Tiger Woods appears in rare video
Fifteen-time major champion Tiger Woods appeared in a prerecorded video on August 25, 2026, honoring longtime friend Notah Begay III during the Payne Stewart Award ceremony at Southern Exchange in downtown Atlanta that Tuesday evening.
The appearance drew attention because Woods had remained outside public view since March. Some fans said he looked different, while others focused on his message and cautioned against judging his condition based on a single video.
Notah Begay III receives 2026 honor
Notah Begay III received the 2026 Payne Stewart Award on August 25 at Southern Exchange in Atlanta. Golf Channel carried the ceremony during a Golf Central special held alongside Tour Championship week that Tuesday evening.
The PGA Tour presents the honor annually to a professional golfer who reflects Payne Stewart’s values of character, charity, and sportsmanship. Begay received it after combining a successful playing career with extensive community work nationwide.
Tiger Woods draws mixed fan reaction
Tiger Woods drew mixed reactions after his prerecorded tribute circulated online. Some viewers commented on his appearance, while others argued that a short video provided too little information to judge his health or condition.
The message focused on Notah Begay III and made no mention of Woods’ health or competitive schedule. Woods praised his longtime friend’s service, achievements, and efforts to support younger people through programs for Native youth.
Tiger Woods and Begay share long history
Tiger Woods and Notah Begay III share a friendship stretching back decades, including their years at Stanford. Both became prominent professional golfers after competing as teammates through the university’s respected men’s golf program during college.
Woods also helped present Begay for induction into the Stanford Athletics Hall of Fame in 2014. Their connection remained publicly visible in 2026 when Woods recorded a personal tribute for Begay’s Payne Stewart Award ceremony.
Notah Begay III won four Tour titles
Notah Begay III won four PGA Tour titles, earning two victories in 1999 and two more in 2000. He later built a broadcasting career while expanding programs designed to support Native American youth and communities.
Begay founded the NB3 Foundation in 2005. The organization has since reached more than 80,000 Native American young people and family members through physical activity, nutrition, youth development, and cultural connection programs across communities nationwide.
Notah Begay III award carries $500,000 grant
Notah Begay III’s Payne Stewart Award included a $500,000 grant supported by Southern Company. Of that amount, $200,000 went to the Stewart Family Foundation, while $300,000 supported charities selected directly by Begay for community programs.
Begay directed $200,000 of his share to the NB3 Foundation and $100,000 to the Albuquerque Community Foundation. Those allocations linked the award to programs serving young people, education, health, and economic opportunity in New Mexico.
Tiger Woods owns 15 major titles
Tiger Woods owns 82 PGA Tour victories and 15 major championships. Only Jack Nicklaus, with 18 majors, ranks ahead of Woods on the men’s all-time major championship list, leaving Woods second in that major category.
Woods’ major record includes five Masters victories, four PGA Championships, three U.S. Opens, and three Open Championships. His 2019 Masters victory at Augusta National ended a nearly 11-year gap since his 2008 U.S. Open title.
Tiger Woods returns for 2026 TGL final
Tiger Woods returned to TGL competition on March 24, 2026, playing for Jupiter Links in the finals at SoFi Center in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. It was his first TGL appearance there since March 2025.
Los Angeles Golf Club defeated Jupiter Links 9-2 in the second finals match and secured the 2026 SoFi Cup. Woods had served in a nonplaying role during Jupiter’s season before joining the lineup that night.
Tiger Woods remains away from PGA Tour
Tiger Woods has not made an official PGA Tour start since the 2024 Open Championship at Royal Troon. His March 2026 TGL appearance was separate from the Tour competition and did not count as a start.
On March 31, Woods announced that he was stepping away from professional golf to focus on his well-being. He was also not expected to compete at the Masters in Augusta, Georgia, the following week either.
Tiger Woods faces March 2026 case
Tiger Woods faced two misdemeanor charges after a rollover crash on Jupiter Island, Florida, on March 27, 2026. Authorities said his vehicle struck another vehicle, and neither person involved reported physical injuries in Martin County.
The legal case remained active through August while Woods awaited further court proceedings in Martin County. He was released after the March incident, and the allegations had not yet resulted in a final court outcome.
Fun fact: Tiger Woods was already putting against comedian Bob Hope on national television at age 2, long before his first PGA Tour victory.
Tiger Woods has September court date
Tiger Woods is scheduled to make his first in-person court appearance on September 8, 2026, in Martin County, Florida. The hearing concerns two misdemeanor charges connected to the March 27 crash.
Attorney Douglas Duncan represents Woods and requested a jury trial. Earlier court dates were delayed while prosecutors gathered records related to the March incident, leaving the case unresolved as the September hearing approached in Florida.
Tiger Woods underwent two 2025 surgeries
Tiger Woods underwent surgery in March 2025 after rupturing his left Achilles tendon while training at home. He later had lumbar disk replacement surgery in October 2025, extending his recovery into early 2026.
By February 2026, Woods said the Achilles was no longer limiting him, although his lower back remained sore. He said he was rebuilding the strength and endurance needed for top-level golf competition during his recovery.
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Tiger Woods shapes PGA Tour planning
Tiger Woods remains involved in PGA Tour planning beyond tournament appearances. His career earnings then stood at $120,999,166 in official Tour records as of August 2026, while Scottie Scheffler was closing in on that total that week.
Woods also chairs the PGA Tour’s Future Competition Committee, which helped develop a new postseason structure planned for 2028. The approved format introduces match play after an opening stroke-play event in the redesigned postseason.
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This slideshow was made with AI assistance and human editing.
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