Tiger Woods sits down with Carson Daly to talk about golf, growing up in Southern California, his father and his new apparel line, Sun Day Red.
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Sam Alexis Woods has grown up in the spotlight as the daughter of Tiger Woods. Over the years, she has gone from cheering on her father at golf tournaments as a child to becoming a standout student-athlete and college student at Stanford University.
Born in June 2007 to Woods and his then-wife, Elin Nordegren, Sam has frequently appeared alongside her father at major golf events. As she got older, fans watched her take on a bigger role in supporting Woods both on and off the course while also building her own accomplishments in sports and academics.
At the time of her birth, Woods described becoming a father as a life-changing experience.
“Our priorities are Sam. That’s the one priority. And you work it out from there,” Woods said. “It was a dream come true for both Elin and myself.”
Sam’s name carries deep significance for the Woods family.
Woods revealed that his father, Earl Woods, rarely called him Tiger while he was growing up. Instead, he used the nickname Sam, a tradition that inspired the name chosen for his daughter.
“We wanted to have a name that would be meaningful to either side of the family, my side or Elin’s side, because she was born [the day after] Father’s Day. It just happened to fit. My father had always called me Sam since the day I was born. He rarely ever called me Tiger. I would ask him, ‘Why don’t you ever call me Tiger?’ He says, ‘Well, you look more like a Sam,’ ” the golfer explained.
After Woods and Elin Nordegren divorced, they shared custody of Sam and her younger brother, Charlie. Throughout the years that followed, Sam remained one of her father’s biggest supporters, often appearing at tournaments and major milestones in his career.
Those years were not always easy. Woods battled multiple injuries and surgeries that limited his time on the course. Speaking about that period, he revealed that his children often worried about the pain he was experiencing and would encourage him to rest instead of practicing.
Everything changed in 2018 when Woods completed one of the most memorable comebacks in sports by winning the Tour Championship. For the first time, Sam and Charlie were old enough to experience the excitement surrounding their father’s success firsthand.
“They felt that rush and that buzz in the gallery, and the people talking and the excitement. They’d never seen that or experienced that or felt it,” Woods said after the victory. “Now they’re starting to see the joy that I get from it, and I think they’re starting to really enjoy it because of [that] as well.”
Woods has also spoken about the impact Sam has had on his life away from golf. In a 2021 interview, he said his daughter taught him patience and described her as someone who continues to hold a special place in his heart.
Even as Sam has grown into a young adult, Woods said she will always be his “little girl.”
In 2022, Sam had the opportunity to introduce her father at his induction into the World Golf Hall of Fame. During an emotional speech, she reflected on the challenges Woods had faced throughout his career, including the serious car accident he survived in February 2021.
“We didn’t know if you’d come home with two legs or not,” Sam 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.”
The moment was especially meaningful for Woods, who later shared how much it meant to have his daughter play such an important role in the ceremony.
“I feel so honored to have been inducted into the @golfhalloffame tonight. Having Sam introduce me and my family there watching, it made it even that more special,” Woods wrote on social media.
Tiger Woods sits down with Carson Daly to talk about golf, growing up in Southern California, his father and his new apparel line, Sun Day Red.
While Sam has often been seen supporting her father at tournaments, she also got the chance to join him on the course in a different role. In December 2023, she served as Woods’ caddie during the PNC Championship Pro-Am, giving the father-daughter duo another memorable moment together.
Despite her involvement, Woods has said his daughter has a complicated relationship with golf because of the amount of time the sport required during her childhood.
“When she was growing up, golf took Daddy away from her,” Woods said during an appearance on “Today” in 2024. “I had to pack and I had to leave and I would be gone for weeks and there was a negative connotation to it.”
Today, Sam is focused on her own future. She attends Stanford University, her father’s alma mater, where she plans to study psychology and biology, according to Bleacher Report.
Perry Miller Carpenter Perry Carpenter is a writer and editor with 20 years of experience covering entertainment, sports, and lifestyle. She is also a standout contributor at Heavy.com’s sister site Entertainment Now. More about Perry Miller Carpenter
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