Tiger Woods: 15-time major champion, Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient, and now, Hall of Famer.
The 46-year-old was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame on Wednesday, where he was introduced by daughter Sam Woods who had a tear-jerking speech of her own.
Woods' speech, which lasted roughly 17 minutes, touched on everything from racism he faced growing up, to the work ethic instilled by his father, to the mortgage he was able pay off when finally making it big.
MORE: Players Championship 2022 tee times, TV coverage, live stream
Here are the best quotes from Woods' Hall of Fame speech:
Tiger Woods Hall of Fame speech
Some of the best quotes from Woods' induction ceremony:
— "Crap, I just lost a bet to (Steve) Stricker that I wouldn't cry." — Woods opening his speech with a joke (and a few tears.)
— "'OK, well, you can't putt for quarters.' Fine, done, I don't putt for anymore quarters. I come home a week later, I got a pocketful of dollars. 'I told you not to putt for quarters.' 'I didn't.'" — On his father trying to urge him to avoid putting competitions for money.
— "Playing at some of these golf courses, I was not allowed in some of the clubhouses where some of the other juniors were, the color of my skin dictated that. As I got older, that drove me even more. So as I was denied access to clubhouses, that's fine — I put my shoes on here in the parking lot. I asked two questions only: Where was the first tee, and what was the course record."
— "One of the things that drove me, was his passion to play the game of golf. I was never going to be denied to play. I loved it. I had this burning desire to be able to express myself in this game of golf." — Woods on what his father passed to him.
— "One of the things that dad had instilled in me is that — he grew up in an era with Charlie Sifford, and why my son is named after Charlie — is that you have to be twice as good to be given half a chance." — Woods on the first Black American pro golfer, Charlie Sifford, and his father's influence through him.
— "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: I went and played the AJGA tour on our second mortgage. So without the sacrifices of mom, and my dad who instilled in me this work ethic, to fight what I believe in, to chase after my dreams, nothing's ever gonna be given to you. Everything's gonna be earned. If you don't go out there and put in the work, if you don't go out and put in the effort, one, you're not gonna get the results, and two, more importantly, you don't deserve it. You didn't earn it." — Woods on the sacrifices of his family and the work ethic instilled in him by his father.
— "In 2007, my dad found himself in position to make an 18-foot putt, to force a U.S. Open playoff, which he missed by a foot. He then had to rush to the airport, fly from Pittsburgh to Orlando, and drive to the Winnie Palmer Hospital. Within five minutes of walking into the hospital room, still wearing his red golf shirt, on June 18th, I was born. He may have lost that day, but he won the greatest gift of all." — Sam Woods on her birth, to a chorus of cheers and laughs.
Tom Brady on Tiger Woods
GOATs travel in herds.
Also making an appearance was now-retired quarterback Tom Brady, who offered a speech of his own to the golfer during the ceremony:
From one GOAT to another.@TomBrady on @TigerWoods being inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame. pic.twitter.com/DqftLI4itx
— Golf Channel (@GolfChannel) March 10, 2022
Brady's message to Woods in full:
I think Tiger Woods attracted so many people to the game of golf, because they saw in him, the joy and the energy and the excitement that he brought to it. When he swings the club, even though you see all of the other great ones swinging the club, it doesn't look like Tiger when he swings the club. When he makes a clutch play, and other people make clutch plays, only Tiger makes it look a step above everyone else. And that's why the great ones can draw everyone else to the sport — because we all believe we're seeing the highest level, we're seeing the best of the best. That's what greatness looks like. And when you say 'GOAT,' that's what it looks like. He made the shots when he needed to make the shots. When it you need it most, when you gotta come through, that's what the all time greats do, and nobody did that like Tiger.