Tiger Woods explains viral Masters tree meme, daughter’s ‘negative’ relationship with golf while promoting ‘Sun Day Red’

Ryan Young

Tiger Woods’ week at the Masters last month wasn’t great.

Sure, he made the cut for a record 24th time at Augusta National and he completed the tournament, but he finished in last among those who made it to the weekend while posting the highest 72-hole score of his professional career.

But perhaps the biggest thing to come out of Woods’ final round at the Masters was his handshake with a tree on the 16th hole.

During an appearance on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,” Woods was asked about his handshake with longtime broadcaster Verne Lunquidst, who retired after calling the Masters this spring. While Fallon made a bit of an awkward transition when bringing up the Masters, the photos he showed Woods from the handshake were incredible.

Lundquist called his first Masters in 1983, and then called it a career after this year’s tournament. His final signoff was incredibly emotional, too.

Naturally, as Woods passed Lundquist during his final round, he made sure to stop by and pay his respects. It was only by luck that fans were blessed with a truly remarkable view of the interaction.

Jimmy Fallon asked Tiger Woods all about his incredible handshake with Verne Lundquist at the Masters on Tuesday night.
Jimmy Fallon asked Tiger Woods all about his incredible handshake with Verne Lundquist at the Masters on Tuesday night. (Todd Owyoung/NBC via Getty Images) (NBC via Getty Images)

While on his media tour, Woods stopped by the “Today” show on Wednesday morning to speak with Carson Daly. Among the things they talked about in the wide-ranging interview was Woods’ children — and specifically why his daughter, Sam, doesn’t play golf.

“She has I think a negative connotation to the game. When she was growing up, golf took daddy away from her,” Woods said. “I had to pack and I had to leave and I would be gone for weeks and there was a negative connotation to it.”

That’s not to say that Sam doesn’t participate in anything golf-related. Sam caddied for her dad officially at the PNC Championship in Florida last December, which is the parent-child event held each season on the PGA Tour and PGA Tour Champions. Tiger played alongside his 15-year-old son, Charlie, who has been trying to qualify for Tour events recently. Woods told Fallon that the two were “needling each other” throughout the round like true siblings, and he was just trying to ignore it.

While Sam doesn’t golf herself, she and her father still have a great non-golf relationship.

“We’ve developed our own relationship, our own rapport, that’s outside of golf that we do things that doesn’t involve golf,” he said. "Meanwhile, my son and I, we do everything golf-related. It's very different."

Woods has said his goal is to play about one Tour event each month. He's now eyeing the PGA Championship later this month, which is set for Valhalla in Kentucky.

"I have basically the next three months," Woods said, while adding that he was very sore after the Masters. "I have three majors, and hopefully it will all work out."

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