Troops get priority at Tiger’s D.C. area tourney - Off Duty, Sports, Hunting, Fishing - Air Force Times

Troops get priority at Tiger’s D.C. area tourney

Tiger Woods is having a party this week and 30,000 troops are invited.

As he has done every year since he began hosting the AT&T National golf tournament in 2007, Woods distributed thousands of free tickets for the event to service members in Maryland, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and further afield.

Some of his military guests will be dropping in — but, if all goes well, not crashing: The soldiers of the 101st Airborne Division Parachute Demonstration Team were to deliver the golf balls for the ceremonial first shot Wednesday.

Woods will take that shot with two soldiers wounded in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, Maj. Ken Dwyer and Staff Sgt. Ramon Padilla.

Like a good host, Tiger is making his guests comfortable with food, drinks and a great view at a special pavilion.

But Woods, whose father was a Green Beret during the Vietnam War, told reporters Tuesday that thanking the troops is not just his responsibility.

“Everyone in this room here and everyone should thank all of them for what they do,” he said. “They do truly put their lives on the line.”