The Green Beret Who Forged A Legend: 7 Shocking Facts About Tiger Woods' Father, Earl Woods

Earl Dennison Woods remains one of the most influential, yet often misunderstood, figures in modern sports history, a man whose shadow looms large over the career of his son, Tiger Woods. As of December 18, 2025, his legacy is being re-examined not just through the lens of a golf prodigy’s father, but as a complex man whose military discipline and unwavering belief created a champion unlike any other. His methods were controversial, his predictions prophetic, and his influence absolute, shaping the "Tiger" the world knows.

Far more than just a "golf dad," Earl Woods was a decorated U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel, a college baseball pioneer, and the architect of a coaching philosophy rooted in psychological warfare. He didn't just teach his son how to swing a club; he taught him how to be mentally unshakeable. This deep dive uncovers the definitive facts about the man who declared his son "The Chosen One," detailing the life, service, and enduring impact of Earl Woods.

Earl Woods: Full Biography and Profile

The foundation of Tiger Woods' legendary career rests on the extraordinary life and experiences of his father, Earl Woods. His biography is a tapestry woven from military service, racial barriers, and a singular focus on raising a world-changer.

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• Full Name: Earl Dennison Woods
• Born: March 5, 1932, in Manhattan, Kansas, U.S.
• Died: May 3, 2006 (aged 74), in Cypress, California
• Cause of Death: Heart attack, following a long battle with prostate cancer
• Education: Kansas State University (Sociology degree, 1953)
• College Sports: First African-American baseball player in the Big Eight Conference (now Big 12), playing as a catcher for Kansas State University
• Military Service: United States Army (1954–1974)
• Rank: Lieutenant Colonel (Retired)
• Unit: U.S. Army Special Forces (Green Berets)
• Wartime Service: Two tours of duty during the Vietnam War
• First Wife: Barbara Gary (Married 1954, Divorced 1968)
• Children (First Marriage): Earl Dennison Jr., Kevin Dale, and Royce Renee
• Second Wife: Kultida "Tida" Punsawad (Married 1969)
• Child (Second Marriage): Eldrick "Tiger" Woods (Born 1975)
• Granddaughter: Cheyenne Woods (Professional Golfer)
• Nickname Origin: Named Tiger after his friend, Lt. Col. Vuong Dang "Tiger" Phong, a South Vietnamese Army officer whose life Earl claimed saved his own
• Books Authored: *Training a Tiger: A Father's Guide to Raising a Winner in Both Golf and Life* (1997) and *Playing Through: Straight Talk on Hard Work, Big Dreams and Adventures with Tiger* (1998)

The Green Beret's Crucible: Military Career and 'Mental Toughness' Coaching

Earl Woods' twenty-year career as a military officer was the crucible that forged his unique and often extreme coaching philosophy. He retired from the U.S. Army in 1974 as a Lieutenant Colonel, having served two combat tours in Vietnam, including time with the elite Green Berets. This experience was not just a chapter in his life; it was the blueprint for training his son.

Applying Special Forces Discipline to the Golf Course

Earl Woods saw the golf course as a place to train the mind, not just the body. He famously applied "mental toughness training" tactics, drawing directly from his military experience, to prepare Tiger for the intense pressures of professional competition.

• The Interruption Drill: To build unshakeable focus, Earl would deliberately try to distract Tiger during his swing. He would drop his golf bag, jingle coins in his pocket, or yell "Water on the right, OB on the left!" just before his son's downswing.
• The Psychological Edge: Earl's goal was to create a golfer who could not be mentally broken. He once recalled that after enduring all his tricks and smiling, he told a young Tiger, "You'll never run into another person as mentally tough as you. He hasn't. And he won't".
• The 'Eye-Level' Rule: Despite the tough exterior, Earl emphasized open communication. Tiger recalls his father always wanting to talk to him "eye-to-eye," ensuring he never talked down to his son, fostering a relationship built on mutual respect and mentorship.

This relentless, methodical training began when Tiger was just two years old, with Earl coaching him exclusively until age five before bringing in professional instructors like Rudy Duran and John Anselmo. It was a fusion of a father's love and a soldier's discipline, leading to Tiger's legendary composure under pressure.

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The Complex Legacy: From 'Chosen One' to the Charlie Woods Connection

Earl Woods' impact transcended golf, defined by his prophetic vision for his son and his enduring presence even after his death. His legacy is one of a complex, driven man who believed his son was destined for a purpose far greater than sports.

The 'Chosen One' Prophecy

In the mid-1990s, Earl Woods publicly declared that Tiger was "The Chosen One," a figure who would "transcend this game and bring to the world a humanitarianism which has never been known before". This bold, almost messianic vision put immense pressure on Tiger but also gave him a sense of purpose that extended beyond winning tournaments.

This vision directly led to the establishment of the Tiger Woods Foundation (now the TGR Foundation), which Earl helped co-found, aiming to empower children through education. The foundation and the Tiger Woods Learning Center stand as tangible monuments to Earl's belief that his son's influence should impact nations, not just people.

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The Shadow of Loss and the Nike Commercial

Earl Woods passed away in 2006 after a long battle with cancer. Tiger Woods was deeply affected, calling his father his "best friend and greatest role model". The loss was a major turning point, with some observers noting that Tiger struggled in the years that followed, as his life began to spiral downward in the absence of his rock and mentor.

In 2010, four years after his death, Earl's voice was controversially used in a Nike commercial released on the same day Tiger returned to competition following his infidelity scandal. The audio, taken from a 2004 interview, featured Earl asking, "Did you learn anything?" It was widely interpreted as a posthumous address to Tiger's public issues, highlighting the continued, complex public interest in their relationship.

Earl's Influence on Tiger's Parenting of Charlie

Today, the most current reflection of Earl Woods' legacy is seen in the relationship between Tiger and his son, Charlie Woods, who is also a talented young golfer. Tiger, now a father himself, has spoken about applying lessons learned from his own dad, particularly the focus on open communication and mentorship.

While Tiger is notably protective of Charlie's development, the bond between the new generation echoes the original father-son dynamic. When watching Tiger and Charlie compete together in events like the PNC Championship, the confidence and discipline of the young Charlie are often cited as a continuation of the foundation that Earl Woods laid decades ago. Earl Woods may be gone, but his blueprint for raising a champion—a fusion of discipline, belief, and purpose—continues to shape the Woods family's story on the world stage.