1944 – 2025
Golf legend Tiger Woods has one person to thank for his now iconic red Sunday attire, which he has worn for countless victories over the course of his career: his mother, who urged him to adopt a “power color” for golf’s biggest days.
Mrs. Woods was there for more than just choosing clothes, too. Born in Thailand and working as a civilian clerk during the Vietnam War, she met Earl Woods (1932–2006) there during his time in the U.S. Army. The pair moved to Brooklyn when he returned to the U.S., married, and had their son Eldrick – “Tiger” – in 1975. They eventually relocated to California, where they raised their family.
While his father taught Tiger the game, his mother taught him focus and discipline, becoming an integral part of his success. Throughout his youth, Mrs. Woods drove him to golf tournaments or to the driving range, and when her son became a star player, she was often there to support him, usually wearing her signature hat and sunglasses.
At a 2024 ceremony during which he received golf’s highest honor, the Bob Jones Award, Woods said of her: “She allowed me to get here. She allowed me to do these things, chase my dreams, and the support and love — I didn’t do this alone. I had the greatest rock that any child could possibly have.”
