Tiger Woods' Parents: Who Are Mom and Dad?

How much do you know about Tiger Woods' parents? His father is much more famous than his mother, but both parents played large roles in helping Woods become one of the greatest golfers of all-time. His father introduced Woods to golf and guided him through junior and amateur golf; his mother spent countless hours in cars driving Tiger to and from tournaments, supporting him on and off the course.

His parents' influence is felt in the way Woods approaches golf with his own daughter and son today. When asked about parents pushing children into golf, Woods once replied:

"Don't force your kids into sports. I never was. To this day, my dad has never asked me to go play golf. I ask him. It's the child's desire to play that matters, not the parent's desire to have the child play. Fun. Keep it fun."

Tiger's Father: Earl Woods Sr.

Earl Woods Sr. was born in March of 1932 in Manhattan, Kan., and died in May of 2006 at age 74. Earl Sr. is also the grandfather of Tiger's niece, LPGA golfer Cheyenne Woods.

Earl was a member of the United States Army and served during the Vietnam War. He introduced Tiger to golf before Tiger was even old enough to walk, and Tiger grew up learning and playing on military golf courses in California.

Earl Woods was quite famous himself in the aftermath of Tiger's game, and wrote several books about child-rearing and golf. He died after a long battle with prostate cancer.

Earl's first book, Training a Tiger: A Father's Guide to Raising a Winner in Both Golf and Life, was published in 1997, shortly after Woods turned pro. In 1998, the book Playing Through: Straight Talk on Hard Work, Big Dreams, and Adventures with Tiger followed.

And in 2001, Earl wrote a book introducing the Tiger Woods Foundation called Start Something: You Can Make a Difference. Both his parents were highly influential in Woods' starting his charitable foundation.

Tiger's Mother: Kultida (Punsawad) Woods

Kultida Woods (maiden name Punsawad) is a native of Thailand, born in 1944. She is called "Tida" by friends. In the early part of Woods' golf career — junior and amateur, but also into his professional career — "Tida" was a common presence following Woods in the crowds at events.

While his mother's influence has been mostly behind-the-scenes, there is one very up-front thing about Tiger that comes from his mom: She is responsible for Tiger wearing red in final rounds.

Earl and Tida's Meeting and Marriage

Kultida and Earl met when Earl was stationed in Thailand in 1966, during his time in the military. They began dating, and their relationship continued when Kultida immigrated to the United States in 1968. Tida and Earl Sr. were married in 1969 and remained married until his death in 2006.

Tiger is the only child of Earl and Kultida Woods. However, Earl was married once before and had three children in his first marriage, so Woods has several siblings — half-brothers and -sisters.