Tiger Woods Inducted into World Golf Hall of Fame

Tiger Woods was formally inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame on Wednesday evening and ushered into golf’s most revered club by his daughter, Sam, who delivered a touching speech as the 82-time PGA TOUR winner and 15- time major champion’s induction presenter.

As part of the live induction ceremony telecast, fellow generational athletes including Tom Brady, Serena Williams, Michael Phelps, Jerry Rice, Annika Sorenstam and Jack Nicklaus offered perspective on Woods’ legacy as one of the greatest sports figures of all time.

During his speech, Woods didn't touch on any of his 82 victories on the PGA TOUR or his 15 majors, or the eight surgeries he endured along the way.

He spoke of his parents taking out a second mortgage that allowed him to play the junior circuit in California, choking up when he mentioned his late father who told him he would have to earn everything he wanted.

“If you don't go out there and put in the work, you don't go out and put in the effort, one, you're not going to get the results,” Woods said.

“But two, and more importantly, you don't deserve it. You need to earn it. So that defined my upbringing. That defined my career.”

He was introduced by Sam, his 14-year-old daughter who said her father preaches to her and 13-year-old brother Charlie the same message he learned from his late later.

“Train hard, fight easy.”

Woods was the headliner in an induction class that included retired PGA TOUR Commissioner Tim Finchem, three-time U.S. Women's Open champion Susie Maxwell Berning and the late Marion Hollins, a visionary who became the first woman to develop prominent golf courses.

Woods was on a slate of candidates two years ago, all of them introduced one at a time with a list of their accomplishment — except for Woods. There was no need to bring up what he achieved, who he influenced and the enormous impact he had on his sport in attracting new fans, spiking television ratings and increasing prize money.

Joining Woods as part of the 2022 induction class are 11-time LPGA Tour winner and three-time U.S. Women’s Open champion, Susie Maxwell Berning, former PGA TOUR commissioner, Tim Finchem, and golf course designer/architect, Marion Hollins. The 2022 inductees were presented with the Hall of Fame’s new inductee trophy, created by Tiffany & Co.

Finchem was among the inductees to reference Tiger in their own speeches, and he told his own story about the first time he realised Tiger could have a huge impact in the game.

"Of course I'm delighted that Tiger is here," said Finchem.

"Thinking back about it, Tiger played the U.S. Amateur right over here across the street a long time ago. He played really well, but I didn't pay that much attention to him because I had to go get on an airplane and go to Akron and be there for a PGA TOUR event. And I got up there, and TOUR players usually, when they get done with their rounds, they head for the hills, get ready to get down the road, and get ready for the next tournament. But at this one, I couldn't find any guys around, and I went in the clubhouse, and it was packed, and it was packed because the players had gathered around a television to watch Tiger playing down here in the Amateur.

"It sort of taught me a lesson, and I started thinking about how this man can impact huge numbers of people the way he does. And the more I thought about it and then our teams thought about it in terms of measuring, we came up with some very sophisticated ways to measure the certain things that happen. And the thing we wanted to measure was to answer this question: Is Tiger Woods the most noticeable or recognizable person on the planet? And the information came back to us that indeed he was the only living individual on the planet in terms of how many people can be in that position."

Additionally, the World Golf Hall of Fame presented two new distinguished service awards for the first time. Renee Powell was honoured as the inaugural recipient of the Charlie Sifford Award presented by Southern Company (for her spirit in advancing diversity in golf), while Peter Ueberroth and the late Dick Ferris were honoured through a Lifetime Achievement recognition for their contributions to golf.

2022 WORLD GOLF HALL OF FAME INDUCTION CLASS:

Tiger Woods (Competitor)

Over the course of his career Tiger Woods has won a record-tying 82 PGA TOUR events, along with 15 major championships. Unforgettably, Woods accomplished the “Tiger Slam” in 2000-’01, becoming the first golfer since Bobby Jones (1930) to hold all four major titles at one time. He also is a two-time winner of THE PLAYERS Championship and became the first two-time winner of the FedExCup. Outside the ropes, Woods’ TGR Foundation has supported more than two million students around the world.

Susie Maxwell Berning (Competitor)

Despite not taking up golf until age 15, Susie Maxwell Berning quickly took to the sport. Upon turning professional in 1964, she earned LPGA Tour Rookie of the Year honors. An 11-time LPGA winner, she also captured four major championships, including the U.S. Women’s Open three times (1968, ’72, ’73). She remains one of only six women to have won the U.S. Women’s Open on at least three separate occasions.

Tim Finchem (Contributor)

While commissioner, Tim Finchem worked to ensure that giving back was part of the fabric of the PGA TOUR’s business model – as evidenced by the TOUR and its tournaments raising more than $2 billion in charitable contributions during his tenure. He also was instrumental in founding the First Tee to empower kids with life skills through golf, and he led the creation and execution efforts around signature pillars in professional golf, including the FedExCup, FedExCup Playoffs and the Presidents Cup.

Marion Hollins (Contributor)

A visionary golf course developer/architect, Marion Hollins became a pioneer of the sport. A standout golfer who won the 1921 U.S. Women’s Amateur, she would shift her attention by contributing to the development of the Monterey Peninsula into a golf mecca. She made significant contributions to Cypress Point Club, and then founded and oversaw the development of Pasatiempo Golf Club. Later – in collaboration with Bobby Jones and Alister Mackenzie – she provided her influence on the development of Augusta National Golf Club.

2022 RECIPIENT OF THE CHARLIE SIFFORD AWARD PRESENTED BY SOUTHERN COMPANY:

Renee Powell

Renee Powell competed in more than 250 professional tournaments during her career and played as a member of the LPGA Tour from 1967-’80. Since 1995 she has served as the head PGA/LPGA professional at Clearview Golf Club (Ohio), which her father – William Powell – established in 1946 as the first U.S. golf course designed, built, owned and operated by an African American. The club’s Clearview Legacy Foundation (nonprofit) focuses on education, preservation, and research, utilizing golf as a tool to reach everyone, with an emphasis on youth, minorities, veterans, seniors and other underrepresented groups.

2022 LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT RECOGNITION:

Peter Ueberroth & Dick Ferris

Peter Ueberroth and Dick Ferris, alongside Clint Eastwood, the late Arnold Palmer and their other partners, purchased Pebble Beach in 1999 from Taiheiyo Club and Sumitomo Bank, returning it to U.S. ownership. They served as co-chairmen of Pebble Beach Company for 20 years, and together with their fellow board members and management team, worked to ensure Pebble Beach remained open to the public and a global, must-play, bucket-list golf destination.