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‘I’m Calling BS’: Golf Fans Left Furious, as Charlie Woods’s Beast Mode Attracts Severe Criticism

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Charlie Woods

In the picturesque setting of the PNC Championship in Orlando, Florida, the golf world witnessed the awe-inspiring prowess as Charlie Woods, under the watchful eyes of his iconic father, Tiger Woods, took center stage. The air buzzed with anticipation and excitement as Charlie, with youthful exuberance, aimed for a 321-yard shot on a challenging par-four hole.

However, what should have been a celebration of the young golfer’s impressive skills quickly turned into a heated debate as questions are now being raised against the validity of Charlie’s remarkable 321-yard tee shot on a par-four hole, adding an unexpected layer of controversy to what should have been a triumph of generational talent.

Tiger Woods expresses fatherly pride at junior Woods’ achievements amid scrutiny

During the first round of the PNC Championship, Charlie Woods proved just how much he’s grown, especially since the first time he competed in the event in 2020. What did he do? The 14-year-old carried the ball 321 yards, with it just rolling off the green. Because of his age, he teed off ahead of where the Open-category players did, with his drive having avoided the native area and sand bunker. It was a remarkable shot to add to the list of remarkable things Charlie Woods did during the PNC Championships. And well, he thought so, too.

Following Saturday’s outing, Charlie assessed, “I drove the ball really good today. Didn’t miss a fairway and still managed to shoot eight-under.” He matter-of-factly added, “We just suck at putting,” referring to how the father-son duo missed their putts for an eagle attempt after Charlie’s shot, and he was understandably disappointed. Team Woods is currently tied for fifth in the standings, 19 strokes below par. But despite Charlie’s disappointment, Tiger Woods had only nice things to say.

Charlie Woods

Tiger told the media, “I just have a lot more fun doing it with him. We have so much fun at home practicing and playing games. It’s a special bonding that happens that not a lot of parents get a chance to have.” This came after the 15-time major winner expressed his admiration for his son’s evolving skills. Ahead of the PNC Championship, Tiger said of Charlie, “You can see how much he’s grown from last year. It’s amazing how much has grown, has changed, and it’s a moving target with him, right? He’s grown somewhere near 4 inches this year, so his swing has changed, it’s evolved, clubs have evolved.”

At the end of the day, though, it was Charlie Woods’ 321-yard shot that stole the spotlight. But as critical as he was about missing a putt after making that shot, it was the shot in question that faced criticism online.

Fans question Charlie Woods’ skills

As the official PGA Tour social media accounts swiftly shared a video of Charlie Woods’ extraordinary drive, the response from the golf community was swift and, surprisingly, not entirely positive. Critics emerged with comments dissecting the authenticity and circumstances of the shot.

One fan claimed, “This kid barely swings over 100. He just isn’t as long as the broadcast would have you believe. I know a kid who is taught by somebody who knows both kids well. Charlie isn’t as long. So 101 102 tops for speed.”

Another fan echoed the sentiment, calling golf media out for disseminating misinformation. They expressed how there was no way the 14-year-old’s drive was that long.

The skepticism continued with remarks suggesting alternative club choices and challenging the accuracy of the yardage, with some fans even comparing their skills with Charlie’s

Considering Charlie Woods went for the straight-line shot, there was no way it could’ve been 321 yards. Yes, the distance from the teeing ground to the hole, taking into account bends and curves, would’ve been that much. But fans find it hard to believe that Charlie’s shot went that long.

Another fan “called BS” on the straight-line yardage. While some speculated his drive was only a little over 100 yards, this commentator was a little more generous, speculating Woods Jr swung 250 yards.

Despite Tiger’s positive commentary, the criticism surrounding Charlie’s impressive drive serves as a reminder of the intense scrutiny that accompanies the Woods’ name on the golf course. As the PNC Championship unfolds, the debate over Charlie’s remarkable shot continues, leaving fans and critics alike eagerly awaiting each swing, with opinions divided on the true magnitude of the young golfer’s talents.

