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Tiger Woods will complete what could be history’s most-illustrious golf foursome Monday when he receives the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Trump in a ceremony at the White House Garden today.

The ceremony is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. from the Rose Garden. Live TV coverage will be available on Golf Channel and C-SPAN 1.

The three previous golfers to receive the honor are Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Charlie Sifford. They are among 33 sports figures, including Woods, to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Previous winners from the world of sport include Babe Ruth, Ted Williams, Michael Jordan, Bill Russell, Jackie Robinson, Billie Jean King and Muhammad Ali.

Woods won his 15th major and fifth green jacket at Augusta National last month. He plays next in the PGA Championship, which takes place at Bethpage Black in Farmingdale, N.Y., on Long Island and starts a week from Thursday. The day after Woods won the Masters, Trump announced he would honor Woods with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Palmer and Nicklaus received their medals from George W. Bush.

Palmer was honored with his Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2004. Palmer, who died in 2016 at the age of 87, was one of golf’s greatest competitors and its most important, impactful and beloved figure of the 20th century.

Among Bush’s remarks praising Palmer:

For more than 50 years, over thousands of miles of fairway, and in 92 professional championships, Arnold has given his all, playing with style and a daring that changed the game of golf. He drew millions of fans, and every big crowd we see at a golf tournament today started with Arnie’s Army.

In 2005, Bush 43 placed the Presidential Medal of Freedom around the neck of the Golden Bear. Nicklaus was honored in a ceremony that also feted baseball great Frank Robinson and Ali.

Here are some of Bush’s remarks on Nicklaus:

The game of golf takes a rare combination of raw ability and sustained concentration. Jack Nicklaus earned the distinction as one of the greats early in his career . . . Galleries across the world have admired the intense focus and unyielding competitiveness that Jack Nicklaus brings to the game. They admire, just as much, the man, himself. In every aspect of his life, Jack holds himself to a high standard. He’s a great gentleman. And for his skill, grace and class in every circumstance, Americans will always look up to the example of Jack Nicklaus.

President Barack Obama chose to honor Sifford in November of 2014. The award came following a concerted campaign by golf’s major governing bodies, various diversity-based organizations, members of Congress, government officials and athletes including Bill Russell and Woods.

Sifford was the first person of color to play in any PGA-sanctioned event after the removal of the “Caucasian-only” PGA of America membership clause in 1961. Both of his PGA Tour wins came after the age of 45.

“No major compares to this. Today was exciting. Great people to be around you. I loved it,” Sifford, 92 at the time, said of the ceremony. “They say what I did helped African-Americans, but it went further.”

Woods called Sifford in 2005 “the grandfather I never had.”

Sifford began his association with golf at the age of 13. He died in February 2015.

Obama called Sifford was a “golf legend” and praised him for “altering the course of the sport and the country he loved” after his death.

“Charlie was the first African-American to earn a PGA tour card – often facing indignity and injustice even as he faced the competition. Though his best golf was already behind him, he proved that he belonged . . . blazing a trail for future generations of athletes in America.”

Taking a pass on politics

President Trump has been a frequent golfing partner of Woods and supported Woods throughout his personal and golf comeback. The two last played together at the Trump National course in Jupiter, Fla., in February.

Woods has been pressed by the media about his relationship with Trump but has remained non partisan in his comments.

Last August, Woods was asked the following question:

“At times, especially 2018, I think a lot of people, especially colored immigrants are threatened by him and his policy — what do you say to people who might find it interesting that you have a friendly relationship with him?”

His answer took a pass on politics.

“He’s the President of the United States. You have to respect the office. No matter who is in the office, you may like, dislike personality or the politics, but we all must respect the office,” Woods said.

3 won Congressional Gold Medal

The first sports figure to be given the Presidential Medal of Freedom was Yale swimming coach Robert J.H. Kiphuth in 1963. Kiphuth was honored by President John F. Kennedy. JFK not-so-ironically swam for Harvard in college before using his highly-developed aquatic skills to help to save some of his PT-109 shipmates in World War II.

Palmer and Nicklaus were also awarded the Congressional Gold Medal, which is the highest civilian honor given by Congress.

Palmer received his Congressional Gold Medal in September 2012 on the day after his 83rd birthday in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol. The actual ceremony did not occur until three years after Congress had voted to award the medal to him and President Obama signed the act into law.

Nicklaus was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal in a 2015 ceremony held before leaders of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives at the U.S. Capitol.

Two-time Masters champion Byron Nelson, who also won the U.S. Open and PGA Championship, was presented with the Congressional Gold Medal posthumously in 2006.

The medal recognizes those “who have performed an achievement that has an impact on American history and culture that is likely to be recognized as a major achievement in the recipient’s field long after the achievement.”

Presidential Medal of Freedom – Sports