Why Tiger Woods 'Couldn't Sleep' After Former President Donald Trump's Assassination Attempt

Donald Trump's assassination attempt gave nightmares to golf champion Tiger Woods. The 48-year-old was flying from Florida to Scotland on Saturday night for the 152nd Open Championship at Royal Troon when the Republican front-runner was shot during his Butler, Pennsylvania rally on July 13, 2024. He revealed that the incident didn't let him sleep throughout his flight. 

Woods told BBC Sport that before he arrived for his first practice he wasn't feeling his fresh because he consumed Trump's assassination coverage during the flight. "I didn't accomplish a lot because I wasn't in the right frame of mind. It was a long night [because of the assassination attempt] and that's all we watched the entire time on the way over here. I didn't sleep at all on the flight, and then we just got on the golf course," revealed the champion. 

The Republican front-runner was left bleeding from his ear when reportedly a 20-year-old "loner" gunman fired shots at him during his Butler, Pennsylvania rally. Thomas Matthew Crooks lived only an hour's distance from where the ex-president addressed the MAGA crowd, positioning himself on a rooftop (barely 150 yards) and firing at him with a motive that is still unknown. 

Predictably, Trump and Woods hit off with their mutual love for golf and their friendship precedes the 78-year-old's presidency days. So, when in an interview from 2018 with The New York Times reporter, the athlete was questioned about the most polarizing leader and his relationship with him, he reflected, "We've played golf together. We've had dinner together. I've known him pre-presidency and obviously during his presidency," as per Golf Digest. 

He was then further pressed to declare his endorsement of the politician and his policies on immigrants and people of color. Woods tread carefully on the choppy waters and replied, "He's the President of the United States. You have to respect the office. No matter who is in the office, you may like, [or] dislike personality or politics, but we all must respect the office." Lastly, he was asked his opinion on Trump and the state of race relations in the U.S., to which he smartly dodged, saying, "I just finished 72 holes and (am) really hungry."

The ex-commander-in-chief was keeping tabs on the interview and in a true Trump fashion, he reacted on X, formerly Twitter, saying, "The Fake News Media worked hard to get Tiger Woods to say something that he didn't want to say. Tiger wouldn't play the game - he is very smart. More importantly, he is playing great golf again!" 

In 2019, Trump also awarded the golfer with the nation's highest civilian honor the Presidential Medal of Freedom in the White House Rose Garden. Woods was hailed as a "global symbol of American excellence." He received a standing ovation as Trump said, "Congratulations again on your amazing comeback and your amazing life and for giving sports fans everywhere a lifetime of memories," as per CNN.