The 63-year-old Anthony is known for his hard work and integrity, qualities to which Woods is drawn and evident in his choice of friends, like Michael Jordan and Roger Federer, who may be the best ever in their respective sports. But they reached their lofty positions through not wasting a single drop of their considerable talent. Woods does not put slackers on his speed dial.

Working as a telephone line repairman for 20 years while aspiring to be a developer, Anthony could have given Earl Woods two shots a side as a visionary. He bought his first parcel for $100 and eventually parlayed it into the Cliffs, which he founded in 1991 and quickly expanded into a network of private properties in the mountains of North and South Carolina. (High Carolina will be the eighth Cliffs community; five are open, with Tom Fazio and Gary Player layouts under construction.)

Later that afternoon, Anthony relaxes in the boardroom at La Bastide, a Cliffs-owned inn that looks transplanted from the French countryside, complete with vineyards. It is the end of a busy day. Prior to the press conference at Cliffs Valley, Anthony introduced Woods to more than 1,000 Cliffs employees at nearby Furman University. Afterward, they gave a presentation for more than 700 Cliffs residents at the Cliffs at Walnut Cove outside Asheville, North Carolina.

Anthony contacted Woods in February, and a major factor in Woods’ decision was the Cliffs’—and Anthony’s—emphasis on health and wellness, which mirrors Woods’ values. In the spirit of fitness, Anthony and Woods originally announced that High Carolina would be walking only. But in the only misstep of the day, they later clarified that walking will be encouraged but not required.

Perhaps it is this dedication to health that gives Anthony his energy at the end of what should have been an exhausting day. Or it could be the momentousness of the occasion. “It’s a watershed event in the Cliffs’ history,” says Anthony. “This takes us to another level.”