The Genesis Invitational

Torrey Pines Golf Course (South Course)



    Tiger

    Tiger Woods announces his mother Kultida has died

    February 04, 2025
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    Jamie Squire

    Kultida Woods, mother of Tiger Woods, passed away on Tuesday. She was 80.

    Tiger announced the news via his social media accounts. No cause of death was given.

    “My Mom was a force of nature all her own, her spirit was simply undeniable. She was quick with the needle and a laugh,” Woods wrote in a statement. “She was my biggest fan, greatest supporter, without her none of my personal achievements would have been possible. She was loved by so many, but especially by her two grandchildren, Sam and Charlie. Thank you all for your support, prayers and privacy at this difficult time for me and my family.”

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    Tida poses with Tiger during the 1996 U.S. Amateur Championship.

    J.D. Cuban

    Kultida's journey began in Thailand, where she worked as a receptionist at the U.S. Army's Bangkok office. There she met Earl Woods, Tiger's father, during his tour of duty in 1968. That same year she left for the U.S. They were married in New York in 1969 and moved to Cypress, Calif., where Tiger was born in 1975. Kultida and Earl were married 37 years until his death from cancer in May 2006. He was 74.

    While Earl became well-known in golf circles, it was Kultida, known by the shortened name Tida, who emerged as the true force behind Tiger's phenomenal career, earning the nickname "the enforcer."

    Her influence on Tiger's career was profound and lasting. In a 2017 interview with USA Today, Tiger revealed the depth of his mother's impact, stating that despite his father's Special Forces background, it was his mother who commanded true respect: "My mom's still here and I'm still deathly afraid of her. She's a very tough, tough old lady, very demanding... I love her so much, but she was tough." Perhaps most notably, Kultida was responsible for Tiger's iconic Sunday red attire, suggesting it as his "power circle" - a tradition that became synonymous with his final-round appearances.

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    Tiger Woods gets a hug from his mom prior to his induction into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2022.

    Sam Greenwood

    Kultida remained actively involved in her son's career, making her final public appearance at Woods' TGL event in Florida just last week

    Tiger’s Genesis Invitational, moved to Torrey Pines in San Diego due to the wildfires in Los Angeles County, is scheduled for next week. It was already uncertain if Tiger would be competing in the event as he continues to recover from a back procedure he underwent last September.