x
Skip to main content
Golf Logo
InsideGolf Join Now  / Log In
Tiger Woods’ voicemail leaves new PGA Tour winner speechless
SHARE
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share by Email
Golf Logo
  • News
    • Latest
      • News
      • Features
      • Shows
      • PGA Tour Schedule
    • Series
      • Tour Confidential
      • Monday Finish
      • Hot Mic
      • Rogers Report
    • Shows
      • The Scoop
      • Subpar
      • Seen & Heard
  • Instruction
    • Game Improvement
      • Driving
      • Approach Shots
      • Bunker Shots
      • Short Game
      • Putting
      • Rules
      • Fitness
    • Series
      • Top 100 Teachers
      • Rules Guy
      • The Etiquetteist
    • Shows
      • Warming Up
      • Play Smart
      • Short Game Chef
      • Pros Teaching Joes
  • Gear
    • Clubs
      • Drivers
      • Irons
      • Hybrids
      • Fairway Woods
      • Wedges
      • Putters
    • Other Gear
      • Balls
      • Shoes
      • Apparel
      • Golf Accessories
    • Series
      • ClubTest
      • Winner’s Bag
    • Shows
      • Fully Equipped
  • Travel & Lifestyle
    • Travel
      • Course Finder
      • Courses
      • Resorts
    • Lifestyle
      • Accessories
      • Celebrities
      • Food
      • Style
      • Betting Advice
    • Shows
      • Super Secrets
      • Destination Golf
  • Shop
    • Shop
      • Clubs
      • Shafts
      • Training Aids
      • Balls
      • Bags
      • Technology
      • Apparel
      • Accessories
      • Our Picks
      • Shop All
    • Collections
      • The GOLF Collection
      • The Birdie Juice Collection
      • The Fully Equipped Collection
      • Shop All
  • Newsletters
    • Sign Up for GOLF’s Newsletters
      • Hot Mic
      • Monday Finish
      • Play Smart
      • Our Picks
      • Top Stories
      • Sign Up for All
  • News
    • Latest News
    • Features
    • Shows
    • PGA Tour Schedule
  • Instruction
    • All Instruction
    • Driving
    • Approach Shots
    • Bunker Shots
    • Short Game
    • Putting
    • Rules
    • Fitness
  • Gear
    • All Gear
    • Drivers
    • Irons
    • Hybrids
    • Fairway Woods
    • Wedges
    • Putters
    • Balls
    • Shoes
    • Apparel
    • Golf Accessories
  • Travel & Lifestyle
    • All Travel
    • All Lifestyle
    • Course Finder
    • Courses
    • Resorts
    • Accessories
    • Celebrities
    • Food
    • Style
    • Betting Advice
  • Series
    • Tour Confidential
    • Monday Finish
    • Hot Mic
    • Rogers Report
    • Rules Guy
    • The Etiquetteist
    • ClubTest
    • Winner’s Bag
  • Shows
    • The Scoop
    • Subpar
    • Seen & Heard
    • Warming Up
    • Play Smart
    • Short Game Chef
    • Pros Teaching Joes
    • Fully Equipped
    • Super Secrets
    • Destination Golf
  • Shop
    • Clubs
    • Shafts
    • Training Aids
    • Balls
    • Bags
    • Technology
    • Apparel
    • Accessories
    • The GOLF Collection
    • The Birdie Juice Collection
    • The Fully Equipped Collection
  • Newsletters
    • Hot Mic
    • Monday Finish
    • Play Smart
    • Top Stories
    • Our Picks
    • Sign Up for All
InsideGolf Join Now  / Log In
InsideGolf

InsideGOLF: +$140 value for $39.99

Join Today
News

Tiger Woods’ voicemail leaves new PGA Tour winner speechless

By: Kevin Cunningham
March 10, 2025
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share by Email
PGA Tour pro Karl Vilips, signed to Tiger Woods' Sun Day Red brand, celebrates after winning the 2025 Puerto Rico Open.

Karl Vilips unleashes a Tiger Woods fist pump after winning the 2025 Puerto Rico Open.

Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

For PGA Tour rookie Karl Vilips, the last month has been decidedly life-changing. And the way it ended came as a shock to the new pro: with a voicemail from his idol Tiger Woods.

Just a few weeks ago, the 23-year-old Australian pro signed with Sun Day Red, becoming the first brand ambassador for Woods’ new golf apparel brand (other than Tiger himself, of course).

“Tiger Woods was my idol growing up, and knowing that he drives the insights and meticulousness behind Sun Day Red’s apparel and footwear gives us a unique edge that no other company can match,” Vilips said at the time. “I couldn’t be more proud to be the brand’s first official ambassador.”

News
Tiger Woods plays his shot from the 14th tee during the second round of the PNC Championship at Ritz-Carlton Golf Club.
Tiger Woods’ return? NBC analyst bullish after caddie’s insider info
By: Kevin Cunningham

Vilips earned the endorsement by tearing through multiple levels of golf on his way to the big leagues. He played college golf at Stanford, Woods’ alma mater, and then won Rookie of the Year honors on the Korn Ferry Tour last year, earning his PGA Tour card in the process.

Then this week, while the Tour’s elite were battling at Bay Hill, Vilips went out and won the Puerto Rico Open to add “PGA Tour winner” to his resume.

Vilips went 65-67-66-64 at Grand Reserve Golf Club for a total score of 26 under and a three-shot victory in the tournament, which is one of the PGA Tour’s Additional Events. It was just the fourth Tour start of his career.

In addition to $720,000 and a spot in this week’s Players Championship, the win also earned Vilips a voicemail from Woods.

Following his round, Vilips told reporters that after sinking his winning putt, he found an unknown number had texted him, called him and left a voicemail. He soon found out that Tiger was the source of the messages, a fact that left him speechless during his press conference.

“Yeah, it was tough because I got on my phone after the round and I was just scrolling, like who was texting me? I think I got one from a random number that called me as well,” Vilips shared on Sunday. “Then there was a voicemail saying it’s Tiger and I couldn’t like process it in the moment, I was just trying to — I’ll get back to that later. That’s pretty cool.”

NEWSLETTER
Sign up for GOLF’s Top Stories Newsletter!
Get the latest golf news and our most-read stories delivered to your inbox daily!
SIGN UP NOW

He went on to explain how much more the win means now that he’s a brand-new ambassador for Tiger’s brand.

“I think it’s really special. I think it shows me that there’s a reason why they chose me to rep their brand and I’m just really happy to be able to do it in a way that’s, you know, as myself,” Vilips said. “It’s really cool and I know everyone at Sun Day Red team is going to be super happy. You’ve got to look good to play good, so yeah, it’s really cool.”

Vilips also revealed that he’s been a student of Woods’ career heroics all his life, detailing his favorite moments from Tiger’s career.

“I mean, you just can’t forget that putt on 17 [during the 2001 Players Championship], better than most. You’ve got that one,” Vilips said. “Every time I went to a tournament in college, we were always playing the coverage from I think 2012. Not sure when him and Lingmerth were going at it. There’s so many memories I have of him. I mean, the first big one is him making the putt at Torrey [during the 2008 U.S. Open] to force a playoff, watching documentaries of him, studying to go to Stanford and then his U.S. Am highlights.”

Following in Tiger Woods’ footsteps

Unsurprisingly, the young Tour pro admitted that he’s often tried to follow Tiger’s lead throughout his rise to the PGA Tour.

“There’s so many things that I’ve watched with him that I just kind of try and do what he does. Study hard, attend a good school and obviously hard work’s going to pay off in the end, but he’s been such a huge influence in my golf career.”

And don’t count Vilips out at the Players Championship this week. He moved near TPC Sawgrass in November and has played the course regularly since then, potentially giving him an advantage over the rest of the field.

But that’s not the thing he’s most excited about heading into Players week.

“I’m just excited to sleep in my own bed, cook my own meals, be with my roommates. It’s going to be a lot of fun. Never really had a chance to do like a home tournament. Obviously just moving there in November, I played the course a bunch,” Vilips shared.