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Sam Woods vs. Charlie Woods: How Do the Benjamin School Athletes Fare Against Each Other

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Charlie Woods

Tiger Woods’s daughter doesn’t play golf. But if you look at Sam Woods’s soccer career, it’s clear that the apple hasn’t fallen very far from the three. The 16-year-old excels at the game she loves. Woods earlier said in an interview, that his children take more interest in soccer. Although Charlie Woods has since then turned to golf, Sam Woods stuck to her guns.

The last time we saw her was at Tiger Woods’s Hall of Fame induction ceremony last year. But the 15-time Major winner decided to have Sam Woods on his bag this year at the PNC Championship. While we have seen glimpses of Charlie Woods’s school career, the elder sister has remained under the radar. So, how does Sam Woods’ soccer career stack up against her brother?

Sam Woods has proven her worth 

Sam Woods goes to the same school as her brother, Charlie Woods. Despite their sport being different, Sam has also left her mark on the school roster. Woods is in her third year at the Benjamin School. The Junior star is a regular member of the Buccaneer’s soccer squad.

Sam Woods has garnered five goals and has one assist under her name. The assist was notable as it came in the regional championship in February. The Benjamin School Girls’ soccer team edged past Edgewood in a 3-1 victory. Woods contributed with a stellar pass to put Lily White in an envious position in front of the goal.

Tiger wood & Charlie wood

But that was also a return of the courtesy. A month back, White capitalized on a corner kick lofting a ball to Sam Woods, who made no mistake in thumping it in the right direction. The Buccaneers cruised past Lincoln Park Academy in a 6-0 victory in that match.

Undoubtedly, Sam Woods is excelling at a game she has no family ties with. Whereas, her brother is gearing up to carve a name for himself in a sport that’s synonymous with their father. How has the 14-year-old performed so far?

Where does Charlie Woods stand

Charlie Woods has had a remarkable season this year. The 14-year-old earned the bragging rights at the regional qualifier for the Notah Begay Hill Junior Championship with his dad as his caddie. The teenager carded a formidable 66 to pose his career-best performance.

Although he finished at the 17th spot in the final tournament, Woods Jr. didn’t have to wait too long to lift another trophy. This time, Charlie Woods earned a title that his father can not boast of having in his trophy cabinet. The teenager. won the Florida State Championship with his school after triumphing over First Academy. Charlie Woods finished at the 26th position in the individual leaderboard.

Tiger Woods said he would be happy as long as his children are enjoying the game. It appears both Charlie Woods and Sam Woods are thriving in their respective field.

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What’s Charlie Woods’ golf game like? We asked his high school coach

By
Charlie Woods

Charlie Woods plays golf for the Benjamin School, in South Florida. The team is coached by Toby Harbeck, sixth from far left.

In the lead-up to the Florida High School Athletic Association Class 1A golf state championship last month, Toby Harbeck had a decision to make.

Harbeck, the head boys’ golf coach and an English teacher for nearly 40 years at the Benjamin School, a private institution in Palm Beach Gardens, needed to determine which of his 12 players would take the fifth and final spot on the squad bound for states. Harbeck had a reserve of eager players from which to choose, including a 14-year-old freshman named Charlie Woods.

Charlie, perhaps you’ve heard, is the son of 15-time major winner Tiger Woods and a considerable talent in his own right. You’ve likely seen Charlie competing alongside Tiger in recent years at the PNC Championship, where father and son are back in the mix again this week at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club, in Orlando. Charlie has all the tools — power, touch, club twirls, cheeky quips — but to give you an idea of the kind of competition he’s up against at his school, his 74.3 scoring average last season was bettered by four of his teammates and quite a way behind the 70.4 pace of the team leader.

Still, Charlie had something going for him that had nothing to do with his last name: experience and success at the state championship host site, the El Campeon course at Mission Resort and Club, just outside Orlando. In September, Charlie had shot 71-66 at El Campeon in qualifying for another event. A year before that, as a 13-year-old, he had shot 80-68 in the same qualifier on the same course. With three sub-par rounds in four attempts, Charlie already had proven he could handle what is a tough, tight and, for Florida, uncharacteristically hilly layout.

