Tiger Woods Competes with Kids Sam and Charlie at PNC Championship
Tiger Woods made an uncommon appearance with his look-alike children at the PNC Championship held at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club in Orlando on Saturday, December 21.
Tiger, aged 48, competed alongside his son, Charlie Woods, 15, while his daughter, Sam Woods, 17, acted as his caddy. Their mother, Tiger’s ex-wife Elin Nordegren, was present in the audience during the event.
The trio captured moments on the green after the first round of competition. The tournament is set to wrap up on Sunday with another 18-hole round.
“Being out here in this setting and having a great time like this – it truly doesn’t get any better,” Woods shared with NBC about sharing the course with his son. “This week is about us, and we’re just cheering each other on for every shot we want to make.”
The PNC Championship offers a unique opportunity for professional golfers to partner with a family member in this PGA Tour Champions-sanctioned event. According to ESPN, Tiger and Charlie made an impressive run with five consecutive birdies on the back nine on Saturday, finishing with a 13-under 59 in the scramble format, which put them in a tie for the lead after the opening round. They were joined at the leaderboard’s top by the last two champions — Bernhard Langer with his son Jason, 24, and Vijay Singh with son Qass, 34.
“We’re focused on supporting each other with every shot and working together,” Tiger noted, as reported by the outlet. “I think we did a great job of lifting each other up throughout the day. Charlie also made most of the crucial putts today.”
The PNC Championship marks Tiger’s first competitive outing since undergoing back surgery in September. At the event, he mentioned that he scheduled the surgery — his sixth in a decade on his lower back — to ensure he was fit enough to compete with Charlie for the fifth consecutive year.
Tiger also spoke to PGA Tour about Charlie’s promising golfing career during Saturday’s tournament, noting that his son has grown “3.5 to 4 inches taller” and has become “stronger, faster, heavier” since last year. He acknowledged their good-natured rivalry at home, stating, “We love to compete against each other, and it’s all in good fun. I love him to bits.”
Tiger also shared the advice he gives his son on handling the pressures of competing under the “Woods” name.
“I always remind him, ‘Just be yourself,’” Tiger stated, as reported by CNN. “Charlie is his own person. Yes, he’s my son and he carries that last name in this sport, but I want him to focus on being himself, forging his own identity, and crafting his own journey.”
