Tiger Woods and his 15-year-old son, Charlie, showcased an impressive performance during the PNC Championship, achieving a remarkable 13-under 59 while competing in a scramble format. This marked Woods’ first competitive outing following his back surgery in September, which was his sixth operation over the past decade. He had planned the surgery to ensure he could participate in this special event alongside Charlie for the fifth consecutive year.
For the first time in the tournament, Woods and his son found themselves sharing the lead after the opening round. They are joined by two past champions, Bernhard Langer and his son Jason, alongside Vijay Singh and son Qass. Woods demonstrated a variety of excellent shots, including a stunning wedge that landed just inches from the hole on the short par-4 seventh. However, he was modest about his form, indicating that he still felt somewhat rusty. The main focus for him was enjoying a day out on the course with his son at the Ritz-Carlton Club Orlando, especially since they both share a bond as competitors. Charlie is currently a sophomore at the Benjamin School in North Palm Beach.
Adding to the family-oriented atmosphere, Woods’ daughter, Sam, served as his caddie for the second year in a row. Their mother, Elin, was among the spectators captivated by the heartfelt dynamic of the event, which emphasizes familial connections. Woods highlighted their teamwork, saying, “We’re trying to pull off each and every shot for each other, and to ham-and-egg. I think we did that great pretty much the entire day.” He praised Charlie’s remarkable putting skills, which played a critical role in their success.
Woods played alongside former British Open champion Justin Leonard and his son, Luke, who is both a senior and teammate of Charlie’s at school, which added a friendly layer to the competition.
Langer continued to impress within the PGA Tour Champions, achieving victory for an astounding 18 consecutive years. He and his son recorded an outstanding streak of eight birdies over nine holes, including an eagle on the 14th hole. Singh and his son, the defending champions from last year’s event, also produced an impressive performance, scoring 28 on the back nine.
“There’s so many teams in the hunt,” Langer remarked. “It’s anybody’s game for those within three or four shots of the leaders, which is most of the field.” Teams led by Padraig Harrington and son Paddy, along with Tom Lehman and son Sean, also emerged with solid scores at 12-under 60. While the Lehmans entered the 18th hole looking strong, their scramble format turned challenging, resulting in a bogey after four attempts to finish.
Woods’ return to competition naturally attracted attention. Langer expressed his enthusiasm: “It’s great for the tournament and happy for them. Should be fun for the crowd to come out and watch everybody play.” After a lengthy hiatus from competitive play since the British Open in July, Woods is determined to take things step by step.
Both Woods and his son understand the necessity of focusing on the present and not getting ahead of themselves. The seasoned golfer knows all too well about such lessons through his remarkable career with 82 title wins on the PGA Tour. Meanwhile, Charlie also gained insight over the summer when he qualified for his first U.S. Junior Amateur, where he played at Oakland Hills but struggled with rounds of 82-80, which left him short of match play. He also attempted qualification for the Cognizant Classic and U.S. Open but fell short.
Reflecting on his experiences, Charlie indicated that his time at the U.S. Junior taught him valuable lessons about focus. “I was so focused on winning and how I played that it kind of crept into how am I going to win instead of how I’m going to play the shot,” he explained. “But live and learn.” Woods listened intently before reiterating the importance of learning from such experiences.
The PNC Championship is exclusive to major champions and their family members. Notable pairings include Annika Sorenstam and her son, as well as Nelly Korda with her father. Another notable duo is Steve Stricker, a seven-time senior major winner, playing with his daughter Izzy, a freshman at the University of Wisconsin. Korda made waves with a stunning fairway metal from the sand on the par-5 14th hole, setting up an eagle while Team Korda found themselves four shots off the lead.