“So I got to thinking about it,” Harbeck, who is 66, told me the other day. “Here’s a kid who is not afraid of this golf course. I mean, for you to break 72 on this golf course is saying something. That’s how hard it is. The fact that he’s got three or four rounds below par, I said, ‘You know what? I got to play him in the state finals.’”

It was a bold move given Charlie hadn’t played in either the district or regional events in the prelude to state, and the decision wasn’t universally lauded. As Harbeck said, it “kind of upset the cart a little bit with some of my other guys. But sometimes I got to go with a gut feeling.”

As the fifth player in a format that counts only the four best of each team’s scores in each round, Charlie had a specific charge: play well but don’t go flag-hunting. “The number five guy’s job is if one of the four in front goes south on me, I got to be able to use his score,” Harbeck said.

As a safety net, Charlie shot an unflashy 78-76 in the 36-hole event, with both of his scores counting toward his team’s total. He finished 26th overall among 98 players, but his individual standing was moot because his team accomplished its mission, storming back from a six-shot deficit late in the second round to win by one. For the fourth time — and the third under Harbeck’s watch — the Benjamin School were state champs.

“I know the numbers weren’t terrific,” Harbeck said of Charlie’s scores. “But Charlie did exactly what I asked him to do. I couldn’t have been happier with the way it all turned out.”

HARBECK WAS REFERRING TO the state tournament but, when you listen to the coach talk, it’s clear the sentiment could also apply to the entirety of Charlie’s rookie season as a high school golfer. Trying to blaze a trail in the same pursuit that made your father a global superstar can’t be easy, but Harbeck will tell you Charlie is doing a commendable job in that quest.

Charlie and his big sister, Sam, have attended the Benjamin School since they were tykes. He began playing junior golf at an early age but didn’t come into the public eye until the 2020 PNC Championship, when, as an 11-year-old, his spirited play and uncanny Tiger-like mannerisms captured the golf world’s imagination. A year later at the PNC, Team Woods ran off a tournament-record 11 straight birdies and finished second. Tiger & Charlie Fever was fully on.

As an eighth-grader, Charlie considered trying out for his school’s varsity team but then reconsidered. “He said he wasn’t ready,” Harbeck said. “I said, ‘That’s fine.’ I don’t push him.” As a freshman, though, Charlie was ready. In the 72-hole tryout, he medaled with three rounds under par. But then he needed to prove himself all over again…and again…and again. That’s the thing about high school golf: many coaches, Harbeck among them, make even their best players earn, through intra-team qualifying, one of the six to eight spots typically available in tournaments. Play lousily and you’re riding the pine. Harbeck said Charlie played in 12 of their team’s 16 events last season.

Charlie didn’t take long to prove he belonged. Early in the season, the team received an invitation to play in a tournament in Naples, about a three-hour drive away. Harbeck could take only five players, so he extended the invitation to his four seniors and let them choose a fifth representative. They picked Charlie. “There were 14 teams and Charlie won the whole damn thing,” Harbeck said. “He shot 65 the first day, and we won as a team also. So that was kind of like, hmm…”

That event also brought into focus Charlie’s growing celebrity, with galleries of up to 50 strong — not something you see often at high school tournaments — tracking his every move. Charlie’s teammates doubled as his bodyguards. “They were like shooing people away,” Harbeck said. “Hey, leave him alone. We’re talking to him right now, or We’re doing something — the boys are very protective of him, because he’s part of our team. He’s not Charlie Woods. He’s part of the Benjamin School team.”

