Tiger Woods pictured with Democrat Josh Shapiro in what could be perceived as a snub to President Trump

Tiger Woods, one of golf’s most recognizable figures, inaugurated a new educational facility in West Philadelphia this week.

Standing alongside Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro and Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker, the 15-time major champion unveiled the Smilow Woodland TGR Learning Lab, a center designed to deliver academic and career development opportunities for local students.

JUST IN: Watch Tiger Woods delivers emotive speech as he cuts

The initiative is part of Woods’s long-running TGR Foundation, which was established nearly three decades ago to provide underserved communities with access to education.

The Philadelphia site is the second TGR Learning Labin the United States, following the original facility in Anaheim, California.

Spanning 30,000 square feet, the building includes nine classrooms, a multipurpose hall, a maker space, a music recording studio, and a podcast booth.

A golf simulator links the sports theme with the Lab’s broader educational goals. Programming is free of charge and targets students from first through twelfth grade, offering courses in science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics.

Woods emphasized the broader vision at the opening ceremony, pointing to his belief in prioritizing “family, education, and sport.”

He noted that the Lab is intended to help children not only pursue higher education but also prepare for professional pathways. The Philadelphia site is expected to serve more than 4,500 students each year.

Bridging education and opportunity in Philadelphia

The Learning Lab is the first major component completed within the $150-175 million restoration of the Cobbs Creek Golf and Education Campus.

Once finished, the wider project will also include a short course, driving range, clubhouse, entertainment facilities, and a heritage center honoring pioneering Black golfer Charlie Sifford.

Inside the Lab, programming is already underway. Courses range from rocketry and microbiology to photography and digital media production.

These offerings are intended to equip young people with practical skills and to spark long-term interest in disciplines often underrepresented in underserved communities.

Additional services include tutoring, health and wellness resources, and college readiness programs.

The Philadelphia Learning Lab mirrors the structure of the Anaheim site, which since 2006 has supported more than 200,000 students and produced measurable improvements in academic outcomes and college enrollment.

By replicating that model, the TGR Foundation hopes to achieve similar results in Pennsylvania.

Woods’s involvement goes beyond ceremonial duties. He has described the project as a direct extension of his personal commitment to youth development, stating earlier this year that the Lab “combines my passion for supporting youth through education and golf.”

His foundation, now a central part of his post-playing career, is positioned as a vehicle for long-term community investment.

Although Woods’s competitive golf schedule remains limited following injury setbacks, his role in shaping the future of both education and the sport continues to expand.

As chair of the PGA Tour’s newly formed “Future Competition Committee,” he is also tasked with influencing the direction of professional golf.

The Philadelphia Learning Lab underscores a different legacy-one rooted in opportunity and access. By linking education with sport in a dedicated space for thousands of children, Woodshas established a platform that may impact the city for decades to come.

Tiger Woods delivers emotive speech as he cuts ribbon to open new TGR Lab

Tiger Woods touched down in Philadelphia on Monday to open his brand-new TGR Learning Lab at the Cobbs Creek Golf & Education campus.

Woods, 49, drew a huge crowd as he cut the ribbon on the state-of-the-art facility, which will now deliver after-school and summer programmes built around science, technology, engineering, arts and maths (STEAM).

For the 15-time major champion, his latest project is all about shaping futures rather than simply lowering golf handicaps.

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“It’s an honor to be here to celebrate this moment with my Foundation and the kids we’re serving in West Philadelphia,” said Woods.

“I’m proud of my team and grateful to Cobbs Creek Foundation and everyone who has worked with us to make an impact in this community.”

Woods added: “I didn’t start this foundation to produce golfers. I started the foundation to produce the greatest humans possible.”

The new facility marks the second TGR Learning Lab in the United States, following the first in Anaheim, California.

Its home at Cobbs Creek carries a personal touch for Woods as the course was once the stomping ground of his mentor, Charlie Sifford, the man who broke golf’s colour barrier on the PGA Tour.

The facility is already in demand. Open quietly since April, it has a waiting list of students eager to get in. Chris Maguire, chair of the Cobbs Creek Foundation, hailed the project as a model for the future.

“Tiger created this model of opportunity beyond golf, providing students with access to education and mentorship resources that empower them for success in school, in the community, and in life,” said Maguire.

Philadelphia’s Mayor Cherelle Parker called it a game-changer for the city, while student mentor Saafiya Greshm summed up the excitement in the classroom: “We see students building their dreams in innovative design. It’s incredible.”

Cobbs Creek Golf Course itself is undergoing a major transformation into a world-class public venue, with revenues earmarked to help sustain the Learning Lab. It’s a powerful symbol of how golf can fuel opportunity well beyond the fairways.

With the ribbon cut and the message delivered, Woods wasted no time moving on.

By the afternoon, he was in New York City for the Nexus Cup, a high-profile event that unites golfers, celebrities and philanthropists in support of the TGR Foundation.

Woods’ Nexus Cup is held annually at Liberty National Golf Club and the tournament combines two days of team-based golf competition with luxury experiences, including evening festivities at the NEXUS Club New York.

It remains unknown at this stage whether Woods will rock up at Bethpage Black in New York from 26-28 September to support Keegan Bradley’s Team USA at the Ryder Cup.

Woods has been heavily involved in Bradley’s preparations according to GOLF, who last week reported the former World No.1 continues to play a key role in the skipper’s planning for the Ryder Cup.

“Tiger is being consulted,” the source is quoted as saying. “And I know he feels like he’s a part of Keegan’s decisions and how he’s thinking about it, and Keegan has been hugely respectful of that.

“Without giving [Woods] an outsized role, I think it’s been balanced and kind of appropriate. He’s been sort of an informal advisor or Dutch uncle.”

Woods has remained on the sidelines ever since missing the cut at last year’s Open Championship at Royal Troon.

He underwent surgery to repair a left Achilles tendon earlier this season and he is expected to return to the PGA Tour in 2026.

Woods released a brand new Sun Day Red line of apparel last week, and it’s the coziest collection yet.