Earl Woods, who started his son Tiger on the path to golfing pre-eminence at a tender age and mentored him through his early career, died on Wednesday at the age of 74.

Earl Woods had been battling prostate cancer since 1998.

"I'm very saddened to share the news of my father's passing at home early this morning," his son, the world number one, said on his official website.

"My dad was my best friend and greatest role model, and I will miss him deeply.

"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 wouldn't be where I am today without him, and I'm honoured to continue his legacy of sharing and caring."

The 10-times major champion had spent the last week with his father at his home in Cypress, California after returning from a trip to New Zealand [Images] where he attended the wedding of his caddie Steve Williams.

At the time, Woods said he was unlikely to play competitive golf again until next month's U.S. Open at Winged Foot in Mamaroneck, New York.

SKIPPED PRACTICE

His father's condition had deteriorated since the end of last year and Woods junior skipped the final practice day for the Players Championship at Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida [Images] in March.

Earl's prostate cancer was initially eradicated by radiation therapy before it returned in 2004, causing lesions on his back and a tumour behind his left eye.

More radiation therapy followed and he was given a clean bill of health last year before his condition again deteriorated.

Last month, he was too weak to travel to Augusta, Georgia for his son's title defence at the U.S. Masters, missing the opening major of the year for the first time with Tiger in the field.

His son, who tied for third at Augusta National, has not played tournament golf since.

The last time Earl watched Tiger compete was at the Target World Challenge in December 2004, when his son clinched a two-shot victory and donated $1.25 million to the charitable Tiger Woods [Images] foundation his father helped him establish.

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.

"My dad was in the special forces, so he was tough," Tiger said before the start of the inaugural Champions tournament in Shanghai last November.

MENTAL APROACH

"He taught me how to be tough on the golf course and how to focus. His life depended on it. That's where my mental approach comes from."

Earl nicknamed his son 'Tiger' after a Vietnamese soldier who became a good friend when he served with the U.S. military in Vietnam.

With his Thai wife Kultida providing the discipline in the family home and instilling a sense of calmness in the young Tiger, Earl was more determined to raise a good son rather than a good golfer.

Soon after Tiger turned professional in 1996, he told Sports Illustrated magazine his son would do "more than any other man in history to change the course of humanity".

He added grandiosely: "He is the Chosen One. He'll have the power to impact nations. Not people. Nations. The world is just getting a taste of his power."

Earl wrote two books: "Training a Tiger" and "Playing Through". In a forward for the first, his son wrote of his father: "He was the person I looked up to more than anyone.

"He was instrumental in helping me develop the drive to achieve but his role, as well as my mother's, was one of support and guidance, not interference."

Earl, a former catcher with Kansas State who became the first African-American to play baseball in the Big Eight Conference, is also survived by three children from his first marriage.