It’s nothing like Tiger Woods getting his 83rd PGA Tour win to become the sport’s all-time victory leader, but to capture a first title with his son Charlie in any golf arena would easily be among his lifetime highlights, and the Woodses have a chance to make that happen on Sunday.
With Tiger’s gait and swing looking better than they have in quite some time, and Charlie making some big birdie putts – one accentuated by a walk-in that looked a lot like his pops’ – Team Woods made 13 birdies to shoot 59 on Saturday in the first round of the PNC Championship.
The score in the scramble format tied for the best of the day with defending champion Team Langer (Bernhard and son Jason) and more past winners, Team Singh (Vijay and son Qass).
Team Woods is trying to win the event with family pairs for the first time in five tries, coming closest two years ago in a two-shot loss to John Daly and his son, John II. Though unofficial, a victory would be Tiger Woods’ first of any kind since he won the Zozo Championship in the fall of 2019 – a feat that tied him with Sam Snead as the all-time win leaders at 82.
“I hope so. We’re right there,” Tiger, 48, said of their chances.
Come for the putt, stay for Tiger and Charlie Woods perfectly in sync.
📺 : Peacock | PNC Championship pic.twitter.com/L85CrfL3dO
— Golf Channel (@GolfChannel) December 21, 2024
The dad said they “ham and egged” it around the Ritz-Carlton Golf Course in Orlando, and it was impressive grinding. When either struggled off the tee, the other seemed to pick the team up, and Charlie made a number of putts, including a birdie at the par-3 12th in which he walked after it, with one camera catching Tiger walking behind him on the same stride.
There were light moments, too, including one in which Charlie complained out loud about a shot, with caddie and older sister Sam responding with a smile, “You’re so negative.” Charlie was caught numerous times on the telecast exclaiming “nice shot” on strikes he didn’t like. But that may be part of the lighter attitude he’s trying to take compared to past years in the PNC.
“It’s just as I get older, I learn how to deal with different things.” Charlie said after the round. “Like last year, I focused so much on winning and playing, instead of everything else and having fun out there.”
Indeed, Charlie said his biggest learning experience in 2024 came in the US Junior, for which he qualified and then shot 22 over par in two rounds. “It kind of crept into kind of how am I going to win instead of how I’m going to play the shot,” Charlie explained. “And it kind of built up and that caused two very, very bad rounds of golf.”
Tiger Woods, of course, is only three months removed from his sixth back surgery, and this is his first competition of any kind since he missed the cut in July’s Open Championship. He said he was not yet ready to play when choosing to not compete two weeks ago in the Hero Word Challenge that he hosts. Walking the entire course the last two days, his play looks promising, though he doesn’t want anybody to read too much into it.
“I’m just trying to have fun out here,” Tiger said.
Team Woods can be cautiously optimistic about a win on Sunday, though they know they’re facing tough competition. Bernhard Langer, 67, has won the PNC a record five times with two of his sons. The Singhs shot back-to-back 59s in 2022 to win.
Only two shots back are Team Lehman and Team Harrington.
