Washington, DC – Rep. Joe Baca (D-CA) today met with Tiger Woods and introduced legislation to honor the athlete regarded as perhaps the greatest golfer in history.  Rep. Baca’s bill calls for Congress to award Tiger Woods the prestigious Congressional Gold Medal in recognition of his service to the Nation by promoting excellence and good sportsmanship and by breaking barriers with grace and dignity.

Rep. Baca said, “I truly believe that Tiger Woods is deserving of this honor.  It’s not just about his success on the links – although as a competitive golfer myself I certainly respect his athletic talent and winning results.  However Tiger also has contributed significantly to American society and culture and is an outstanding role model, especially for young people.”

Although he is now only 31 years old, Tiger Woods has already smashed many longstanding records and achieved remarkable results.  Among his accomplishments are 76 tournament wins (55 of which were on the PGA Tour) including twelve majors.  He is the first golfer to win four consecutive major golf championships.

In addition to winning trophies and tens of millions of dollars in prize money and endorsements, Tiger Woods has given back to the sport of golf and to the community.  He established the Tiger Woods Foundation, which funds communities and organizations that nurture family values and encourage adult involvement in children’s lives. The Tiger Woods Foundation Clinics give thousands of young people golf lessons and also draw attention and support to the organizations that allow inner-city children access to golf.   

Rep. Baca said, “Golf has long had a reputation as being a game for privileged and wealthy white men. Growing up poor in a large Latino family, I certainly couldn’t afford to join a country club and was never exposed to golf until I was an adult.  But Tiger almost singlehandedly has made golf popular and appealing to people of all races, ethnicities and backgrounds.”

Rep. Baca added, “People see Tiger, who has African American, Native American and Asian ancestry, and they see all that he has accomplished and they believe that they too, regardless of their background, can be successful in sports and in life if they work hard.”