It’s undeniable that pro golfer Tiger Woods is already synonymous with the sport. That said, most people don’t know he wouldn’t be who he is now without his mother, Kultida Woods. She deserves as much spotlight and attention as he gets with all his success. So, we’ve decided to shine ours on her.
Kultida Punsawad
RELATED: Key Facts About Erica Stoll: The Wife of Golf Superstar Rory McIlroy
Kultida Woods (former Kultida Punsawad) was born in Thailand on September 30, 1946. Then, in 1968, she moved to the US, where she had lived for more than five decades. She was only 25 then. The reason behind this very bold move was a man named Earl Woods.
Kultida was working in the US Army’s Bangkok office as a receptionist when she first met Earl, a Green Beret, on his second tour during the Vietnam War. He joined the US Army after a successful career as a collegiate baseball player who became the first-ever Black man to play in the Big Eight Conference.
The two struck up a romance, so Kultida followed Earl to Brooklyn, New York, even though she had never traveled outside the country before and only spoke a little English. In 1969, they tied the knot.
Kultida As A Mom
“Put your feet on their throats son and kill them” Kultida Woods #TigerHBO pic.twitter.com/1zS5zEgItE
— Dora Dora Dora ???????????? (@TinyPrincess_D) January 24, 2021
RELATED: Inside the Life of a Professional Golfer’s Wife: A Closer Look at Amy Mickelson
Kultida and Earl welcomed their baby boy, Eldrick Tont Woods, on December 30, 1975. Earl blessed his son with the nickname “Tiger,” which he bestowed his combat partner, Lt. Col. Nguyen Phong, who showed courage during the Vietnam War. (Though he rarely called him “Tiger” and settled with Sam instead. The pro-golfer asked him why, to which he answered simply that he looked more like a Sam.)
Tiger started showing interest in golf when he was only six years old after he saw his father play. His mom, Kultida, quickly picked up on that and found him a par-3 course to practice.
She was nothing short of supportive of her son. In the following years, she would give him 75 cents when he started entering tournaments. Tiger said he spent 25 cents for a hotdog and another 25 for the pay phone to call her when he was done. The last 25 cents was a contingency in case the pay phone swallowed his first payment.
She played with him out on the golf course at Heartwell. However, she didn’t really play much, only putt golf. She and her husband also took out a second mortgage on their house just so that he could play the American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) tour.
RELATED: Meet The Kids Of Legendary Golf Player Tiger Woods
Their selflessness definitely made an impact on Tiger, and their decision definitely paid off. Tiger won, and he just kept on winning.
One could even say that his wins may not be entirely out of hard work. If you’ve ever watched Tiger Woods playing the final rounds in a tournament, he’s always wearing red, and he never missed a win.
In an interview with Marty Smith of ESPN, Tiger shared that his mom told him his power color was red. He wore the color in junior golf, and he won. So, he tested the theory and wore blue for his next tournament.
He won, so he wore blue again to make fun of it and probably prove a point. He lost the next tournaments, and oddly enough, when he switched back to red, he went on a hot streak. After that, he never looked back.
Apart from golfing, she also made sure that Tiger knew about the country she came from. So when he was 9, she took him to visit Thailand. She also raised him in her culture, which meant she was tough on him.
Tiger said his dad may have been in the Special Forces, but his mom was different. He was never afraid of his dad but always deathly afraid of his mom.
He shared, “She’s a very tough, tough old lady, very demanding. … I love her so much, but she was tough.”
Just like any mom and son, the two also had their differences. One of those was Tiger’s cheating issue. According to reports, she was furious, hurt, and disappointed with her son when she discovered he had been involved with another woman.
It hit very close to her because her husband, Earl, reportedly cheated on her many times during their marriage, and she was close to her then-daughter-in-law, Elin Nordegren.
Despite that, she stood firmly by her son’s side and defended him when the media treated him “like a criminal.” When Woods made his public apology after what had happened, she hugged him and ensured he knew she was there for him.
Kultida Woods
Tiger Woods and Kultida Woods circa 2000 at Pebble Beach. ????❤️ pic.twitter.com/Nwi2p5YfyB
— Caddie Network (@CaddieNetwork) February 2, 2023
Speaking with ESPN, Kutilda said she believed she and Tiger were cut from the same cloth. She was a loner, and so was he. They never liked wasting their time on people they didn’t like, which was why she didn’t have many close friends. “I am independent and strong-willed. That way, you survive,” she continued.
She was also the confident type who didn’t give any thought to people’s opinions of her. Her mom, Tiger’s grandma, was just like her.
So, she always taught Tiger the same thing: He can’t do things just to please other people. Not only would it be a waste of energy, but he also wouldn’t be happy with himself.
She always emphasized to him that he has to do what is right for himself. He listened well to his mother’s advice, which undeniably helped him become the person he has become.
With his massive success support in the sport, Tiger Woods made sure to give back. One of those was helping his mother in her philanthropic works in Thailand.
In 2009, the Woods provided funding for additional supplies and staff and for the expansion of facilities to two schools – the Buddhist Girls Convent School (for the orphaned and abused girls) and the Ratchaburi Home for Mentally Disabled Children.
Kultida Woods’ name may be unknown to many. However, everyone in the golf world (especially her son) knows that Tiger Woods is Tiger Woods because of her. It’s all because of her unwavering support, from the moment he picked up interest to every tournament he’s been in, and her love for him helped.
