Tiger Woods Returns To The PGA Tour, But He Never Leaves Those Involved In The TGR Foundation

Tiger Woods returns to the Riviera Country Club this week but to countless others, he’s never been absent.

“Over the years he’s been through a lot, but he’s always been there for the TGR Foundation,” said Kenya Beckman of Providence Health, one of Woods’ charity corporate partners.

Woods generated a buzz on Friday when committing to the Genesis Invitational for his PGA Tour season debut. It’s appropriate it comes at the Genesis, an event which is presented by Woods and benefits his philanthropic endeavor which offers a wealth of opportunities to those eager to learn, regardless of their economic standing.

The TGR Foundation, which has impacted more than 2 million students since its unveiling in 1996, continues to develop business, and community leaders, for the future.

Its mission is to connect youngsters’ passion with a purpose by providing them the educational track to run on and the encouragement to reach their goal. That includes aiding people worldwide with digital learning platforms that have significantly expanded the TGR Foundation’s reach.

“We are quietly impacting an entire generation for the better,” Woods has said.

The classrooms at the TGR Foundation’s 35,000-square-foot main campus in Anaheim, Calif., are back at full-go. After hitting a two-year pause because of the pandemic, the school underwent a make-over and is welcoming those thirsting for knowledge again, starting with fifth-graders.

“It’s a self-discovering exercise for the students for what they’re interested in, and just as important, for what they aren’t interested in,” said John Lee, the TRG Foundation’s Vice-President, Programs and Education. “Then we eventually pair them with our amazing corporate partners in realizing the opportunities outside of the school.”

It’s that enticing intersection of sports, business and compassion, where a well-known athlete throws his heft behind the well-being of those often being overlooked.

The ball gets rolling with Southern California fifth-graders, many with dreams of being the first in their families’ to attend college, taking a field trip to the welcoming destination at One Tiger Woods Way.

That introduction opens the door for children to learn what drives them in a safe and diverse environment, with the knowledge that the TGR Foundation can provide the motivational and practical fuel to reach their dreams.

“We are all in this together,” Lee said.

Younger students are immersed in the school’s expansive STEM curriculum, exposing them to educational and potential occupational avenues many would have never considered. While those affiliated with the TGR Foundation praise the work of the students’ traditional schools, the after-school Learning Lab expands the margins of what might be possible with enhanced study and support.

“Because of the TGR Foundation and the connections we have, we can provide that spark to free their curiosity and passion,” Lee said.

Those possessing the drive for secondary education and an eagerness to aid their communities are pointed toward the college enrichment sessions, with many earning the distinction by being part of the Earl Woods Scholar Program, named for Woods’ late father.

Those recipients receive more than assistance with their tuition as the TGR Foundation arranges for mentoring, internships and career development. Approximately 98 percent of the Earl Woods Scholar Program participants are first-generation college students.

Those one-on-one encounters with mentors. which are experiencing a renewed emphasis this year, give the students a feel for being in their chosen business circle. They click with those holding the positions they long for, with the adults showing them the ropes.

“The value of them being with their mentors can’t be replicated,” Lee said. “Coming in and talking about it, or reading about it in a book, is one thing. But to experience it, it is just extremely valuable.

“It takes time and effort and to see the commitment we have from our incredible corporate partners is extraordinary in terms of helping the students with their job readiness.”

Beckman, of Providence, has seen first-hand what it means for those young adults to have their boots on the ground in the health-care workplace.

“I get fired up every time I am around them,” she said. “I think we are getting as much out of it as the students.”

The benefits really are two-fold.

Those in college are afforded an in-depth look at their preferred occupation as Providence provides the guidance, which could lead to more people from under-resourced communities joining the medical field.

Beckman stressed the glaring lack of minorities in the health field and that is something clearly being addressed through the TGR Foundation.

“The impact these young men and women are making on the world, and will continue to do so as we get older, is impressive,” Beckman said. “That’s what is really exciting and innovative as we go into the future.”

While Woods aims for his record-setting 83rd PGA Tour win at Riviera this week, those he’s impacted will be cheering regardless of his score.

Woods long ago proved to be among golf’s grandest players and he continues to help others reach for greatness, too, through his TGR Foundation.

Matthew Kim, a Los Angeles native, is among those reaping the rewards. Kim, a sophomore at USC majoring in Business Administration, is paired with his mentor, Glenn Osako.

“What I learned from him is all the stuff you don’t learn in the classroom,” Kim, 20, said. “He helped change the way I talk and present myself when he introduces me to other people in business. I had never been in those situations before, working on my networking skills. That is something you don’t get in the classroom.”

Something Kim was never keen on was golf, which illustrates how the TGR Foundation is open to all. Kim, though, is getting up to speed on the sport and why it’s so important, even for those not competing for this week’s $20-million prize purse at Riviera.

“I’m learning not only the sport,” Kim said, “but that there’s a lot of business deals done on the driving range.”

The business end of Tiger Woods is monumental, with his array of endorsements for some of the world’s biggest companies.

Kim, an Earl Woods Scholar recipient who’ll be at the Genesis Invitational, counts his good fortune, too.

“I’m extremely lucky and I consider it a blessing to be part of this,” Kim said. “I’m just trying to take advantage of it to be the best person that I can be.”