Steph Curry delivers powerful phone call message to Tiger Woods ahead of golf icon’s Masters return

Tiger Woods is back.

But his return to competitive golf action did not go all according to plan.

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Throughout the 2026 TGL season, Woods served in a non-playing role with his Jupiter Links Golf Club, but opted to participate in the final night against The Los Angeles Golf Club.

Leading into his return appearance, after having undergone back surgery last October, the 15-time major champion received a strong pep talk from none other than NBA superstar – and avid golfer – Stephen Curry.

In a video posted by the Jupiter Links’ social media account, Woods received a call from the Golden State Warriors icon reminding him of a conversation the pair had had over a decade prior.

“What’s up Tiger? Quick thing, just to jog your memory back in 2015, when I was on that chase [for first NBA championship], you called me and told me, gave me a pep talk,” Curry said over the phone, which was on loudspeaker.

“And I was like, ‘Yeah, imma go out here and do it.’ And you told me to prove it. So I’m just throwing that message right back to you.”

“I like that. I like that,” Woods said in response. “Right back in my face. I love it. Good stuff dude. Good stuff.’

The pep talk Curry was referring to was when the Warriors were chasing their first NBA championship ring since 1975.

“He actually called me out of the blue back in 2015 during our playoff run in the second round against Memphis,” Curry said back in 2021, via Golf Digest.

“We were down two-one . . . It was the biggest pep talk of all time, just out of the blue. He spoke some life into that comeback.

“I said, ‘I’m ready for it, I know I can get it done.’ He dropped the mic at the end of the call and just said, ‘Prove it’ and then hung up. … It don’t get no better than that. He lit the fire under me for sure.”

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The Warriors wound up winning the first of four titles that followed over the course of the next seven seasons, establishing themselves as the NBA’s modern day dynasty.

Woods’ performance left much to be desired

While Woods’ call to Curry fired up the league’s greatest ever three-point shooter, the same could not be said this time around.

With the SoFi Cup on the line, the 50-year-old looked as rusty as one could expect from a golfer who hasn’t made a competitive appearance since he missed the cut at The Open Championship July 2024.

While there were some glimpses of prime Tiger, such as when he hit his 3-wood from 279 yards in his first full swing, some uncharacteristic shots followed.

Perhaps none was more damaging to the team’s momentum than when he missed a 3-foot putt on the seventh, which paved the way for the Los Angeles knit of Justin Rose, Tommy Fleetwood and Sahith Theegala to pull away and clinch victory.

With the 2026 Masters just weeks from getting underway, Woods hasn’t ruled out the possibility of participating.

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Recent Masters champions

2025: Rory McIlroy -11

2024: Scottie Scheffler -11

2023: Jon Rahn −12

2022: Scottie Scheffler −10

2021: Hideki Matsuyama −10

2020: Dustin Johnson -20

2019: Tiger Woods −13

2018: Patrick Reed −15

2017: Sergio Garcia −9

2016: Danny Willett −5

A five-time Green Jacket winner, the Masters have Woods listed as an invitee on their official website, hinting that he could feature by writing that he would be set to make his 27th start at the iconic Augusta National Golf Club.

Some have brutally argued, however, that the Masters legend – who last won it in 2019 – should stay firmly away from the course in 2026 with the first round of play due to tee off on April 9.

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