Sam Alexis Woods struggled to love golf due to her father, Tiger Woods, being forced to spend long periods away from home due to his hectic golfing schedule in the past

Tiger Woods may have inspired his son, Charlie, to embark on a professional career in golf, but his daughter didn’t enjoy the sport from an early age.

Instead, Sam Alexis Woods is a talented soccer prospect after choosing to avoid the sport which consumed Tiger’s life when she was growing up. On Thursday, Sam Woods progressed to the Florida Class 2A state championship game after her team, Benjamin High School, secured a 2-1 win over Lake Christian.

Tiger Woods was seen celebrating her success in the crowd, and continues to support his children by attending their sporting events. However, Sam Woods’ reluctance to follow in her father’s footsteps stemmed from a “negative connotation” she had towards the game in the past.

Though golf may no longer be dominated by Tiger Woods, he remains the leader in major career wins (15) among active players. While Woods was at the peak of his powers, it partially diverted his attention away from family life due to perfecting his craft.

During an appearance on ‘The Today Show’ in March 2024, Woods revealed that his daughter hated golf because it meant that he was away from home for weeks at a time.

“She has, I think, a negative connotation to the game because at that time… when she was growing up, golf took daddy away from her,” Woods said.

“I had to pack, and I had to leave and I was gone for weeks and there was a negative connotation to it. So we developed our own relationship, our own rapport that’s outside of golf that we do things that don’t involve golf. Meanwhile, my son and I, we do everything golf-related. It’s very different.”

Woods is often seen supporting Charlie Woods on the course, and the 16-year-old is already being tipped to enjoy a successful career in golf. Sam Woods has also been involved, acting as a caddie for both Tiger and Charlie during the PNC Championship’s Pro-Am at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club in Orlando.

Sam Woods’ love of sport is instead being demonstrated through soccer, where she currently plays as a central defender for her high school team. Although his daughter has taken a very different path, Woods is grateful that his children share other passions and have enjoyed being around a new sport.

“They’re keen into soccer,” Woods told Golf.com back in 2018. “If they want to play golf, that’s great. If they don’t, that’s fine, too. As long as they have a good time playing sports.

“I find that a lot of fun now, to be able to physically get out and pass the ball around with them. I get such a big kick out of watching them compete and play. It’s so much fun to see how happy and passionate they are about soccer.”

Although Sam Woods may have mixed feelings about golf in the past, that doesn’t mean that she isn’t proud of her father’s heroic accomplishments. When Tiger Woods was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame just 12 months after a car accident caused significant leg injuries, his daughter delivered an emotional speech.

“We didn’t know if you’d come home with two legs or not,” she said. “Now, you’re not only about to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, but you’re standing here on your own two feet. This is why you deserve this. You’re a fighter, you’ve defied the odds every time.”