Noted golfers draw inspiration to excel in their game from various sources, but Tiger Woods didn't have to go far to develop his competitive mindset

Woods, who played his first pro-tournament in 1992 is currently gearing up to compete in the prestigious 100th edition of the Genesis Invitational, starting from February 19. In the pre-event press conference, Woods, opened up about how his father, Earl Woods, helped him grow his "confidence" with competition.

About his "Pops," Woods said, "He was not only my dad, he was my best friend. He was a lot of different things. We had an amazing relationship...He was the one that really provided the support and drive for me and the confidence that he instilled in me that I
could chase after my dream, which is playing golf."

The 11-time PGA Player of the Year also credited his father for his competitive attitude, stating, "We gave each other a lot of grief. It was great banter back and forth. Competitive. He always made everything fun; that was the thing."

He continued, "Whatever we did, it was always competitive. One, it was always competitive, and two, it was always fun. Because it was fun, we loved to compete, and we did everything together."

With Woods' father playing such a significant role in developing his entire personality, it's quite understandable that his demise would've shattered the 50-year-old. And Woods failed to control himself despite trying his best.

Tiger Woods Broke Down in Tears After a Victory Following His Father’s Death

Earl Woods watched his son achieve lots of accolades and even more respect from the golf community. The U.S. Army veteran bid his final goodbye to earth on May 3, 2006, when he was 74.

Earl used to be a dedicated visitor to Tiger's games and has also celebrated his victories on the course. But when Woods won the Open Championship at Royal Liverpool in July 2006, he didn't have his father among the crowds.

After defeating Chris DiMarco by two shots two shots to win the tournament, Woods hugged his then-caddie, Steve Williams and sobbed his heart out, remembering his father.

He later described the incident saying, "Stevie said to me as we were coming up the last, 'this one is for dad.' And then, after the putt, all these emotions just poured out of me. They have been locked in there."

Woods continued, "I just miss my dad so much. I wish he could have been here to witness this. He enjoyed watching me grind out major wins, and this would have brought a smile to his face."

Well, it can be safely said that very few fathers can be prouder than the late Earl, considering what their sons have achieved.

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Written by

Abhishek Sharma

Edited by

Souvik Roy