Last month the legendary Tiger Woods was finally inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame for his momentous achievements in the game at the PGA Tour headquarters in Florida prior to The Players Championship.
The ceremony saw Woods introduced by his daughter Sam, who began with a story from the 2007 U.S. Open, which Tiger lost to Angel Cabrera by one shot.
“My dad found himself in a position to make an 18-foot putt to force a U.S. Open playoff, which he missed by a foot,” the 14-year-old chuckled.
“He then had to rush to the airport, fly from Pittsburgh to Orlando, and drive to the Winnie Palmer Hospital. Within five minutes of walking into the hospital room, still wearing his red golf shirt, on June 18, I was born. He may have lost that day, but he won the greatest gift of all.”
After being presented with the award by his daughter, the 15-time Major champion gave an inspiring 17-minute speech.
“This an individual award,” said Woods. “But this actually is a team award. All of you have allowed me to be here. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
“You have to understand I got to this position because of my upbringing, having two unbelievable parents. I know that golf is an individual sport, we do things on our own a lot, for hours on end, but in my case, I didn’t get here alone.
“I have unbelievable parents, mentors and friends who supported me in the toughest of times, darkest of times and celebrated the highest of times.”
Woods was stung by racism when denied access to clubhouses when he was young, so he reflected on asking just two questions when he turned up to a golf course.
“One of the things that Dad had instilled in me is that he grew up in an era, same era as Charlie Sifford [the first Black golfer to play on the PGA Tour] and why my son is named after Charlie, is that you had to be twice as good to be given half a chance,” he said.
“I was not allowed in the clubhouses where all the other juniors were. The color of my skin dictated that. As I got older, that drove me even more.
“So, as I was denied access into the clubhouses, that’s fine. Put my shoes on here in the parking lot. I asked two questions only, that was it: where was the first tee and what was the course record.”
The ceremony also inducted former PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem, four-time Major winner Susie Maxwell and course designer and architect Marion Hollins into the Golf Hall of Fame.
