Tiger Woods may not have outright backed Donald Trump during the US presidential election campaign last year, but the golf great has refused to criticise the 78-year-old.
While many US sports stars – such as NBA icons LeBron James and Kevin Durant – have been critical of the 45th and 47th president, golf superstar Woods has stayed clear of joining the political discourse.
The 15-time major champion was seen golfing with Trump in February, and he was also recently invited to the White House to speak as part of the administration's recognition of Black History Month, when the 49-year-old appeared visibly emotional as Trump paid tribute to him. And Trump awarded Woods the Presidential Medal of Freedom – the highest civilian honour in the US – in 2019.
It has also been revealed recently that Woods is dating Vanessa Trump, the ex-wife of the president's eldest son, Donald Trump Jr.
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Woods was questioned about his relationship with the president back in 2018, after he'd finished his last hole of the weekend at The Northern Trust, part of the FedEx Cup Playoffs.
“Well, he’s the president of the United States. You have to respect the office,” Woods said. “No matter who is in the office, you may like, dislike personality or the politics, but we all must respect the office.’'
Woods was then asked to comment on the state of the America's “race relations” but declined to offer any thoughts.
“No. I just finished 72 holes and am really hungry,” was his blunt response.
Woods also recently spoke about meeting with Trump, alongside PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan and Player Director Adam Scott, in an effort to resolve the chasm in golf between the PGA and Saudi-backed LIV.
"I think we're in a very positive place right now,' Woods said during the CBS Sports broadcast of the Genesis Open in San Diego.
"We had a meeting with the president. Unfortunately I had some other circumstances that came up but Jay and Adam, they did great during the meeting and we have a subsequent meeting coming up.
"I think things are going to heal quickly. We're going to get this game going in the right direction. It has been headed in the wrong direction for a number of years.
"The fans want all the top players playing together and we're going to make that happen."
Rory McIlroy, LIV's most outspoken critic, has also spoken of Trump's influence in the issue dividing golf
"I learnt that he's not a fan of the LIV format," McIlroy said, adding that he questioned Trump over hosting LIV events at his courses.
"He was like, 'Yeah, but it doesn't mean that I like it,' so I think he's on the PGA Tour's side.
"He [Trump] can be influential. I saw it when I was playing with Sheikh Hamdan of Abu Dhabi the day Trump got elected in November. I don't think people appreciate how much respect he has [in the Middle East].
"Whenever he says something, they listen and I think that's a big thing."
Topics: Tiger Woods, Golf
Ryan Baldi