World number one Tiger Woods says his mother’s Buddhist beliefs and his father’s combat experience with the Green Berets during the Vietnam War are fundamental to his success on the golf course.
The 10-time major winner said his intense powers of concentration and fierce competitiveness on the golf course are a result of his Thai mother’s Buddhist influence and his father’s special forces’ tour in Vietnam.
”My mental approach to the game, my style of play probably comes from both my parents,” Woods (29) said ahead of Thursday’s opening round of the five-million-dollar HSBC Champions tournament here.
”My mom being of Buddhist descent, obviously it’s a very calm nature, and my dad’s very competitive as well and he adds a different element to it as he was in the special forces, a Green Beret and he has that mindset, a very tough mindset and he certainly passed on that approach.
”He wasn’t tough on me but he taught me techniques how to be tough and how to get tougher on the golf course and get over things better and be able to focus.
”And these are things that I was very lucky and very fortunate to have, to have had a parent that’s been through those experiences before and his life depended on it.
”Now golf is not life of death, it’s just a game, but it makes it a lot easier for me,” said the reigning Masters and British Open champion, who clinched the 2005 PGA tour money title last weekend.
On Tuesday Woods also paid tribute to his Swedish wife Elin for his success.
”To have her there and to have her be a part of my life has made be a better and stronger person. It has only helped my golf game,” he said.
Woods is among a galaxy of stars competing this week at the Shanghai’s Sheshan International Golf Club.
The 75-man elite field brings together title winners from the European Tour, the Asian Tour, the PGA of Australasia and the Sunshine Tour. – AFP
