‘I shot 62, 63 and lost money’: Tiger Woods recounts favorite celebrity match

Tiger Woods said playing with the Atlanta Braves "Big Three" was his favorite celebrity foursome.

"I shot 62, 63 and lost money," Tiger Woods said of his match with these MLB greats.

Getty Images/Graphic: Jack Hirsh

From his friendships with stars like Ken Griffey Jr. and Derek Jeter to his frequent appearances at Los Angeles Dodgers games, it’s no secret Tiger Woods is an avid baseball fan.

Turns out it cost him some money back in the day.

In a promo for this Saturday’s The Match VII, which Woods is playing in with Rory McIlroy against Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth, the 15-time major champ dished on some quick-hit topics, from his favorite on-course snack to his dream foursome.

In the video, which you can watch below, Woods also shed light on his favorite celebrity foursome he’s been a part of.

Woods said he once played a couple of rounds with John Smoltz, Tom Glavine and Greg Maddux when all three were pitching for the Atlanta Braves.

“That was epic,” Woods said. “I shot 62, 63 and lost money.”

This appears to be the first time any member of the foursome has mentioned the game. Woods was still in high school in 1992 when the “Big Three” came together, so it’s safe to assume this happened at some point in the late 90s or early 2000s.

All three of the Hall of Famers have talked about playing with Tiger before. Smoltz, in an appearance with Glavine on Gary William’s 1Up podcast in 2019, told a story of when he teed it up with Woods and Annika Sorenstam and beat the LPGA’s all-time leading money winner straight up. The pair also talked about how Woods used to hype up Smoltz’s game when the team would visit Orlando, where Woods then resided, for spring training.

From top right, clockwise: Steve Young, Paige Spiranac, Larry Fitzgerald and Rob Riggle.
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Smoltz’s game needs no hype; he carries a +1.5 index, played in a couple PGA Tour Champions events and even qualified for the 2018 U.S. Senior Open.

Woods said Smoltz or Tony Romo — who he paired with at the 2010 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am — are the two best celebrity golfers with whom he’s ever played.

Glavine and Maddux are no slouches on the course, either, each sporting single-digit indexes, so it’s not hard to figure out how Woods could go so low and end up losing money.

Woods also was asked who would be in his dream foursome.

“It wouldn’t be a foursome,” he said.

Woods said he’d choose to play with his father Earl, who died in 2006, and his son Charlie, who was born in 2009.

Jack Hirsh

Golf.com Editor

Jack Hirsh is an assistant editor at GOLF. A Pennsylvania native, Jack is a 2020 graduate of Penn State University, earning degrees in broadcast journalism and political science. He was captain of his high school golf team and recently returned to the program to serve as head coach. Jack also still *tries* to remain competitive in local amateurs. Before joining GOLF, Jack spent two years working at a TV station in Bend, Oregon, primarily as a Multimedia Journalist/reporter, but also producing, anchoring and even presenting the weather. He can be reached at jack.hirsh@golf.com.