"I didn't get here alone" - When Tiger Woods got emotional during his Hall of Fame acceptance speech

Tiger Woods is considered one of the greatest athletes in the sport of golf and is one of the highest-paid athletes in the world. He guaranteed his spot in the World Golf Hall of Fame about a decade ago.

Woods was almost untouched for most of his career as he spent years as the undisputed World Number one in PGA Official World Golf Rankings. His unrivaled list of achievements finally landed him in the World Golf Hall of Fame.

In March this year, Woods accepted the honor. Speaking at the event, the legendary athlete spoke about his journey to the top.

The 82-time PGA tour winner was introduced at the award ceremony by his daughter, Sam. Having received the honor, Tiger Woods went on to make his acceptance speech.

Woods, who is not known for being a big talker, spoke for approximately 15 minutes. Intriguingly, Woods chose to share stories from his early days rather than boast about his 15 major triumphs. The ace golfer shared his favorite anecdotes and thanked the people closest to him.

During the speech, Woods got emotional as he spoke about his parents. The GOAT golfer lauded his parents, coaches and friends for backing him throughout his career. Making an emotional World Golf Hall of Fame acceptance speech, Woods said:

“I had two amazing parents, amazing golf instructors, unbelievable caddies, friends that I had for a lifetime. I got to this position because of my upbringing, having two unbelievable parents. I didn’t get here alone. I know that golf is an individual sport. We do things on our own a lot, for hours on end. But in my case, I didn't get here alone.”

He continued:

“I had unbelievable parents, mentors, friends who allowed me and supported me in the toughest times, darkest of times and celebrated the highest of times…. This is an individual award, but this is teamwork. All of you allowed me to get here. That’s why I say thank you from the bottom of my heart."

Woods also shed light on his mantra to success during the speech. The PGA champion revealed that he worked hard for his accolades. Speaking about his work ethic leading to success, Woods said:

“I hit thousands of balls, hands bleeding, aching, just so that I could play in a tournament."

What makes Tiger Woods the GOAT?

Tiger Woods is often mentioned in conversations about the world’s best athletes. He has 15 professional major golf championships to his name, only second to 18-time former great Jack Nicklaus. Woods is also tied with Sam Snead for the record for most PGA tour victories at 82.

Apart from the silverware, it is also pertinent to note that Tiger Woods’ superstar status helped popularize the sport of golf throughout the world. Woods was the highest earning individual sports star in the world until November 2017. The pro-golfer reportedly has a net worth of over $1.7 billion.