Tiger Woods made a memorable appearance at the White House Thursday, joining former President Donald Trump for a Black History Month celebration while wearing his 2019 Medal of Freedom.
The crowd couldn’t resist pulling out their phones to capture the moment when Woods took the stage.
It wasn’t just a ceremonial visit. Earlier that day, Woods was part of a high-stakes meeting about the future of professional golf, joining PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan and pro golfer Adam Scott in talks with Trump and Saudi investment chief Yasir Al-Rumayyan.
“We had some interesting discussions,” Trump told the reception audience with a smile. He couldn’t resist a lighthearted jab about Scott’s famous swing: “I’ve always tried to swing like Adam, it never worked out that way.”
At first, Woods tried to dodge speaking to the crowd. But when chants of “Tiger, Tiger, Tiger” filled the room – with Trump joining in – he stepped up to the microphone.
“It’s an honor to be here with you, Mr. President, and to be in the room with all of you,” Woods said simply.
The meeting marks a crucial moment in efforts to unite men’s professional golf, which has been split since the Saudi-backed LIV Golf emerged as a rival to the PGA Tour. An earlier meeting on February 4th had happened without Woods, who was absent due to his mother Kultida’s passing that day.
The golf world has been watching these developments closely. Just last week, Woods played a round with Trump – another sign that a deal between the PGA Tour and Saudi investors might be close.
Trump seems optimistic about Woods’ future in the sport. “I was playing with him last week,” he told the crowd. “I think he’s got a couple of majors left…. maybe more than that.”
The 15-time major champion hasn’t won one of golf’s biggest prizes since his dramatic comeback victory at the 2019 Masters. But with these high-level negotiations and Trump’s vote of confidence, Woods continues to shape the sport both on and off the course.