During one of the tournament rounds, Harbeck was chatting with Charlie on the 8th hole, a straight-away par-5 lined by condos down the right side. “I look up,” Harbeck recalled, “and I’m watching all these doors to the condos opening up and all these people come out because they knew he was there.” On the second day, after inclement weather had suspended play, more than a hundred players, coaches, spectators and members took shelter in the clubhouse. Harbeck gathered his team at an out-of-the-way corner table, but Charlie still was sought out for pictures and autographs. Fans flock to Charlie on the course, too. At one event, an armada of 30 golf carts awaited him on the first tee.

At another match, Harbeck said a couple of photographers tried to access the course but because Harbeck didn’t know them, he turned them away. At public-course host sites, paparazzi wrangling is trickier. “You can’t stop anyone from coming, and if Tiger’s there, it’s crazier,” Harbeck said. “Trust me, there are people in trees taking pictures. Microphones in his face.” After the first couple of weeks of the season, Harbeck learned to alert host sites in advance of the interest that Charlie stirs up, which he said led to some courses beefing up their security.

“But the kids handle it really well,” Harbeck said of the commotion. “He’s just one of the guys. He’s Charlie. That’s it.”

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Tiger, Charlie Woods have some similarities, and differences, in equipment

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Charlie Woods

Tiger and Charlie Woods are back at the PNC Championship for a fourth consecutive year. Charlie has grown 4 inches since last year, according to his father, and displayed plenty of speed in Saturday’s opening round of the PNC, where Team Woods combined to shoot a 64 that leaves them seven shots behind the leaders, Matt and Cameron Kuchar.

Both Tiger and Charlie had TaylorMade’s new and yet-to-be-released Qi10 LS driver in the bag Saturday. The club recently hit the USGA’s conforming list before the Hero World Challenge.

Tiger is using the same 10.5-degree Qi10 LS driver with a Graphite Design Tour AD-VF 6X shaft that he debuted two weeks ago at the Hero.

Tiger’s longtime friend and occasional caddie, Rob McNamara, confirmed that Tiger is seeing increased stability at impact with the new driver model. Charlie, on the other hand, is using a 9-degree Qi10 LS head, equipped with a Fujikura Ventus TR Blue 6X shaft. Both keep their driver under the same Tiger headcover that the elder Woods has used throughout their career.

Charlie Woods

One of the biggest differences comes in their preferred putter. Tiger, an equipment traditionalist, has used a Scotty Cameron Newport 2 GSS blade for 14 of his 15 major victories. Charlie opts for a mallet putter, using a Scotty Cameron Phantom X 5.5 that is similar to the one that Charlie’s “big brother,” Justin Thomas, uses.

Driver: TaylorMade Qi10 LS (10.5 degrees)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD VF 6 TX

3-wood: TaylorMade SIM Titanium (15 degrees @14.25)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ Limited 70 TX

5-wood: TaylorMade M3 (19 degrees @18.25)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ Limited 80 TX

Irons: 2023 TaylorMade P770 (3-iron), TaylorMade P7TW (4-PW)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100

Wedges: TaylorMade MG3 Raw (56-12TW), TaylorMade MG2 (60-11TW)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400

Putter: Scotty Cameron Newport 2 GSS prototype
Grip: Ping PP58

Ball: Bridgestone Tour B X

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Tiger Woods’ son, Charlie, looking like dad with perfect chip-in

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Charlie Woods

At this point, people know that Charlie Woods and Tiger Woods could be clones. Obviously, they’re not because he has hints of his mother in his features, but the similarities are plentiful.

From the moment the little cub hit the scene in 2020, he was Dad’s shadow. Their mannerisms are eerily identical. The way they club twirl, scratch their nose, celebrate putts, and many other things make him look like Tiger reincarnated.

On Sunday at the PNC Championship, there were multiple moments when Charlie reminded everyone of the Big Cat. However, his chip-in birdie on the par-4 9th really made him look like his dad.

After the ball dropped into the hole, Charlie gave a fist pump that mirrored his dad and yelled, “Come on!” It was hard to tell who enjoyed that moment more, Tiger or Charlie. The 15-time major champion couldn’t do anything but smile with pride.

