Ask Michael Strahan what he thinks about 5-time Masters winner Tiger Woods, and he will share a few insights. His most common appreciation is, “He brought that attitude [an unmatched mentality] that the only way he was not going to win is if he beat himself, not if someone else beat him.” One of Strahan’s prized possessions is a framed lanyard from Woods’s 1997 Masters win, which Woods took and framed for him. However, in a recent appearance, Strahan had something special to say about the sport, despite Woods’ influence on him.

The first major of the year, the Masters Tournament, attracted a variety of celebrities, including former NFL star Michael Strahan. And when he sat down for an interview for The Masters Under The Umbrella, the show’s host, Kira Dixon, couldn’t help but ask, “How did you get into golf?”

The 53-year-old’s reply was blunt but relatable: “Tiger Woods.” To this, Dixon laughed and responded, “That makes sense.” However, Strahan shared that he didn’t start playing right away, resonating with fans who feel shy and say they won’t play because they’re not good at it. He offered some advice: “Do not be intimidated by other people telling you how great they are. Get out there and experience it yourself. And you’re not competing against them; you’re competing against the course. You’re competing against yourself. And I laugh at golf.”

Strahan defends his statement by comparing it to louder sports like the NFL or basketball, where excited fans get loud and often throw things at the players. In golf, he notes, “But golf? Everybody’s quiet. It’s you and yourself. I’m like, ‘Somebody please say something. Save me from myself.’” Interestingly, Tiger Woods expressed a similar sentiment at the 2015 Memorial Tournament after carding a round of 82: “This is a lonely sport.” 

Moving on. Strahan has a few connections with golf. For instance, Michael Strahan is one of TGL’s New York Golf Club’s primary investors. Although Strahan has not yet become more involved in golf, he participated in something interesting in 2022: The Icons Series tournaments, which pitted sports icons against each other for a round of golf. Michael represented Team USA and faced off against players from the Rest of the World (ROTW). Team USA ultimately won the tournament.

While we await more NFL and golf interactions, did you know that Michael Strahan has played with Tiger Woods twice?

Michael Strahan first played with Tiger Woods for a show

The first time it happened was in 2017. Tiger Woods had just released his book,  The 1997 Masters: My Story, and was dealing with back spasms, leading to uncertainty about his appearance at the 2017 Masters Tournament. Thanks to the promotion of his book, Woods appeared on Good Morning America on March 20, 2017. During the show, Tiger Woods participated in a quick and entertaining putting contest against GMA host Michael Strahan. Despite his spasms, Woods’ putting stroke appeared solid. After the match, if you asked who won: Tiger Woods would say he won, while Michael Strahan would claim it was a tie.

To settle the dispute, the two sports giants held a rematch two years later at Woods’ inaugural Nexus Cup. Although the 49-year-old did not participate in the two-day charity event, Michael Strahan was one of the 64 participants. Strahan did what many fans would do: he challenged the GOAT to a putting contest on Liberty National’s 18th green. The outcome went exactly as you might expect. Tiger Woods sank his first putt from about 20 feet away while Michael Strahan couldn’t help but cover his head in disbelief. Woods then happily shouted “NEXT!” and added, “I’ve still got it!”

If Michael Strahan didn’t know that at that point, he did after losing to the golf giant once again!