Top Influential Figures in Tiger Woods’ Life

In golf, there, arguably, isn’t anyone more influential than the golf legend, Tiger Woods himself. With a never-ending list of achievements and accolades, he truly remains the biggest inspiration to generations of golfers worldwide. In fact, many of the professional golfers who are currently playing the sport also get to learn a lot watching him play. But this has many fans wondering: who is Woods’ inspiration then? Well, it certainly isn’t just one person, so let’s dive deeper to find out who exactly they are.

Tiger Woods and Father Earl Woods – A Psychological War

The golf legend’s father, Earl Woods, was the driving force behind Tiger’s golf career. From a very young age, when Tiger showed an interest in the sport, Earl was there to guide him and teach him the tips and tricks of the game. And as he grew older and got better, his training with his father got more intense.

No matter how tough the course was, the 46-year-old enjoyed every minute of the time he spent on it with his father. Whatever physical or mental challenges were thrown his way, he took them all head-on. And boy, were there many! “My dad was always the person who would plant seeds and give me encouragement but also would say things that would fester inside me that wouldn’t come to fruition for a while,”Woods revealed in a USA TODAY Sports exclusive interview in 2017.

And perhaps it was that psychological war that his late father waged with him, that made him develop the strong, never-give-up resolve he is known for. Earl was undoubtedly the biggest influence in the 82-time PGA Tour winner’s life, and to this day, Tiger remembers him in every stroke he plays.

Putt like Tiger and play like Tommy Armour III

Thomas Dickson Armour III, or as he is known in the golf community, Tommy Armour III, lived the life that every athlete dreamed of. The Tour pros often mentioned that they wanted to putt like Woods and play like Armour. Putting like Woods is probably every golfer’s dream. But why play like Armor then? Well, it’s not just because of his extravagant and fun-filled life off the course, but also his head-on playing style.

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From 2003 to 2017, the golf pro held the PGA Tour record for the lowest 72-hole score. He averaged 63.5 per round and had a total score of 254. Woods certainly looked up to that target, trying to achieve it with every game, but alas, it wasn’t meant to be. The closest he ever got was in 2002 at the Tour Championship, when he scored 23 under par to end his match with a score of 257.

The legend of Walter Hagen and the 1895 PGA Tour Open

Many, while looking at Woods’ journey to greatness, see Walter Hagen as a pit stop on his way to his 15 major championship wins. In fact, the 45-time PGA Tour winner is so much more than just that. The late American golfer was an inspiration to golfers in the early 1900s.

In 1895, when Hagen was just 3 years old, the US Open was introduced on the Tour. The event was open to both professionals and amateurs. Hagen went on to win the event twice in his career, becoming the first. But it wasn’t the only one he got his hands on. He also won the Open Championship three times in his lifetime, including in 1912, when he became the first American-born player to do so.

Hagen also amassed five PGA Championship wins, a record that only Jack Nicklaus has managed to match till now. But Hagen did it in style, winning all five matches in style in match play. It is quite evident as to why Hagen served as a big influence in Woods’ life. After all, he was gunning for Hagen’s 11 major records before he broke them and is now aiming for Nicklaus’.

The end of a golfing legend and the rise of Tiger Woods (Gene Sarazen)

The career slam in golf is something every professional golfer craves. When Tiger Woods first began as a professional on the Tour, it surely crossed his mind. But the history of it all started with Gene Sarazen, who was the first to win the ‘Career Slam’ after the Masters Tournament came into play and became the fourth major championship for professional golfers to compete in.

Woods, of course, drew inspiration from Sarazen’s feat. And four years after he turned pro, he went on to achieve it, becoming only one of five people to attain it. But the golf legends’ career slam was no ordinary four-major triumph. It came consecutively. In 2000, he won the US Open, the Open Championship, and the PGA Championship. And soon after the next season, he went on to win the Masters at Augusta, creating his own legacy, the ‘Tiger Slam.’ Since then, no one has been able to achieve this extraordinary feat.

Tiger Woods thanks Bobby Jones for the history that he created for golf

Historically, Bobby Jones was one of the most influential figures in the sport. After all, he had helped build the famous Augusta National. He also co-founded the Masters Tournament. Woods, who won five green jackets, was deeply inspired by the former pro too. In a completely different era, he did what the 82-time PGA Tour winner has done of late for the sport: he brought it recognition. But it’s not just because of that that Woods looks up to Jones.

Bobby has something that Woods covets: ‘the Grand Slam’. Jones remains the only golfer to date to ever win all four major championships in a single calendar year. The closest Tiger has come to achieving that is with his famous Tiger Slam. Surely Jones deserves to be remembered for his achievements. Well, Woods certainly thinks so. “We all know what he’s meant to the game,” he said once, talking about the late American golfer in an interview. “We appreciate what he’s done.”

