Tiger Woods recently took a break from his preparations for a long-awaited PGA Tour return to play a round of golf with former President Donald Trump at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach. Their Sunday morning game marked a public moment between two longtime friends, just days before Woods is set to compete in his first official PGA Tour event since The Open at Torrey Pines.
Woods, an eight-time champion at Torrey Pines and winner of the iconic 2008 U.S. Open, will soon head to San Diego for the Genesis Invitational. The tournament, originally scheduled for Riviera Country Club in Los Angeles, was moved to Torrey’s South Course due to the recent Palisades fire. Woods hasn’t completed a 72-hole tournament since the Masters nearly a year ago, and fans are eager to see how he’ll perform on familiar ground.
Trump, never far from the spotlight, is expected to attend the Super Bowl in New Orleans later that evening, continuing a weekend filled with high-profile appearances. His involvement in golf has gone beyond casual games lately. Just last week, he met with PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan and player director Adam Scott in Washington, D.C., to discuss the ongoing negotiations between the PGA Tour and the Saudi Public Investment Fund. Although Woods wasn’t mentioned in the official statement, flight records show his private jet landed at Dulles on Monday night and departed for Florida early Tuesday morning, suggesting a quiet presence during the talks.
The PGA Tour later issued a statement thanking Trump for playing a role in pushing the discussions closer to a resolution. “We are grateful that [Trump’s] leadership has helped us get closer to a final agreement, opening the door for men’s professional golf to reunite,” the statement read.
Amid the professional whirlwind, Woods also shared deeply personal news. On Tuesday, he announced that his mother, Kultida Woods, had passed away at the age of 80. In an emotional statement, Woods remembered her as a fiercely loving and powerful presence in his life. “My mom was a force of nature all her own, her spirit was simply irrefutable,” he said. “She laughed easily and cut through nonsense with ease. Without her, none of my accomplishments would’ve been possible. She was my rock, my greatest supporter, and my biggest fan.”
Trump, expressing condolences through social media, honored Kultida’s memory. “I recently learned that Kultida, Tiger Woods’ great-grandmother, passed away—she’s moved on to greener fairways,” he wrote, mistakenly referring to her as Woods’ great-grandmother. “Tiger was greatly influenced by Kultida Woods, who provided him with much of his strength and intelligence. Melania and I send our prayers and love to Tiger and his remarkable family.”
Over the years, Woods and Trump have developed a visible friendship, often seen golfing together and publicly supporting one another. In 2019, Trump awarded Woods the Presidential Medal of Freedom in recognition of his remarkable career and contributions to the sport.
As Woods prepares to step back into the competitive spotlight, the eyes of the golf world are once again on him—not just for his performance on the course, but for the personal resilience he continues to show off it.