In a bombshell statement that has sent shockwaves through the golf world and beyond, Tiger Woods announced this morning that he is canceling every scheduled appearance in New York City for the entire 2026 calendar year. The 15-time major champion, who turns 50 next month and becomes eligible for the PGA Tour Champions, cited one explosive reason: the election of Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani as the city’s new mayor.
“Sorry NYC, but I don’t play for traitors,” Woods posted on X at 8:17 a.m. EST, alongside a simple American flag emoji. The post has already racked up over 85 million views and sparked an instant firestorm.
The five-word phrase — “I don’t play for traitors” — is being widely interpreted as a direct shot at Mamdani, the 34-year-old Queens assemblyman who stunned the political world earlier this month by winning the New York City mayoral race in a landslide. Mamdani, an outspoken critic of U.S. foreign policy, supporter of BDS, and vocal advocate for Palestinian rights, has been labeled everything from “radical” to “anti-American” by conservative commentators since his victory on November 4.
Woods, long known for staying apolitical in public (aside from his well-documented friendship with Donald Trump and his 2019 Presidential Medal of Freedom ceremony), has never before weighed in on a local election — let alone with this level of venom.
Sources close to the golfer tell us the decision was personal. Woods had tentatively committed to several high-profile 2026 events in the Big Apple, including:
- A celebrity pro-am at Trump Golf Links at Ferry Point in the Bronx (a course he has played multiple times with Trump);
- A TGL indoor league match for his Jupiter Links GC team at the SoFi Center (though the venue is in Palm Beach, promotional events were planned in Manhattan);
- Potential exhibition appearances tied to his TaylorMade and Nike partnerships;
- And whispers of a possible pop-up golf clinic in Central Park to promote junior golf in urban areas.
All of it — gone.
“Tiger feels New York just elected someone who hates everything he stands for: America, success, and loyalty,” one insider said. “He’s not going to fly in, smile for cameras, and pretend everything’s fine while the city is run by someone he views as dangerous.”
Mamdani’s campaign was unapologetically left-wing: rent freezes, massive wealth taxes, defunding the police, and repeated statements calling U.S. support for Israel “genocide complicity.” After his win, Fox News ran chyrons reading “America’s First Socialist Mayor?” while Trump himself called the result “a total disaster for the greatest city in the world.”
Woods, whose foundation has raised hundreds of millions for children’s education and who served in the Navy SEALs training program as a teen, has privately expressed fury over what he sees as Mamdani’s “anti-patriotic” rhetoric. Friends say the final straw came when Mamdani celebrated his victory by tweeting “From the river to the sea” — a phrase many interpret as calling for Israel’s destruction.
The Mayor-elect’s office responded swiftly but mildly: “We wish Mr. Woods well in his recovery and hope one day he’ll feel comfortable visiting the most diverse city on Earth again.”
Meanwhile, the golf world is reeling. Rory McIlroy, speaking at a sponsor event in Dubai, said he was “shocked” but understood Tiger’s loyalty to his principles. Phil Mickelson simply retweeted Woods with six fire emojis. On the other side, Jon Rahm called the statement “disappointing” and said sports should stay above politics.
Conservative X exploded with praise: #BoycottNYC trended nationwide within an hour, and merchandise reading “I Don’t Play for Traitors” sold out on multiple sites. Liberal commentators were scathing — one MSNBC host called Woods “a billionaire bootlicker hiding behind the flag.”
This is uncharted territory for Tiger. The man who once insisted “I’m just a golfer” has now drawn the clearest political line of his life. At 49, battling yet another major injury (this time a lumbar disc replacement that sidelined his entire 2025 season), Woods could have quietly faded into TGL ownership and Hero World Challenge hosting.
Instead, he just dropped the hottest mic in sports.
New York City just lost its biggest sports icon for an entire year — and maybe longer. And Tiger Woods just reminded everyone he still knows how to dominate a headline without swinging a club.
Whether this is the start of a full-throated political chapter for the GOAT or a one-off outburst born of frustration, one thing is certain: 2026 in the Big Apple will feel a lot emptier without the red shirt on Sunday.
And Tiger? He’ll be teeing it up somewhere else — anywhere but the city now led by the man he calls a traitor.
