Kultida Woods Biography
Kultida Woods also often referred to as ‘Tida’ was the mother of Tiger Woods. She was born Kultida Punsawad as the youngest of four children of an architect and a teacher in 1944 in Kanchanaburi, Thailand.
She moved to Bangkok as a young adult where she worked as a civilian secretary doing clerical work for the U.S. Army base during the Vietnam War. In 1966 she met Earl Woods who served as a Green Beret in the 6th Special Forces Group.
In her late years, she was involved in philanthropy and served on the board of Woods’ TGR Foundation. She was particularly focused on the foundation’s efforts in her native Thailand.
Kultida Woods Nationality and Ethnicity
Kultida was a Thailand national as well as an American national through her marriage. She was of Thai ancestry.
Kultida Woods Husband and Children
Tida married Earl Woods in 1969 and they moved to the U.S. settling in Brooklyn, New York and later moving to Cypress, California. In December 1975 the couple welcomed they only son, Eldrick Woods best known as Tiger Woods.
Who was Earl Woods
Earl Woods attended Kansas State University on a baseball scholarship, playing the catcher position, and upon graduation from college in 1953 with a BA in Sociology (and a minor in Psychology), he turned down an offer to join the Kansas City Monarchs of the Negro League to start a career as an Infantry Second Lieutenant in the Army, following his commissioning from ROTC. He would serve two tours in Vietnam during that war, the first tour as a Personnel Officer in an Infantry unit (1967-1968), and the second as part of the Army’s new Special Forces (Green Berets) (1972-1973). He retired from the army with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in 1974.
Earl was previously married to Barbara Woods Gary from 1954 until they divorced in 1968. The couple had three sons; Kevin, Earl Jr, and Royce.
In 1986 he had a heart bypass surgery and in his later years he suffered from diabetes and was disgnosed with prostate cancer in 1998. It went to remission but in 2004 it returned. It spread into his entire body, despite the treatment dying in his home on May 3, 2006.
Kultida had only one child, Tiger Woods
Kultida was the mother of Tiger Woods, born Eldrick Tont Woods. His father named him ‘Tiger’ in honor of his South Vietnamese Army friend, Lieutenant Colonel Vuong Dang “Tiger” Phong. From the age of 3, Tiger was taught by his father how to play golf.
He went on to become a professional golfer. Some of his achievements as a golfer includes; five Masters Tournaments, four PGA Championships, three U.S. Open Championships, and three British Open Championships. He made history as the first golfer ever to hold all four professional major championships at the same time after his second Masters victory in 2001. He was honored with the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2019 and when he was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2022.
Although his father assumed the role of coaching him, Tiger has credited his mother of instiling lifelong values in him. She drove him to tournaments, walked every hole with him and made sure he did his homework. She was the one who pestered him to wear red, which she deemed his “power color.”
In June 2024 during the Bob Jones Award ceremony tiger honored his mother during the acceptance speech saying,
“My Mom doesn’t get enough credit. They all thought that it was me and Dad on the road, which it was, but Mom was at home. If you don’t know, Mom has been there my entire life, she’s always been there through thick and thin.
This award, I accept it in humbleness and just unbelievable regard for the past recipients, but I also accept it for my mommy, too. She allowed me to get here. She allowed me to do these things, chase my dreams, and the support and love – I didn’t do this alone. I had the greatest rock that any child could possibly have: my mom. Thank you, Mommy.”
Tiger Woods Mother Death and Cause of Death
On February 4, 2025, Tiger Woods announced that his mother had passed on that morning. He however didn’t reveal her cause of death.
“It is with heartfelt sadness that I want to share that my dear mother, Kultida Woods, passed away early this morning. My Mom was a force of nature all her own, her spirit was simply undeniable. She was quick with the needle and a laugh. She was my biggest fan, greatest supporter, without her none of my personal achievements would have been possible. She was loved by so many, but especially by her two grandchildren, Sam and Charlie. Thank you all for your support, prayers and privacy at this difficult time for me and my family. Love you Mom.”
It is with heartfelt sadness that I want to share that my dear mother, Kultida Woods, passed away early this morning. My Mom was a force of nature all her own, her spirit was simply undeniable. She was quick with the needle and a laugh. She was my biggest fan, greatest supporter,… pic.twitter.com/RoKd0fsM9J
— Tiger Woods (@TigerWoods) February 4, 2025