Tiger Woods recently spent time on the golf course with former President Donald Trump in South Florida as he prepares for his highly anticipated return to the PGA Tour. The White House confirmed reports that Woods and Trump teed off on Sunday morning at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach. This outing comes just days before Woods is set to compete in his first official PGA Tour event since The Open at Torrey Pines.
Trump is also expected to attend the Super Bowl in New Orleans later that evening, adding another high-profile event to his schedule.
Woods, a legendary golfer with eight victories at Torrey Pines—including the memorable 2008 U.S. Open—will head to San Diego for the Genesis Invitational the following week. This tournament was rescheduled from its original venue at the Riviera Country Club in Los Angeles to Torrey’s South Course due to the recent Palisades fire. Notably, Woods has not completed a 72-hole tournament since the Masters in April of last year.
In addition to his upcoming tournament, Woods’ name has surfaced in discussions regarding the ongoing negotiations between the Saudi Public Investment Fund and the PGA Tour. Last week, Trump met with player director Adam Scott and PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan in Washington, D.C., to discuss the future of professional golf. While Woods’ attendance was not mentioned in the official statement from the Tour, flight-tracking data indicated that his private jet landed at Dulles Airport on Monday night before departing for Florida the next morning.
Following the meeting, the PGA Tour expressed gratitude for Trump’s involvement, stating, “We are grateful that [Trump’s] leadership has helped us get closer to a final agreement, opening the door for men’s professional golf to reunite.”
Amidst his busy schedule, Woods also shared some personal news on Tuesday, revealing the passing of his mother, Kultida Woods, at the age of 80. In a heartfelt statement, he reflected on her influence, saying, “My mom was a force of nature all her own; her spirit was simply irrefutable. Without her, none of my personal accomplishments would have been possible. She was my biggest supporter and fan.”
Trump offered his condolences on social media, stating, “I recently learned that Kultida, Tiger Woods’ great-grandmother, passed away—she’s moved on to greener fairways! Tiger was greatly influenced by Kultida Woods, who provided him with a lot of his strength and intelligence. Melania and I offer Tiger and his amazing family our prayers and love.”
Trump and Woods have a long-standing friendship, having played golf together multiple times. In recognition of Woods’ significant contributions to the sport, Trump awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2019. As Woods prepares for his return to competitive golf, the support from friends and fans alike continues to be a source of strength for him during this challenging time.
