With the fondations set in place by his father, Woods won 14 Major Championships, a total of 79 PGA Tour sanctioned events and a golf bag full of other victories around the golfing globe.

And it was the encouragment of his mother to work hard at school that Woods attributes in qualifying to enter Standford University.

“Growing up with my mother being so ardent about school being a priority, she really pushed me to have good grades, a good work ethic,” said Woods on eve of the opening round of this week’s Quicken Loans National.

“To do everything right and to get those grades, you have to work at it, you have to earn it, you have to put your time in. I think without her drive and her push that I probably wouldn’t have gotten into Stanford, and so that was something that I’m very thankful for.

“The relationships I’ve been able to create because of our — basically my Stanford connection has allowed me an opportunity to meet a bunch of various people and a bunch of influential people in the educational sector. It’s helped us a lot with what we’re trying to do and it’s amazing how many Stanford grads are out there and what they’re doing for
education around the world. We’re trying to be part of that.”

Those meetings led to the founding in 2006 of the Tiger Woods TGR Learning Centre, that unites his philantrophic and entrepreneurial goals.

At the heart of the THR Learning Centre is the ‘TGR Learning Lab’ – a 35,000 square foot where children of low-income households can feel safe to learn, to meet other southern California children from similar backgrounds and where the average school day is transformed into something you could not imagine.

Each week, the learning lab opens its doors to fifth graders and their classroom teachers to immersive, hands-on STEM learning.

STEM is a curriculum based on the idea of educating students in four specific disciplines — science, technology, engineering and mathematics — in an interdisciplinary and applied approach.

Implementing two key strategies, the TGR Learning Lab offers expanded learning programs to unleash the full capacity of underserved middle and high school students. First, TGR strives to foster a growth mindset within every student that walks through our doors.

A top priority is to build strong relationships with the kids, encouraging them to challenge themselves and build self-confidence. It is TGRs philosophy that the path to greatness begins when students believe in their own ability to succeed.

Second, TGR connects school and career, preparing students for today’s jobs and the ones that don’t exist yet.  With over 50 areas of study within STEM-related fields, classes offer students hands-on learning experiences, allowing them to recognize their potential and identify their interests with a future career in mind. Utilizing state-of-the-art technology and project-based learning, students take classes in a variety of disciplines, including: video game design, coding, rocketry, robotics, civil engineering, urban planning and wearable electronics. To help students gain information on post-secondary educational options, TGGR provides over 30 college-access and financial aid workshops annually. By offering students experiences that far surpass what is offered in a traditional classroom setting, the Foundation strives to provide them with tools for success while cultivating their aspirations for higher education and a career.

Our expanded learning opportunities span across the nation, with satellite programs in Washington, D.C., South Florida, Philadelphia, New York, MCB Quantico and our flagship location in Southern California.

COLLEGE ACCESS

Of course, what would a Tiger Woods lerning centre be without golf and in visiting the Learning Centre you notice in the backyard is a driving range and a par-3 course that is home to a class called Golfology, where kids learn about turf management and how to hit a 9-iron. The Lab also concentrates on college-access programs and college-prep workshops, as well as teacher professional development.

Besides after-school programs that last from 2 to 3 hours Monday through Friday for students in grades 7-12, thousands of fifth- and sixth-graders visit the Lab on weekly field trips. During the summer, students between fifth and 12^th grade can attend the Lab. There are also regular weekend and community outreach programs and online learning programs.

The numbers are staggering. Eighty-two percent of the students who have gone through the Learning Lab program improved their grades, 87 percent began planning careers and 91 percent became more optimistic about their futures.

The Earl Woods Scholar program, named for Tiger’s late father, includes counseling, mentoring, specialized internships and financial assistance for the nearly 200 students who earned passage to go to college. Ninety-eight percent were first-generation college attendees, with 98.9 percent graduating.

“Hitting a golf shot isn’t going to make anything better,” said Woods.

“What we’re going to do, beyond our lifetimes, is lead education into the future. And that to me is far more important than anything I have ever won.

“There are so many kids who have talent, but they don’t have the opportunity. We’re giving them the opportunity.”

“Education came first when I was a kid. I couldn’t play golf or play with my friends until I did my homework. And I had to do it correctly and get good grades.”

Congratulations Tiger on improving the lives of so many children.