The 2025 Players Championship kicks off this Thursday, March 13, with the opening round at Sawgrass’ Stadium Course.

Latest In News

10 hours ago

Why Rory McIlroy's Masters win was 'weirdest day ever' for Shane Lowry

12 hours ago

Youtube golfer explains appeal for 'indefinite' PGA Tour suspension for LIV event

12 hours ago

Why Rory McIlroy’s parents missed his emotional Masters win

14 hours ago

In 6 silent minutes, CBS delivered a Masters broadcast masterpiece

Kevin Cunningham

Kevin Cunningham

Golf.com Editor

As senior managing producer for GOLF.com, Cunningham edits, writes and publishes stories on GOLF.com, and manages the brand’s e-newsletters, which reach more than 1.4 million subscribers each month. A former two-time intern, he also helps keep GOLF.com humming outside the news-breaking stories and service content provided by our reporters and writers, and works with the tech team in the development of new products and innovative ways to deliver an engaging site to our audience.

Related Articles

News
wesley bryan swings driver at liv golf duels event

Youtube golfer explains appeal for 'indefinite' PGA Tour suspension for LIV event

By: James Colgan
Gear
Pile of golf balls on driving range.

The spin comeback: Why Tour pros are putting it back in the bag

By: Kris McCormack
News
2025 Zurich Classic tee times: Shane Lowry and Rory McIlroy walk to the first playoff hole during the final round of the Zurich Classic of New Orleans.

2025 Zurich Classic Thursday tee times: Round 1 groupings

By: Kevin Cunningham
News
Justin Thomas and fill-in caddie Joe Greiner post-win.

Dahmen's heartbreak, JT's surprising advice, caddie intrigue | Monday Finish

By: Dylan Dethier
News
2025 Zurich Classic tee marker pictured during the final round of the Zurich Classic of New Orleans at TPC Louisiana.

2025 Zurich Classic of New Orleans: TV schedule, streaming info, how to watch, tee times

By: Kevin Cunningham
News
Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry, betting favorites in the 2025 Zurich Classic odds, pictured during the final round of the 2024 Zurich Classic of New Orleans at TPC Louisiana.

2025 Zurich Classic odds: Rory McIlroy returns as betting favorite in New Orleans

By: Kevin Cunningham
Drivers
Justin Thomas hitting a tee shot at the 2025 RBC Heritage

This club was instrumental in Justin Thomas' RBC Heritage win

By: Kris McCormack
News
Justin Thomas celebrates his winning putt at the RBC Heritage.

Justin Thomas' winless drought wasn't easy. Neither was finally ending it

By: Josh Schrock
Gear
Justin Thomas in full flight with his Titleist GT2 driver on his way to winning the RBC Heritage

RBC Heritage winner's bag: Take a look at the clubs of Justin Thomas

By: Johnny Wunder
Sign up for GOLF's Newsletters
Get the latest news, the hottest instruction tips, new product releases, golf media insider reports and more delivered directly to your inbox. Choose your favorites now.
Sign Up
Categories
  • News
  • Instruction
  • Gear
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
Services
  • Masthead
  • GOLF Media Kit
  • GOLF Magazine Customer Service
  • TERMS OF SERVICE
  • PRIVACY POLICY
  • Opt-out of Ads/Sharing
  • Your Privacy Choices
Social
  • facebook
  • x
  • instagram
  • youtube
Membership
InsideGOLF Logo
More than $140 Value for JUST $39.99

INCLUDES 12 SRIXON Z-STAR XV GOLF BALLS, 1 YR OF GOLF MAGAZINE, $20 FAIRWAY JOCKEY CREDIT - AND MUCH MORE!

LEARN MORE

© 2025 EB Golf Media LLC. An 8AM Golf Affiliated Brand. All Rights Reserved. All of our market picks are independently selected and curated by the editorial team. If you buy a linked product, GOLF.COM may earn a fee. Pricing may vary.

Go to mobile version