Tiger Woods fans are walking on air. First, the 15-time Major winner confirmed his presence at the tournament he hosts on the shores of the West Atlantic. The Hero World Challenge will kick off at the end of this month and run through December 3. Two weeks later, he’ll pair up with his son, Charlie Woods, at the PNC Championship—the tournament where Tiger Woods first ‘unveiled’ his son to the world.
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Why is the PNC Championship so special to Tiger Woods?
In the last four years, it seems the PNC Championship is one tournament that the veteran golfer doesn’t want to miss. Last year, around this time, Woods withdrew from the Hero World Challenge in December due to plantar fasciitis in his right foot. Regardless, he turned up with Jr. Woods at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club a few weeks later.
If one reason for signing up was the definite father-son bonding that has become the yearly wholesome moment for fans, another was that the PNC Championship allows carts on the greens. which meant a hobbling Woods didn’t have to walk the entire course. This year too, Woods can use a cart should he choose to. But since he has confirmed his presence at the Hero World Challenge before the PNC Championship, he should be able to walk with his son, like he did when caddying for him at the Notah Begay III Junior National Championship.
Woods, during the tournament last year, called their pairings “Team Ice Bath.” Coming from a veteran golfer who was limping on the course, it’s understandable. But why ‘team’ ice bath? Well, Charlie Woods too was not at his hundred percent either. Woods Jr. rolled his ankle, as Notah Begay, a family friend of Tiger Woods, told the press.
With both father and son hobbling on the course, the result reflected the effect of injury. Tiger Woods and then 13-year-old Charlie Woods finished in the eighth position on the leaderboard, stumbling from the second spot at the start of the final round. However, a year has changed many things. Woods Jr. is suddenly a grown-up kid who wins individual tournaments and wins big for his school as well. Woods, too, went through surgery and is making two back-to-back appearances within a few weeks.
Can the Woods duo sniff the title this time?
We don’t know how well Woods can play at this moment. All the golf world has seen is him caddying for his son and practicing his swings. However, what we do know is that Charlie Woods is in phenomenal form.
Teenage Woods has been turning heads this season. First, he recorded his career-best performance at the 14–15 age group regional qualifier for the Notah Begay III Junior National Tournament, carding a 66 in the final round with his pop masquerading as his bagman.
A few months later, the teenager added more mementos to his growing trophy cabinet. Charlie Woods was part of the Benjamin School Buccaneers, which won the Florida High School Athletic Association Class A State Championship. Teenage Woods has developed a lot since the time he last played with his father. Don’t be surprised if it’s the ‘cub’ instead of the ‘tiger’ that steals the spotlight.
But Tiger Woods is making his comeback at the Hero World Challenge, first, right?
Yes, Tiger Woods is making his comeback at the tournament he hosts. Yes, this is the first time he’ll return to the tournament after 2019, when he finished in fourth place. Expect him to be fired up? Of course. BUT…. and there is a huge but: the field includes six players from the top ten in the OWGR rankings. Woods himself chose a strong field that is seldom seen in a PGA Tour event outside the Majors.
Can the 15-time Major winner hold up on his own? Well, it’ll be a cardinal sin to write Tiger Woods off any competitive tournament’s list of potential title contenders. But it won’t be a grave error to say that there are other favorites who have odds on their sides.
