Tiger Woods admitted his daughter Sam, 16, has no desire to become a professional golfer because of the consequences that came from his pursuit of greatness in the sport.
"You know, hey, when she was growing up, golf took daddy away from her," Woods said in an interview with Carson Daly on the Today show. "I had to pack and I had to leave, and I would be gone for weeks, and there was a negative connotation to it."
Woods said he and Sam have developed a relationship outside of golf.
It was a family affair in December when Sam caddied for her father for the first time, as the 48-year-old played alongside his 15-year-old son Charlie at the PNC Championship.
"Sam was fantastic," Tiger said of his daughter at the time, according to NBC Sports. "This is the first time she’s ever done this, so it couldn’t have been any more special for all of us. For me to have both my kids inside the ropes like this and participating and playing and being part of the game of golf like this, it couldn’t have been more special for me."
It appears Charlie wants to follow his father's footsteps and Tiger is willing to provide words of advice. That is, when his son is receptive to it.
"He listens to me about golf but not anything else outside of that, 'cause I don't know anything else," Woods told Today. "And even then, there's a little bit of pushback in golf. Which is totally cool, he's 15 years old. It's what happens. What teenagers go through. They're trying to find their own place in the world."
According to his website, Woods turned professional in 1996 at the age of 20. His first Major title came the following year at the Masters. He has 82 PGA Tour victories in his career, tying him with Sam Snead for most wins all-time. His 15 Major victories puts him second behind Jack Nicklaus with 18.