“It was neat because I was saying earlier to Cara [Banks] I was on the high side, so I got a chance to see it from about 10, 12 feet out, and it looked great from where I was,” Woods said. “To see his reaction — it happened right in front of me… He got excited, and I looked over at Stricks, and he was shaking his head. It was great.”

Charlie Woods

That chip-in was one of many instances from the week where Charlie impressed. He drove the green on a par-4 during Saturday’s round. The 14-year-old did it again on Sunday as he drove another par-4 green to set them up for a birdie.

His recoil on his tee swings looks like dad, too — another familiarity between the two.

The kid already has impressive swing speeds, but Charlie is still young. Woods talked about all the changes with his son before the event.

“I think his speed has gone dramatically up since last year. But I think that more than anything, it’s just that he’s grown so fast,” Woods said.

A lot has changed between last year’s PNC Championship and this year’s for him. He is in a transitional period of his game, and it shows.

“You can see how much he’s grown from last year. It’s amazing how much he has grown, has changed, and it’s a moving target with him,” Tiger said before the tournament. “He’s grown somewhere near four inches this year, so his swing has changed, it’s evolved, clubs have evolved. We kept trying to adjust things, and it’s been a lot of fun. It’s also challenging for him because, every couple weeks, things change.”

It’s hard to keep the expectations in check because of those moments of greatness. People want to see another Tiger Woods; who wouldn’t? However, he is 14, so who knows what could happen with Charlie and golf.

Could he do great things like his dad? Possibly.

He has already accomplished something his dad didn’t as an amateur— winning a high school state golf championship. While the Big Cat has plenty of other accomplishments, it’s still something Charlie has on him.

The little cub has the potential, but hopefully, he will get to do things the way he wants.

Tiger seems to understand that, but in today’s society of social media, it has to be challenging to keep him out of the limelight and humble. Hopefully, he can continue evolving his game and growing up without too much pressure.

Team Woods didn’t win, but it was a strong finish for the duo. They fired off a 61 in the scramble format on Sunday to finish tied for 5th place at 19-under.

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Did Brooks Koepka’s Son Just Overtake Charlie Woods in Brand Endorsement? Charlie’s First Deal and Jena’s Latest Tease

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Charlie Woods

“If Crew could talk,” Jena Sims recently expressed a wish that her 5-month-old son could speak. The youngest member of the Koepka household has supposedly ventured into the sponsorship market. Yes, at such a tender age Crew Koepka is already gaining the attention of brands. Being the only child of Brooks Koepka and Jena Sims has its own benefits.

But Crew Koepka is not the only child receiving attention from brands. The rising star and son of one of the greatest golfers, Charlie Woods, is on the radar of many brands for future deals. Unlike Koepka Jr., Jr. Woods seems to be on the verge of signing his first clothing deal.

Jena Sims pretends to be Crew Koepka for a brand video

Jena Sims and Brooks Koepka welcomed their firstborn a few months ago. Although Sims shared her journey to motherhood with all her fans, she and her husband chose not to reveal the face of their new baby on social media to protect the 5-month-old’s privacy. Despite this, Crew Koepka has managed to garner a lot of attention for himself, especially from various brands.

Tiger wood & Charlie wood 1

In a recent Instagram story, Jena Sims joked about how her son is receiving PR packages at a young age. From new bath toys to cute bath towels and waterproof speakers, Sims put herself in her son’s shoes and reacted to each product in the way she thought Crew might if only he could articulate his thoughts and said, “If Crew could talk, he would say, oh my god guys, look at all these amazing things that Lullapop sent over.”

With the children of golfers gaining recognition, Crew Koepka might be the youngest one on the list to receive such attention from brands, but surely not the only one. One of the up-and-coming young guns of golfing, Charlie Woods, seems to be following in the footsteps of his father Tiger Woods as he prepares to enter the golf world as a pro.

Exploring Charlie Woods’s first clothing brand deal

When it comes to signing big names from the golfing world, Greyson Clothier is one of the front runners as they house many athletes from the PGA tour like Justin Thomas, Matt Fitzpatrick, Luke Donald, and more. And it looks like Woods Jr. is the newest addition to the list of players as the 14-year-old has reportedly signed a deal with the Detroit-based company.

