Tiger Woods names the best celebrity golfers he's ever played with

If anyone deserves to have a vote on the best celebrity golfers on the planet, it's golf legend Tiger Woods, who has played in countless pro-ams on the PGA Tour down the years. 

During Woods' prime, pro-am pairings weren’t just a warm-up for tournament week. They were an audition. Celebrities and elite amateurs from across the sporting world all wanted the same thing: 18 holes alongside the most intimidating and gifted golfer the game has ever seen.

Given the sheer length of Woods’ career, it’s no exaggeration to say he has played more pro-ams than some PGA Tour professionals have played tour events. 

Along the way, the 15-time major champion has seen every standard of golf imaginable — from surprisingly silky swings to efforts that were more about enthusiasm than technique.

But among the countless famous faces Woods has teed it up with over the years, only a handful truly made him sit up and take notice.

Which celebrity golfers have impressed Tiger Woods most?

When asked in December 2022 to name the best fourball he had ever played in, Woods’ answer came with a clear sporting theme — and a healthy dose of competitive bite.

“[John] Smoltz, [Tom] Glavine and [Greg] Maddux when they were all pitching with the Braves. That was epic. I shot 62, 62 and lost money,” Woods revealed three years ago before the seventh edition of The Match, which he and Rory McIlroy went on to lose to Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas. 

Smoltz, Glavine and Maddux were the famed “Big Three” starting pitchers for the Atlanta Braves during the 1990s. 

All three are Hall of Famers, a trio that combined for multiple Cy Young Awards and delivered a World Series title in 1995. 

Their dominance on the mound clearly translated into serious golfing ability, too.

Woods’ respect for Smoltz went even further when the conversation turned to the best amateur golfers he had ever played alongside.

When asked who stood out above the rest, Woods didn’t hesitate to mention the former MLB ace again — but he paired the name with one of the NFL’s most competitive figures.

“It’s either Smoltz or [Tony] Romo, they can both play good golf,” Woods added.

Romo’s reputation as one of the very best celebrity golfers is well earned. 

The former Dallas Cowboys quarterback has long been a fixture in elite amateur events and has repeatedly proven he can score at an extraordinarily high level.

At his peak, Romo’s handicap has reportedly dropped as low as +3.3 — a figure that places him comfortably beyond scratch and edging into territory usually reserved for professional players.

For a golfer as demanding — and as honest — as Tiger Woods, that kind of standard doesn’t go unnoticed.