Arnold just loves Tiger Woods

Speaking of old legends, it would be a crime to omit Arnold Palmer‘s name from those who inspired Woods. Palmer too was quite taken aback by the 47-year-old golf pro. “I liked the kid and his father, Earl, right away,” he said in his book ‘A Life Well Played: My Stories,’ talking about his first impression of the 15-time major winner.

But his admiration for the golf legend grew much beyond his mere first impressions of liking him over the years. In his biography, ‘A Golfer’s Life,’ he even paid homage to the PGA Tour star in the highest way possible. “I daresay, few of us could stand up to the scrutiny and sometimes mean-spirited reporting that certain charismatic modern players—John Daly and Tiger Woods come immediately to mind, in this respect—are subjected to,” he wrote. Palmer believed that Woods was held to an extremely high standard. And that most of the time he still came through!

Palmer passed away in 2016, leaving behind a string of devastated golfers. But Woods will certainly never forget his name or the significance he held in the sport.

Jack Nicklaus or Tiger Woods – The GOAT Debate

Probably one of the biggest debates of all time in the golf world is about the best player to have blessed the game. Eventually, it boils down to just two names: Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus. So, which of them is truly greater?

Looking at Nicklaus’ list of wins, he has 73 PGA Tour wins, of which 18 are major championships. The 83-year-old is unbeaten when it comes to the number of major championships he has won, but ranks third in the most wins on the Tour overall, after Sam Snead and Woods himself.

Woods, on the other hand, has won only 15 majors, the second most in history. But he is tied for first place with the highest number of overall Tour wins, beating Nicklaus by 9 with 82 wins, tied with Snead. Woods is currently gunning for Nicklaus’ 18-major wins record, but only time will tell if he would be able to  beat it.

Both Woods and Nicklaus have inspired thousands in the sport. And Nicklaus inspired Woods himself and motivated him to chase after the bars he set. If Woods does manage to chase down the 83-year-old’s record, he certainly will be known as the GOAT. But for now, they share that mantle.

Following advice from the veteran Tom Watson

Tom Watson was one of the greatest golfers of his time, to put it simply. Throughout his career, he won 30 times on the Tour, including 8 major championships. But for Woods, it wasn’t just Watson’s accomplishments that inspired him. It was his words of advice, and how crucial they proved to be for the golf legend.

Soon after Woods’ infamous marriage controversy, Watson had some advice for him. In February 2010, in a pre-match interview at the Desert Classic in Dubai, he stated to the press that the 15-time major winner needed to show some “humility” about his mistakes. “I would do an interview with somebody and say, ‘You know what? I screwed up. And I admit it,” he said. “I am trying to change. I want my wife and family back.” That is exactly what Woods did, and it was the first step in his life-changing journey.

But Watson didn’t only have advice about the golf champion’s personal life. He also spoke about his etiquette on the course. “I feel that he has not carried the same stature that other great players that have come along,” he stated. He added that Woods needed to “show the respect for the game that other people before him have shown.” Well, it seems like Woods heeded that advice too. And the more he respected the game, the better he got. It’s clear that Watson’s words were life-changing.

An inspiration for the next generation of Woods – Charlie Sifford

We know Earl was the person who introduced Tiger to the sport. But had it not been for Charlie Sifford, the golf legend may never have played professionally. Sifford was the first African American golfer to ever compete in a PGA Tour event. In fact, Earl started playing the sport after being inspired by Sifford. “It’s not an exaggeration to say that without Charlie and the other pioneers who fought to play, I may not be playing golf,” said the 15-time major winner to The Associated Press in an email after Sifford’s passing in 2015.

It is clear that Sifford has a huge influence on the Woods family. But once Tiger began playing professionally, the two grew quite close. “I always called him ‘Grandpa,’ because he was like the grandpa I never had,” said the golf legend during the ceremony for his Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2019. And they grew so close that in 2009 Tiger revered him in the biggest way possible: by naming his son Charlie.

A friend for life – Elin Nordegren

If there were a ranking chart, perhaps Elin Nordegren would close to Earl when it comes to the influential people in Woods’ life. Woods and Nordegren first met in 2001, and within just three years, the two were engaged. In October 2004, they tied the knot. But unfortunately, their marriage burned through really quickly, and 5 years and two children later, they split up in a very public and messy divorce.

But that wasn’t the end of their relationship at all. Despite the hardships the two had faced over the years, in the time they had spent together, they had developed a very strong bond. “She’s been one of my best friends,” he said in 2016 on ‘The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.’

He explained that ever since their divorce, the two had grown much closer while raising their children. They communicated much better now and were completely honest with each other. It certainly is heartwarming to see how their hatred soon after their divorce has turned into an unbreakable bond. And both Woods and his ex-wife are now much happier.

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Which of these influential figures in the golf legend’s life surprises you the most? And do you know of others who have inspired him in his journey to becoming the greatest? Let us know what you think in the comments section below.