Charlie Woods was seen wearing Greyson on the last day of the PNC Championship. There onwards, he was then welcomed to the Greyson Club by Larry Fitzgerald and even the brand shared Charlie Woods’s story and hinted at the brewing deal between the two. The brand used the #greysonpartner hashtag, which implied the rumored deal.

The deal has not been confirmed by either party. Furthermore, Woods Jr. has not been added to Greyson Clothier’s ambassador displayed on their website yet, although, in the coming days, the rumors may come true as Charlie Woods is gaining attention from all over the golf community.

The young cub of Tiger Woods is on the verge of making his name in the golfing industry and becoming the first amateur to win a huge brand deal, courtesy of his golfing skills and being the successor to Tiger Woods. Will Charlie Woods and Greyson Clothier confirm their rumored deal and make Woods Jr. the youngest in the industry to do so?

 

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Charlie Woods ready to tackle longer tees at Championship

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CHARLIE WOODS

Charlie Woods is getting bigger. So is the golf course that he will play in this weekend’s PNC Championship at Ritz-Carlton Golf Club in Orlando, Florida.

Charlie Woods is 14 (he turns 15 in February), which means he moves back one tee, now playing a course that measures 6,576 yards. Charlie will compete from the same tees as a few of his fellow amateurs (Reagan Cink, John Daly II, Brady Duval and others) as well as some of the game’s most accomplished professionals.

Steve Stricker, Vijay Singh, Tom Lehman, Jim Furyk, Nelly Korda and John Daly – all major winners on the PGA TOUR, PGA TOUR Champions or LPGA – are among the players who will compete this week from the same distance as Charlie.

A year ago, Charlie played from tees that were roughly 500 yards shorter. There were some holes where Tiger Woods would send his son up first to drive, and if he hit the fairway, Tiger didn’t need to leave his cart to hit.

There are only seven players in the field – including Tiger Woods – who will play tees deeper than those from which Charlie will compete. The extra yardage did not seem to faze Charlie in a final practice round on Friday. He will be able to get to the par-5 holes with ease (the exception being the 585-yard 14th), and there are even a few par 4s (Nos. 10 and 13) that Tiger wants him to aggressively try to drive.

Tiger Woods said the two will figure out their best strategy as they go, depending on what the weather does and how wet the course is.

“He was an 11-year-old when he first came here (in 2020),” Tiger said. “He’s now 14, and things are just different. He has more accountability and he has more understanding how to play the game.”

Charlie Woods shot a career-best 66 to win his age-group qualifier at the Notah Begay III Junior Golf National Championships last fall at Mission Resort, about an hour from this week’s tournament site. Charlie finished T17 in the tournament.

In his four years at the PNC, Charlie has filled out, gotten stronger and for a second straight year, moved back a set of tees.

“We go by age, because age is consistent,” said PGA TOUR Tournament Official Joe Terry, who has set up the PNC Championship for years. “Tiger is great about it. He told me, ‘You tell us where to play, and that’s where we’ll play.’ ”

Charlie shot 78-76 at the Florida High School Athletic Association’s Class A State Championship this fall as his school (The Benjamin School), won the state title. Charlie is a freshman, and one of his teammates is Luke Leonard, son of former Open champion Justin Leonard. The Leonards are here competing this week. Another teammate, Luke Wise, is on Charlie’s bag.

“He (Charlie) won the state championship with the boys, and that’s really cool,” said Justin Thomas, the two-time PGA champion who lives nearby in South Florida. “I think playing on the high school team has been very beneficial for him.

“I’m just glad he keeps moving back tee markers.”

Tiger and Charlie finished second to the Dalys, John and John II, at the PNC two years ago, but have not yet won the event.

