Tiger Woods’ ‘soft end’

Look, we know the guy’s not perfect. And you’ve heard plenty about the F-bombs, and the tossed clubs, and well, all that other stuff. But there’s still plenty to admire about Tiger Woods beyond his 14 majors. In case you needed a reminder, here’s a sampling. Tiger’s first trip to the Masters included a stop at nearby Forest Hills Golf Club to meet with former Augusta National caddies and host a clinic for kids.


“It’s a great thing for golf, and it’s great especially for black youth,” said Jerry Beard, who caddied for Fuzzy Zoeller when he won the 1979 Masters.

“It’s good for the kids to see you can get into something like this, to see that they can play golf.” Even more impressive was Woods doing this after the completion of his second round.

Tiger Woods donates all earnings from three tour events that benefit his foundation: The Hero World Challenge, Quicken Loans National and the Deutsche Bank Championship. From those three events alone, Woods has donated more than $15 million. Speaking of his foundation. . .

The Tiger Woods Foundation has done a lot of good for children since Woods and his father, Earl, started it in 1996. In 2015 it received a four-star rating from Charity Navigator for a third straight straight year.

Only 25 percent of the 7,000 charities that were evaluated got four stars, and only 12 percent received that highest possible rating for a third consecutive year. It wasn’t a grand gesture, but seeing Tiger Woods – among other tour pros – wearing a Leuk the Duck pin at the 2012 Arnold Palmer Invitational meant a lot to Lyle, who was getting chemotherapy at the time after being diagnosed with Leukemia. While accepting the Ben Hogan Award at the 2015 GWAA dinner, Lyle noted Woods specifically and said he was so touched he tracked down Tiger’s phone number.

When Lyle texted him, he got this response: “Good luck. Thinking of you. Can’t wait to see you back.” When Woods lived at Isleworth, he hosted the Stanford golf team for dinner at his house while the Cardinal were competing in a tournament at the club.

He also checks in with the team from time to time in Palo Alto, providing a huge thrill for players getting to meet him. Woods also has a strong relationship with former Stanford teammate Notah Begay.

When Begay was inducted into the school’s hall of fame, it was Woods who gave a lengthy introduction speech. Woods has also participated in Begay’s yearly fundraiser at Turning Stone Resort and Casino in upstate New York several times. Woods’ yearly fundraiser in Las Vegas has raised more than $1 million per year for the Tiger Woods Learning Centers across the country. Part of the reason they’ve been so successful?

Woods doesn’t skimp when it comes to big-name musical acts performing. From Bon Jovi to Stevie Wonder to Christina Aguilera to John Mayer to Prince, Tiger Jam has had an impressive concert lineup. Fans saw a softer side of Woods they’re rarely treated to when he played in the Par 3 contest at the 2015 Masters and his two children, Sam and Charlie, served as caddies. “I’ll always have memories of my pop at Augusta and now Sam & Charlie. An amazing day,” Woods said on Twitter.