worldwide wins and 15 majors. The golfer also has 82 PGA Tour wins under his belt — and is tied with Sam Snead, one of the greatest players of all time, for the most wins.

    Tiger Woods looks on during the second round of The Masters at Augusta National Golf Club on April 8, 2022, in Augusta, Georgia.

    Woods, most recently, is the 12th-highest paid professional athlete in the world, according to Forbes, earning $60 million in 2021 alone.

    Bill Gates

    Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates may very well be considered the pioneer of the college-dropout-turned-billionaire trend.

    Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates on Sept. 1, 1983. (©Doug Wilson/Corbis via Getty Images)

    Gates ditched his promising education at Harvard University in 1975 after his first two years as a pre-law student. He had discovered his immense potential in the tech space. 

    Today, Microsoft is one of the largest tech companies in the world.

    As part of an undergrad combinatorics course, Gates developed an algorithm to address an unsolved problem — which held the record for speed for 30 years, according to Best Colleges.

    The young student decided to take a leave of absence from the university to found software company Microsoft — today one of the largest tech companies in the world. As of April 2022, it has a more than $2.1 trillion market cap. 

    Bill Gates speaks during the White House’s virtual Climate Leaders Summit on April 23, 2021. (AP)

    The multi-billionaire, 66, has since given back big-time through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which works with partner organizations around the world. In 2021, the Gates Foundation doubled the total amount of donations with $15 billion in allocations, according to The Conversation. 

    Alicia Keys

    Award-winning musician and artist Alicia Keys has brains, beauty and singing ability — but pursuing academics wasn’t in her make-up.

    Alicia Keys on tour in Munich, Germany, on Sept. 7, 2001. (Fryderyk Gabowicz/picture alliance via Getty Images)

    Keys graduated early from New York’s Professional Performing Arts high school as valedictorian at only 16 years old. The musician went on to attend Columbia University. 

    Keys has won 15 Grammy Awards and sold more than 65 million records worldwide.

    College life, however, was short-lived for her in the 1990s: The teenager ditched Columbia University for a record deal with Columbia Records after one semester, Variety reported.

    Even though her deal with Columbia fell through, Keys, 41, was saved by producer Clive Davis and signed to Arista Records shortly after, producing her debut album “Songs In A Minor” in 2001.

    Alicia Keys hosts the 62nd annual Grammy Awards on Jan. 26, 2020, in Los Angeles. (Matt Sayles/Invision/AP)

    The hit album featured notable songs like “Fallin,’” which spent six weeks at no. 1 on Billboard’s Hot 100. The soul singer went on to win 15 Grammy Awards and 9 Billboard Music Awards. She has sold more than 65 million records worldwide.

    Rachael Ray

    Celebrity chef Rachael Ray knows what to cook up in the kitchen — and doing so didn’t require a college education.

    Rachael Ray during a book signing at Sur La Table in San Jose, Califonia, on Dec. 10, 2004. (John Medina/WireImage)

    The popular chef, known for her 30-minute meals, first attended Pace University in 1986 to study literature and communications. After two years, Ray dropped out to save money and re-focus her career goals, according to Good Housekeeping.

    Rachel Ray’s first cookbook sold 10,000 copies in two weeks.

    Ray, 53, began offering cooking classes at a gourmet grocery store in Albany, N.Y., fueled by her love of working with food, which turned into demonstrations on local TV. By 1999, her first cookbook sold 10,000 copies in two weeks.

    After making soup during a snowy segment of “The Today Show” in 2001, Ray’s career hit the ground running and she landed a contract with the Food Network.

    Chef Rachael Ray on stage during a culinary demonstration on Oct. 12, 2019, in New York City. (John Lamparski/Getty Images for NYCWFF)

    “Good food and a warm kitchen are what makes a house a home,” she has said.

    Ryan Seacrest

    Media personality Ryan Seacrest, born in Atlanta, always knew a life in broadcasting was for him, no matter the sacrifice.

    Ryan Seacrest receives an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree during University of Georgia’s commencement at Sanford Stadium on May 13, 2016, in Athens, Georgia. (Marcus Ingram/Getty Images)

    After interning at Atlanta FM radio station WSTR in high school, he enrolled in the University of Georgia to pursue journalism in 1992. 

