Earl Woods (right) was a pivotal force in son Tiger's life
Earl Woods was the architect and driving force behind the world number one's incredible career.
He died on Wednesday morning after a long battle with prostate cancer, with which he was diagnosed in 1998.
"My dad was my best friend and greatest role model, and I will miss him deeply. I wouldn't be where I am today without him," Tiger Woods said.
"I'm overwhelmed when I think of all of the great things he accomplished in his life.
"He was an amazing dad, coach, mentor, soldier, husband and friend. I'm honoured to continue his legacy of sharing and caring."
My father was my best friend, my mentor and perhaps my greatest support system - Earl was all of that to Tiger
Jack Nicklaus
Last month, Earl Woods was for the first time too frail to travel to the Masters, his favourite major.
Tiger, who was the reigning champion, finished tied for third.
Tiger, who was introduced to golf as a young child by Earl, has often attributed his mental toughness in tournaments to his former Green Beret father.
Earl nicknamed his son "Tiger" after a Vietnamese soldier who became a good friend when he served with the US military in Vietnam.
Earl, a former catcher with Kansas State who became the first black to play baseball in the Big Eight Conference, is also survived by three children from his first marriage.
Jack Nicklaus, who was also 30 when his father died, said he had long "admired and related to the close bond" shared by Tiger and Earl.
"My father was my best friend, my mentor and perhaps my greatest support system. Earl was all of that to Tiger," said Nicklaus, whose record of 18 major victories Tiger - who currently has 10 - is aiming to break.
Earl Woods, the father of Tiger Woods, died from cancer today at his home in Cypress, California, at the age of 74. 

Woods died of prostate cancer, which returned to his body after a previous bout with prostate cancer from 1986-1998, but it was treated with radiation. 

Although Earl was sometimes posed as an overwhelming, bossy father, Tiger treated Earl as "an amazing dad, coach, mentor, soldier, husband and friend." Tiger also posted that "I wouldn't be where I am today without him, and I'm honored to continue his legacy of sharing and caring." 

Tiger skipped this week's PGA Tour event, the Wachovia Championship, to be with his father. Two of his closest friends, Mark O'Meara and John Cook, followed suit. 

Woods, who grew up as an African-American child during the 1940's in rural Kansas, played baseball as a high-schooler and in the Negro Leagues, withstanding racism the whole way. During his two trips in the Vietnam War as a Green Beret, Woods met his lifelong friend, Vietnamese Col. Vuong Dang "Tiger" Phong, after whom he named his son.

Earl met his wife, Kutilda Punsawad, in Thailand. They married in 1969, and their son, "Tiger", was born December 30, 1975.