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“It looked great from where I was” – Charlie’s Woods ‘exciting’ chip-in on the final round of 2023 PNC Championship

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Tiger wood & Charlie wood

Tiger Woods was impressed with his son Charlie Woods’ incredible chip-in birdie on the par-4 ninth hole in the Sunday round of the 2023 PNC Championship. Team Woods carded an 11-under 61 in the second round of the PNC Championship, which included nine birdies and one eagle.

They aggregated at 19-under after 36 holes, falling six shots short of the win. Team Woods was at 12-under after 26 holes when Charlie made a chip-in shot from outside the green of the par-4 9th hole for a birdie. This moment electrified the whole crowd, including Junior Woods himself, who was all excited and pumped up after that incredible shot.

Tiger, standing nearby, was all smiles as a proud dad watched Charlie’s play. Speaking at the post-match interview at the Ritz Carlton Golf Club, he was asked about his reaction to Charlie’s birdie. He said:

Sharing an update on his fitness status, the 47-year-old golfer said that while his whole body was aching post-event, he’d be able to walk and play in the upcoming season.

He added:

This was their fourth appearance at the PNC Championship. Their best run came two years ago, when the duo finished runner-up just one stroke behind the winners, John Daly and John Daly II.

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Round recap: Tiger and Charlie Woods shoot 64 in PNC’s first round

By
Charlie Woods

December is all about family traditions, and today was the start of relatively new one that has quickly become one of the golf world’s favorites.

Tiger and Charlie Woods played their opening round of the PNC Championship today at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club in Orlando, Florida. This is the fourth consecutive year that Team Woods has teed it up in this 36-hole, parent-child scramble.

While Woods’ career once was defined by his performances in March, April, June and July, December has become the month of Tiger. The PNC comes a couple weeks after his Hero World Challenge, which Woods played a couple weeks ago. The Hero was his first tournament since having fusion surgery on an ankle joint after this year’s Masters.

Woods finished 18th in the Hero’s 20-man field, displaying some promising signs while also showing the expected rust and fatigue after his long layoff. This week’s PNC offers another opportunity for him to prepare for his return to the TOUR in 2024 – he believes he can play once a month next year – and for Charlie’s continued progress to be on full display.

Charlie is now 14 and has grown 4 inches in the past year, according to his father. That meant he had to move back a set of tees for this year’s PNC Championship, but that didn’t have much impact on Team Woods because Charlie also displayed copious clubhead speed on Saturday. He drove it over one green and hit several tee shots over 300 yards. Notah Begay, Tiger’s college teammate and close friend, said that Charlie’s clubhead speed sits somewhere between 115-120 mph. Begay also noted that Charlie can “cruise” at a ball speed in the mid-170s with his driver.

Charlie Woods

“For his age, (that’s) quite a lot of ball speed,” Begay said. Tiger got both his kids involved Saturday, as daughter Sam served as his caddie for the first time.

“For me to have both my kids inside the ropes like this and participating and playing and being part of the game of golf like this, it couldn’t have been more special for me,” Tiger said, “and I know that we do this a lot at home, needle each other and have a great time. But it was more special to do it in a tournament like this.”

For Team Woods, it was the shorter clubs that kept them from going lower Saturday. Their 8-under 64 leaves them T11 in the 20-team field after the first round. They’re seven shots behind the leaders, Matt Kuchar and his son, Cameron, and four back of the four teams that are tied for second: the Langers, Singhs, Goosens and Duvals. Those latter three were some of Tiger’s toughest competition during his prime years.

The PNC’s host venue, the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club in Orlando, Florida, has wide fairways and large greens. Tiger and Charlie were in the fairway with wedge in hand throughout the day but didn’t hit enough approach shots close to the hole, nor did they hole many putts. There were too many two-putt pars for this low-scoring format.

“I drove the ball really good today,” Charlie said. “Didn’t miss a fairway, and still managed to shoot 8-under. We just suck at putting.”

Added Tiger, “That sums it up right there.”

