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We have some sad news to report from the world of golf:
Kultida Woods, the mother of golf legend Tiger Woods, has passed away at the age of 80.
News of Kultida’s passing comes courtesy of a statement from her famous son:
Tiger Woods Announces Mother’s Death
Tiger shared the news on X (formerly Twitter) Tuesday afternoon.
“It is with heartfelt sadness that I want to share that my dear mother, Kultida Woods, passed away early this morning. My Mom was a force of nature all her own, her spirit was simply undeniable,” he wrote.
“She was quick with the needle and a laugh. She was my biggest fan, greatest supporter, without her none of my personal achievements would have been possible,” the statement continued.
“She was loved by so many, but especially by her two grandchildren, Sam and Charlie. Thank you all for your support, prayers and privacy at this difficult time for me and my family. Love you Mom.”
A native of Thailand, Kultida was working as a civilian receptionist at a U.S. Army outpost in Bangkok during the Vietnam War when she met an American serviceman named Earl Woods.
The two married and moved to Brooklyn, then California, where Kultida gave birth to Eldrick “Tiger” Woods on December 30, 1975.
In the past, Tiger has paid tribute to his mother’s support and the sacrifices she made:
“We didn’t know that we were going to have enough money for me to go to college or a top college or be recruited,” he said during his induction to the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2022 (via Yahoo! News).
“So my family made a tough decision, and at the age of 14 1/2 we took out a second mortgage so I could go out and play the AJGA Tour. Mom stayed at home. Dad traveled. And I went out and played the AJGA Tour on our second mortgage.”
Kultida Woods’ Cause of Death
Despite her advanced age, Kultida’s death came a surprise to golf fans, as she was famous for the energy and enthusiasm she demonstrated in supporting her son’s legendary career.
No cause of death has been given at this time. We’ll continue to keep you updated as new information becomes available.
For now, our thoughts go out to Tiger and the rest of the Woods family during this enormously difficult time.