DELAND — Tiger Woods left his seat during the first water break of the Class 2A girls soccer state championship game on Saturday and returned with a brand new t-shirt from the merchandise booth at Spec Martin Stadium.
Woods’ new shirt, with “2025 FHSAA State Championships” emblazoned on the front, became a reality for his daughter Sam Woods and Benjamin girls soccer later in the night as the Bucs defeated Episcopal School of Jacksonville 1-0 to claim the program’s first state title.
Woods, like others wearing Benjamin orange and blue in the stands, erupted into a cheering frenzy throughout the match, perhaps most loudly when Emma Bartoli got on the receiving end of a cross from Irish Hoffman and scored the match’s only goal in the 31st minute
That excitement carried to the end of the game, when he embraced Sam, a senior defender for the Bucs, in a long congratulatory hug as she and teammates celebrated at the edge of the stands.
Sam Woods, the daughter of golfing legend Tiger Woods, is making waves in a sport entirely her own—soccer. While her father’s achievements on the golf course are legendary, Sam is carving out her legacy in Florida high school soccer. As the captain of the Benjamin High School girls’ soccer team, she has helped lead them to their first-ever state championship title, and in the process, she’s shown an impressive level of leadership, resilience, and determination.
Her journey to the top has been nothing short of extraordinary. The state championship match on March 1, 2025, saw Benjamin High School face off against Lakeland Christian at Spec Martin Stadium. The match had its tense moments, with Benjamin trailing 1-0 at halftime, but Sam’s leadership and the team’s unwavering defense ultimately propelled them to victory. After holding off Lakeland Christian through the second half and two overtime periods, the game ended dramatically with a 2-1 win. Sienna Barboni scored the game-winning goal, sealing the first-ever state championship title for Benjamin High School.
But the victory wasn’t just about winning a title. It was about redemption. The win came after a challenging and emotional path to the final. Most notably, Benjamin faced off against Lakeland Christian in the semifinals, a team that had defeated them in the 2022 Class 3A State Championship. It was a full-circle moment for Sam and her teammates. Overcoming the very team that had handed them heartbreak the previous year, they not only proved their growth, but also their resolve to rise above past challenges. For Sam, this victory marked a personal triumph as much as it was a team effort.
Tiger Woods cheers on daughter Sam during Benjamin’s girls soccer state championship on Mar. 1, 2025.
Tiger Woods cheers on daughter Sam during Benjamin’s girls soccer state championship on Mar. 1, 2025.
