Tiger Woods’ 15-Year-old son face huge setback after bid to qualify for The PGA Tour

TOPLINE Charlie Woods, Tiger Woods’ 15-year-old son, failed to advance in a PGA Tour pre-qualifier Thursday due to a 12-stroke performance on a par-4 hole, many double bogeys, and odd conduct by supporters who were chastised for crowding the boy during his round.

Woods, the son of Tiger Woods and Elin Nordegren, scored 16-over 86 on Thursday while attempting to qualify for his debut PGA Tour event, the Cognizant Classic in the Palm Beaches of Florida.

Although his performance was insufficient to qualify him for the Classic, golf fans have focused on how Woods, who was accompanied by his own two-man security crew, was treated on the course.

Out-of-bounds balls hit by the adolescent were hunted down by fans looking for souvenirs, according to the Palm Beach Post; onlookers followed him closely along the fairway despite officials’ attempts to keep them on the cart path; and one fan requested he sign a copy of Tiger Woods’ “How I Play Golf.”

Woods was accompanied on the course by his friend and caddie, J.J. Kutner, and Olin Browne Jr., a mini-tour professional and Olin Browne’s son.

“How about we let Charlie Woods develop his game without constant media coverage,” influencer Paige Spiranac wrote on X following the incident. “Golf is mentally challenging enough without all the added eyeballs on him and pressure.”

KEY BACKGROUND
Thursday marked Woods’ first appearance in a PGA Tour pre-qualifier, which is confined to players with a 2 handicap or better. The 15-year-old has a +3 handicap index in the Florida State Golf Association, according to the PGA. Last year, Woods caddied for his father at the Notah Begay III Junior Golf National Championship, and the two had competed together in the prior four PNC Championships, beginning when Charlie was 11 years old. Team Woods has never won the competition, however they finished second in 2021. Charlie Woods is ranked No. 1,301 on the Junior Golf Scoreboard and presently competes on the South Florida Section Jr. Tour.

Woods will play golf for the Benjamin School, a private school in Palm Beach, as they defend their state championship later this year. He is also set to compete in the Junior PGA Championship and Nicklaus Junior Championship this year, as well as the SFPGA Junior Cup and SFPGA Labor Day Classic, among other events.