‘Without Her…’: Tiger Woods Pays Tribute to Late Mother Kultida in Touching Speech

The “RED: Celebrating Legacy” gala honored Tiger Woods’ 50th birthday and the TGR Foundation’s 30th anniversary. But Woods redirected the spotlight toward someone absent from the room.

Speaking at The Breakers in Palm Beach on January 14, 2026, Woods paid tribute to his late mother, Kultida “Tida” Woods, who passed away in February 2025. This marked his first milestone birthday without her.

“Without her, I would not have entered Stanford,” Woods said.

Golf history has long credited Earl Woods for shaping Tiger’s greatness. Yet those closest to the family know a different truth. Earl built the swing. Tida built the priorities. Her “education first” mandate, homework before practice, always, became the blueprint for what the TGR Foundation would eventually become.

Woods reinforced this hierarchy during the gala. “I care about the emotional side of things because in our household, it was family first, then education, and then whatever sport I wanna play,” he said. “And mom was tough, so I have to take mom on that one.”

The foundation has impacted over 3 million youth worldwide through its STEAM-focused Learning Labs. Kultida’s philosophy lives on in every classroom TGR builds.

Woods recalled in an interview with USA Today that his mother was “the enforcer” and he was “deathly afraid of her.” While Earl planted seeds of encouragement, Kultida demanded discipline. Homework before practice. Grades before glory. No exceptions.

That framework now pulses through every TGR Learning Lab classroom.

Tiger Woods and the TGR Foundation’s 30-year harvest

The TGR Foundation launched in 1996. It was the same year Woods turned professional. Earl and Tiger co-founded it with a vision rooted in golf-based youth development. The Woods family attended the 30th anniversary celebrations along with one of the most popular Golf Channel personalities, Blair O’Neal. Three decades later, the mission has evolved into something far broader.

The foundation has impacted over 3 million young people worldwide. That demand for discipline is now the engine behind a foundation that has reached three million young people, with programs like the Earl Woods Scholar Program boasting a near-perfect 98% graduation rate.

New Learning Labs are slated for Augusta and Philadelphia. Digital programs aim to extend the reach into millions more households. The gala’s $50 million fundraising target will fuel this expansion.

Woods has spoken before about his mother’s sacrifices. At his 2022 World Golf Hall of Fame induction, he wept openly while crediting her. Four years later, the tears have dried. What remains is purpose—measured, deliberate, institutional.

The TGR Foundation is not merely Tiger’s legacy. It is Kultida’s philosophy made permanent.

At The Breakers, surrounded by 300 guests and three decades of philanthropic milestones, Woods made clear what the night was really about. Not trophies. Not birthdays. Not even the guest of honor.

It was about the woman who insisted he finish his homework first.