An emotional Tiger Woods pays tribute to his mother Kultida’s sacrifice ahead of the U.S. Open: “I didn’t do this alone”
Earl Woods is a central figure in the Tiger Woods legend. But the 15-time major champion believes his mother, Kultida, doesn’t get the recognition she deserves. While receiving the Bob Jones Award, the United States Golf Association’s most prestigious accolade, at Pinehurst, the three-time U.S. Open winner revealed that during eight of nine consecutive USGA titles, his mother wasn’t present. However, at the 1996 US Amateur’s Open, Kultida was at the Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club.
Woods already created history by netting three consecutive U.S. Junior Amateur’s Open. And, at Pumpkin Ridge, then 20-year-old was standing at the cusp of a historic six-peat. “She had her Stanford sweatshirt on. Imagine if I lost? But guess who was the first person I hugged after I won, Mom? “That was you,” the 15-time major champion said.
For all the influence Kultida had on Woods, what gets overlooked is Woods’ killer instinct and ruthless mentality. Woods once joked, “He (Earl Woods) never hit me when I was a kid because my mother hit me.” I still have handprints.
Humor aside, Kultida was as in love with the young golf prodigy as her husband. Off the beaten track, outside the media spotlight. In 2010, after Woods’ personal problems took center stage, Kultida told AP’s Doug Ferguson: “Some media, especially the tabloids, have seriously hurt my son. He didn’t do anything illegal. He didn’t kill anyone. But he’s trying to improve.”
The 82-time PGA Tour winner said from Pinehurst: “My mom doesn’t get enough recognition. It was my dad and I who went on the journey, but my mum has been there my whole life, always there through thick and thin. After paying tribute to the previous recipient, the 48-year-old added: “She (Kultida Woods) has made it possible for me to come here, do these things and continue to pursue my dreams, with her support and love. I didn’t do this alone. I have the most beautiful stone a child can own. Thank you, Mom.”
This is reminiscent of Woods’ Hall of Fame speech, where the veteran golfer revealed that his parents had to take out a second mortgage for his dream of becoming a golf ace. “None of it would have been possible without the sacrifices of my mother, who took me to every tournament,” Woods said. And dad, who is not there, but who instilled in me this work ethics to fight for what I think, continue my dreams.
While she supported the pursuit of the grandeur of her son, Kultida Woods also had curious contributions to the tradition of wood. The famous Nike red polos that landed Woods 15 majors including all three U.S. Open titles, was her mother’s idea. Woods, who now is associated with a clothing line with the same name, revealed how he had a disagreement with his mother about the ‘power color’ but later fell in line. Don’t get me wrong: Just like you and me and everyone else, Tiger Woods was a rebellious kid as a teenager, so when his mother encouraged him to wear red (because Woods is a Capricorn and red was his powerful color), the teenager dismissed the suggestion as silly. Tiger Woods stated at the NBC Tedai Show last month: I won some of the SO CAL junior golf events, wearing red. Despite this, she wore blue in other tournaments but didn’t win, then switched to red and had more success wearing it.