List of Legendary Golf Players Awarded Presidential Medal of Freedom

Donald Trump embraces his business and occasional golfing partner Tiger Woods

Controversial golfing figure Tiger Woods has been awarded the US’ highest civilian honour – the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Donald Trump, a keen golfer and owner of several courses, presented the medal on Monday evening in the White House’s Rose Garden.

President Trump presents professional Tiger Woods with the Medal of Freedom

The Medal of Freedom is awarded to those who have made a significant contribution to the security or national interest of the US, towards world peace, culture or other significant action.

Mr Trump announced he would be awarding it to Woods in a tweet after the golfer made a victorious comeback when he won the Masters last month.

Woods’s golfing career slumped around a decade ago after rumours emerged that he had multiple affairs and substance problems, his wife divorced him, he crashed his car and was recovering from knee surgery.

Donald and Melania Trump (right) pose with Tiger Woods (centre) and his family during the ceremony in the Rose Garden

He lost a string of lucrative endorsements and dropped out of the top 50 world ranking of golfers. A few attempts to return to golf faltered, until the sportsman one of the best golfers of all time finally broke through with his Masters win.

Woods, who Mr Trump played with in February, is considered a business associate of The Trump Organisation.

However, Woods is not the first professional golfer to receive the award – others include Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus. Nor is Woods the first celebrity to get it after offering support to a presidential campaign Barack Obama awarded the Medal of Freedom to Bruce Springsteen, who performed in concerts to support his election efforts.

Tiger Woods will complete what could be history’s most-illustrious golf foursome. The three previous golfers to receive the honor are Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Charlie Sifford.

Tiger Woods

They are among 33 sports figures, including Woods, to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Previous winners from the world of sport include Babe Ruth, Ted Williams, Michael Jordan, Bill Russell, Jackie Robinson, Billie Jean King and Muhammad Ali.

Palmer and Nicklaus received their medals from George W. Bush. Palmer was honoured with his Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2004. Palmer, who died in 2016 at the age of 87, was one of golf’s greatest competitors and its most important, impactful and beloved figure of the 20th century.

In 2005, Bush placed the Presidential Medal of Freedom around the neck of the Golden Bear. Nicklaus was honored in a ceremony that also feted baseball great Frank Robinson and Ali.

President Barack Obama chose to honor Sifford in November of 2014. The award came following a concerted campaign by golf’s major governing bodies, various diversity-based organizations, members of Congress, government officials and athletes including Bill Russell and Woods.

Sifford was the first person of color to play in any PGA-sanctioned event after the removal of the “Caucasian-only” PGA of America membership clause in 1961. Both of his PGA Tour wins came after the age of 45.

Woods called Sifford in 2005 “the grandfather I never had.”Sifford began his association with golf at the age of 13. He died in February 2015. Obama called Sifford was a “golf legend” and praised him for “altering the course of the sport and the country he loved” after his death.

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