    Two years later, the college junior gave his first “Seacrest, out!” to college life and moved to Los Angeles. There, he fronted KYSR-FM’s afternoon drive-time show called “Ryan Seacrest for the Ride Home.”

    Ryan Seacrest’s higher education pursuit finally came full circle when he earned an honorary doctorate from the University of Georgia in 2016.

    Seacrest’s emergence into the national limelight was arguably his 2002 debut as co-host of the TV singing competition “American Idol.” 

    The emcee, 47, still hosts the program today — and has added to his on-screen repertoire. He took over the hosting of such iconic specials as “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve.”

    The co-hosts and finalists of “American Idol” season one, from left, Ryan Seacrest, Kelly Clarkson, Justin Guarini and Brian Dunkleman, on Sept. 3, 2002, at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood. (Reuters/Fred Prouser)

    Seacrest’s higher education pursuit finally came full circle when he earned an honorary doctorate from the University of Georgia in 2016 after delivering the school’s commencement address that year.

    Lady Gaga

    Native New Yorker Lady Gaga, born and raised as Stefani Germanotta, always recognized her calling toward stardom.

    The pop star grew up experiencing ridicule by her peers, but her passion for music fueled her fire to make it big. At the age of 11, Gaga began studying with Christina Aguilera’s vocal coach Don Lawrence and continued to practice classical piano and acting as a kid, Mic reported.

    Lady Gaga performs with Tony Bennett during her “Jazz and Piano” residency at Park Theater at Park MGM on Jan. 20, 2019, in Las Vegas. (Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Park MGM Las Vegas)

    After graduating from high school, Gaga sought out an education at NYU Tisch School of the Arts. But it didn’t last long.

    Gaga’s first album, “The Fame,” topped the charts, with tracks like “Just Dance” and “Poker Face” hitting no. 1 on Billboard’s Hot 100.

    At 19 years old, the future star abandoned that life and dropped out of NYU to pursue her dreams. “I left my entire family, got the cheapest apartment I could find and ate s— until somebody would listen,” she told New York Magazine in a 2010 interview.

    After she was signed and then dropped by Def Jam records, Gaga was discovered by R&B artist Akon — who signed her to his own label in 2008.

    Singer Lady Gaga performs at the Oxford Arts Factory on Sept. 24, 2008, in Sydney, Australia. (Don Arnold/WireImage)

    Gaga’s first album, “The Fame,” topped the charts, with tracks like “Just Dance” and “Poker Face” hitting no. 1 on Billboard’s Hot 100. 

    LADY GAGA’S GREAT KINDNESS TOWARD LIZA MINNELLI: ETIQUETTE EXPERT SAID WE’VE OVERLOOKED IT

    Gaga, 36, has won numerous awards and accolades during her career; was ranked fourth on VH1’s Greatest Women in Music (2012); and was named one of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people in the world in both 2010 and 2019.

    John Mayer

    There may be a running joke about the frequency of music school dropouts, but John Mayer, 44, turned the stigma into a success.

    Mayer, who grew up in Fairfield, Connecticut, enrolled in Boston’s Berklee College of Music in 1998 but soon realized school wasn’t really his style.

    John Mayer and Bill Kreutzmann of Dead and Company perform on Nov. 9, 2017, in San Francisco.

    In a 2002 interview with MTV, Mayer said his grades at Berklee “were pronounced like ‘d-d-d-f-f-f-f-f’ — like static,” as he had less professional training than his classmates.

    The singer left the competitive music school and moved to Atlanta to pursue a solo career. 

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    Three years later, he released his debut album, “Room for Squares.” He won a Grammy Award in 2003 for the chart-topping hit “Your Body Is a Wonderland.” 

    Singer John Mayer poses with his Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for his song “Your Body is A Wonderland,” at the 45th annual Grammy Awards at New York’s Madison Square Garden, on Feb. 23, 2003. (Reuters/Peter Morgan)

    Mayer has taken home six more Grammys since.

    In 2004, Mayer returned to Berklee – and taught a clinic on making it in the business.