Golf legend Tiger Woods announced the passing of his mother Kultida early this morning.
“My dear mother was a force of nature all her own,” Woods shared on social media. “Her spirit was simply undeniable.”
Kultida Woods was more than just Tiger’s mom – she was his biggest fan and shaped many of the traditions golf fans know him for today. She’s the reason we see Tiger wearing his signature red shirt every Sunday, believing it was his “power color” as a Capricorn.
The Thai-born Kultida rarely missed a chance to support her son on tour. Just recently, she was there cheering him on at his TGL match in Florida.
“She was my biggest fan, greatest supporter,” Tiger wrote. “Without her none of my personal achievements would have been possible.”
One of her sweetest traditions was giving Tiger his famous tiger headcover each year. She’d buy it from Daphne’s Headcovers and have “Rak jack Mea” – Thai for “Love from Mom” – sewn on the back. At the end of each season, she’d tuck a note listing Tiger’s achievements inside the old headcover before storing it away.
That attention to detail and unwavering support helped Tiger become one of golf’s greatest players, with 15 major championships to his name.
The touching bond between mother and son was on full display when they shared an emotional embrace after Tiger’s incredible comeback victory at the 2019 Masters.
“She was loved by so many, but especially by her two grandchildren, Sam and Charlie,” Tiger noted in his announcement.
The tradition of wearing red on Sundays followed Tiger from his junior golf days through Stanford University and into his professional career. As he explained earlier this year at his Sun Day Red apparel launch: “It’s just become synonymous with me.”
Tiger asked for privacy during this difficult time as he and his family mourn their loss.