A pair of 10-footers were the longest putts they made all day, surprising considering they get two cracks at each attempt. Team Woods had two two-putt birdies on par-5s on the front nine and another came from just off the green on the par-4 13th after Charlie’s tee shot landed on the green before rolling to the back fringe. The rest were on putts inside 5 feet after getting near the green on short par-4s and the par-5 18th.

Charlie’s clubhead speed was the highlight of the day. On the front nine, he twice hit the green on par-5s with iron shots that sailed more than 200 yards. Then he drove it into a greenside bunker on the par-4 seventh and displayed a nifty short game with a high, spinning sand shot that carried some 20 yards before stopping near the hole. They closed the front nine with Tiger’s 10-foot birdie putt.

Their first birdie on the back nine came after Charlie drove it within 40 yards of the 11th green and wedged to 5 feet. He hit the shot of the day two holes later, carrying his drive more than 300 yards and onto the green. Charlie birdied the par-3 17th after hitting his tee shot to 10 feet, and they closed with one more birdie after Tiger hit his approach just over the final green and chipped it close to the hole.

“I like the way everything looks for next season,” Notah Begay said of Tiger. “He talked about playing once a month. I think that would be a nice, aggressive, manageable schedule. He can get the recovery routine down, he’ll be just fine.”

Tiger and Charlie will undoubtedly appear in their Sunday red-and-black for the final round, and they’ll need one of their father’s famous charges if they want to win the PNC for the first time.

12:40 p.m.

We’re off the par train! That’s not a good ride to be on in the scramble format.

Another true birdie for Charlie, who hits his tee shot on the par-3 17th to 10 feet and then drains the putt.

It matches the longest putt they’ve made all day. Three of their seven birdies have come on two-putts. They’ve also made two 10-footers and had a couple birdie putts inside 5 feet after Charlie drove close to the green. It’s been a lot of two-putts today, as Team Woods has had no trouble finding the fairway and the putting surface. They just haven’t rolled them in.

12:27 p.m.

Three straight for the pars Woods, who are nine off the lead with two holes remaining in their second round. They’re going to be facing a sizable deficit in the second round.

The latest par exemplifies their day. They were in the fairway with wedge in hand but unable to capitalize. Notah Begay, who’s observed Charlie’s game closely, again makes the astute observation that Charlie is missing his wedges short and right because his swing is too steep and the ball rides up the face of the club. Woods doesn’t do much better from 87 yards, hitting his shot 15 feet past the hole. They two-putt for another par.

The highlight of the hole was the presence of Justin Thomas’ dog Franklin, who gives Tiger several kisses as he walks off the green.

11:57 a.m.

The Charlie recoil is on display again after he rips another drive into the fairway. He obviously loves the freedom of this scramble format, and fans love his swagger.

The team makes an unacceptable mistake after Tiger’s second shot sets them up just short of the par-5 green. Their ball lay just a couple feet off the ground, and both Tiger and Charlie chose to putt it but neither could get it closer than 15 feet from the hole. They both missed and made par to remain 6 under par, nine back of the Kuchars.

Charlie has produced a couple highlights today, including his drive that landed on the green on the previous hole, but it has been a pretty quiet performance from them. They just haven’t made enough putts to contend today.

11:40 a.m.

After another par at 12, Charlie produces another amazing shot on a short, dogleg par-4. He takes his drive over the trees and carries it onto the green. The ball lands about 15 feet from the hole before landing in the back fringe. The shot inspired a fan to yell, “Watch out, he’s coming!” Charlie’s reply?

“I’m already here.” Bold!

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CELEB NEWS

Tiger and Charlie Woods’ golf swings still look eerily the same with in-sync videos

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Tiger wood & Charlie wood 1

Charlie Woods is 14 years old, but he’s been playing with his dad Tiger at the PNC Championship for four years.

And every year, we get the same thing: Videos of the pair showing their similar mannerisms along with golf swings that are eerily similar. That’s what we’re here to focus on after a range session before the pair teed off at the 2023 edition of the tournament.

You’ll see one moment when they both tee up wedges together, and it might give you some goosebumps when you see it.

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