“My Mom was a force of nature all her own,” Tiger Woods shared in a heartfelt post on X. His beloved mother, Kultida, passed away on Tuesday morning at the age of 80, leaving an unimaginable void in his life. “She was my biggest fan, greatest supporter, without her none of my personal achievements would have been possible,” he added. And it’s hard to even fathom the heartbreak he must be feeling right now.

Losing a parent is never easy, but for Woods, this loss cuts even deeper. His father, Earl Woods, passed away in 2006, and from that moment on, Kultida became his one constant, shaping the man the world would come to call the GOAT. “She’s always there. She’s always present in every round I play,” Woods said back during his 2019 Masters.

To honor her legacy, let’s revisit some of those moments when Kultida stood proudly on the sidelines, cheering for her son in the loudest way possible.

1. Kultida was right there when Woods made a comeback in 2019

When Woods says his mom was his greatest support, he’s not just saying it—he means it. She was there for his legendary 2019 Masters win. Winning his first major in 11 years, Woods had his whole family behind him, and Kultida made sure of that. She helped arrange for his kids, Charlie and Sam, to fly in for the final round. They got there Sunday morning, walked the front nine, and then hung out in the clubhouse for the back—watching every shot, holding their breath in the tense moments, and celebrating every birdie.

And Kultida? She was right there with them, cheering her heart out. “She kept saying she’s so proud of me,” he shared later. “That my dad would be so proud if he was here.” And through everything—the wins, the setbacks, the years in between—she had always been by his side. “It’s amazing,” Woods said. “It’s 22 years. Life goes on. There’s one continuity: My mom was there. I said, ‘We did it. I love you so much, Mom.’”

2. Woods never stop talking about his mom

When Woods was inducted into the Hall of Fame back in 2022, he had 15 minutes to reflect on his legendary career. But instead of talking about his wins, trophies, or the grind that got him there, he spent most of his speech talking about his mom. He took everyone back to where it all started, reminiscing about being six and tagging along with Kultida to Heartwell Golf Park, a little par-3 course in Long Beach, California. That’s where he learned to compete against kids way older than him. And it was Kultida who made it happen—she even begged the pro to let little Tiger practice there for free because she was always certain of his potential.

“Mom stayed at home. Dad traveled. And I went out and played the AJGA Tour on our second mortgage,” Woods said. “So without the sacrifices of Mom, who took me to all those junior golf tournaments, and Dad, who’s not here, but who instilled in me this work ethic to fight for what I believe in, chase after my dreams, nothing’s ever going to be given to you, everything’s going to be earned. If you don’t go out there and put in the work, you don’t go out and put in the effort, one, you’re not going to get the results, but two – and more importantly – you don’t deserve it. You need to earn it.”

Even on one of the biggest nights of his life, it was about Kultida.

3. All Woods wanted was to make her mother proud

Now, this one hits the hardest, as this was Woods’s last on-course interaction with his mother.  Just recently, during the fourth match of TGL, when his team, Jupiter Links GC, took down Boston Common Golf, Woods shared a small but special interaction with Kultida. During the second match, he spotted her on the sidelines, waved, and said: “Hi Mom, not gonna s–k tonight.”And he didn’t. His first match hadn’t gone the way he wanted as his team lost to LAGC. But this time, he turned the table in his favor, making sure to deliver. And there she was, just like always, watching and cheering him on.

These are the moments Woods will hold onto forever. And while he’s always said his mom “doesn’t get enough credit” (as he mentioned during his 2024 Bob Jones Award speech), one thing’s for sure—he never stopped making her proud.

Even though she’s no longer physically by his side, she’ll always be with him—eternal in his memories. Our deepest condolences to Woods and his family.