Tiger Woods Reportedly Is Headed to the White House
Golfer Tiger Woods will visit the White House next week to meet with President Donald Trump, according to CBS Sports.
Woods is fresh off his stunning win at the Masters, where he shocked the sports world by winning his fifth green jacket and 15th major championship.
Trump, an avid golfer and a friend of Woods, tweeted his congratulations after Tiger’s victory.
The president said he would be honoring Woods with the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his contributions in sports and life.
“Spoke to @TigerWoods to congratulate him on the great victory he had in yesterday’s @TheMasters, & to inform him that because of his incredible Success & Comeback in Sports (Golf) and, more importantly, LIFE, I will be presenting him with the PRESIDENTIAL MEDAL OF FREEDOM!” Trump tweeted following the Masters.
Spoke to @TigerWoods to congratulate him on the great victory he had in yesterday’s @TheMasters, & to inform him that because of his incredible Success & Comeback in Sports (Golf) and, more importantly, LIFE, I will be presenting him with the PRESIDENTIAL MEDAL OF FREEDOM!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 15, 2019
The CBS Sports report, which cited sources with knowledge of the matter, said Woods will head to the White House next week at the invitation of the president.
CNN reported that Tiger will be awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom during his visit.
Tiger Woods is expected to visit the White House next week, where he will be awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Trump https://t.co/Af8PvzpwBu pic.twitter.com/TTaIlHYBms
— CNN (@CNN) May 2, 2019
The Medal of Freedom is the foremost honor that can be given to U.S. civilians. It is awarded to individuals who have made “an especially meritorious contribution to the security or national interests of the United States, world peace, cultural or other significant public or private endeavors.”
Woods would not be the first golfer to earn the prestigious honor. President George W. Bush awarded the Medal of Freedom to Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer, while President Barack Obama bestowed the medal upon Charles Sifford.
Trump has given the award to other athletes, including NFL Hall of Famers Alan Page and Roger Staubach and MLB legend Babe Ruth.
President Trump just awarded seven individuals the Presidential Medal of Freedom — the nation’s highest civilian honor.
– Babe Ruth
– Elvis Presley
– SCOTUS Justice Antonin Scalia
– Miriam Adelson
– Sen. Orrin Hatch
– Justice Alan Page
– Roger Staubach https://t.co/08YaxCtObJ— CNN (@CNN) November 16, 2018
The tradition of championship athletes and teams visiting the White House has become more politicized in recent years, with some declining the invitation and those that don’t getting lambasted on social media.
Baylor sent the wrong message by accepting Trump’s White House invitation https://t.co/IjCzE0UJgz pic.twitter.com/kiYjTMs262
— ThinkProgress (@thinkprogress) April 29, 2019
LPGA pro Lexi Thompson was bashed after a recent round of golf with the president. This week, she announced she was withdrawing from social media.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BwyQ2X3hYkf/
“Hey everybody, just want to say I will be taking a break from social media. If I post it will be from my management team for me. I’m too involved with it, and to read some of the hurtful things being said to me lately isn’t fair and I’m not dealing with it,” she posted to Instagram.
Woods likely will face criticism for his White House visit, but he doesn’t seem to be swayed by social media pressure. He played a round of golf with Trump and Nicklaus in February.
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