Why Tiger Woods Always Wears A Red Shirt On The Final Day Of A Tournament
Tiger Woods: perhaps the greatest and most troubled golfer of all time. The golf champ is equally well known for his formidable swing as he is for his bad behavior. Even the most fair-weather fans will remember how Woods' reputation went up in flames in 2009 when he was caught having an affair. Police were called to his Florida home after Woods crashed his car while fighting with his wife, who had recently found out about his unfaithfulness.
Woods apologized and went to rehab. Since then, he's gotten divorced and tried to revamp his public image. However, the mistakes from his past are never far behind. In 2021, Woods' former mistress took part in a documentary examining his career and divulged intimate details about their relationship. As if that weren't enough, Woods has also been plagued by injuries that have taken him out of the game. Even so, Woods has persevered and, as of 2023, has no plans to retire. In fact, he's already stated that he'll be playing the circuit this year, albeit in a more chill way, per EuroSport.
How does he keep playing so well – despite the personal drama and injuries? The real answer probably has something to do with a combination of practice and sheer determination, but Woods might also say it has something to do with his famous red shirt.
Woods is superstitious
Tiger Woods' clothes are almost as recognizable as his swing. Loyal fans would be hard-pressed to remember the last time they saw him play without his trademark red top. So, what's the deal with those shirts, anyway? Why does Woods insist on wearing something bright red every time he plays? The way Woods tells it, it all started as a coincidence.
Speaking to The U.S. Sun, Woods explained that the tradition of wearing red comes from his college days at Stanford, where the color was part of his sports uniform. "I've worn red ever since my college days basically, or junior golf days — big events on the last day," he said. "I just happened to choose a school that actually was red, and we wore red on our final day of events. So it worked out." Obviously, Woods is a supremely talented player, and the more he played, the more he won, so he began associating red with his wins.
While he may not be the most superstitious, he isn't one to fix what's not broken, either. "I just stuck with it out of superstition, and it worked," he said. "I've had a few wins wearing red, and it's not going to change." It doesn't hurt that his mom has endorsed the color, either. "I wear red on Sundays because my mom thinks that is my power color," Woods told Golf Magic. "And you know, you should always listen to your mom."
Red has become a meaningful color
That trademark bright red shirt may have helped Tiger Woods with his winning streak, but it hasn't exactly helped keep him in tip-top shape. For the past decade, Woods has been plagued by increasingly serious injuries which have prevented him from playing the sport to the best of his abilities. Woods' neck has been bothering him since 2010, as has his back and Achilles tendon, per Sky Sports.
In February 2021, Woods suffered his worst injury thus far after rolling his car across two lanes and hitting a tree during a collision in southern California. He was immediately taken to UCLA, where he underwent emergency surgery, per CNN. After news broke that doctors had decided to place pins in Woods' legs and ankles, it seemed like he might be out of the game for good. While Woods eventually returned to the circuit, the road hasn't been easy. However, his fans have stood by his side through thick and thin.
A few days after the crash, Woods was touched and surprised when he took a break from resting and rehabbing to watch some golf, only to realize fans and players around the world had decided to don red that Sunday in honor of the injured legend, per NPR. "It is hard to explain how touching today was when I turned on the tv and saw all the red shirts," he tweeted. "To every golfer and every fan, you are truly helping me get through this tough time."