Friday will be a significant day in Charlie Woods’ golf journey. Woods, the 16-year-old son of Tiger Woods, enters the day tied for second place at the Junior PGA Championship after he shot a 6-under 66 for a second consecutive round on Thursday.
Along with being in striking distance to win the Junior PGA Championship, Woods is also trying to make his first U.S. Junior Ryder Cup team as the winner and runner-up will each be guaranteed a spot on the team.
Woods is currently at 12-under 202 entering the final round at the Ackerman-Allen Course in West Lafayette, Indiana. He will begin Friday’s round at 10:06 a.m. and be flanked by leader Lunden Esterline (-19) and Pennson Badgett (-12).
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger Woods, wins playoff to return to U.S. Junior Amateur
Cody Nagel
“My round was pretty up and down and it gave me a heart attack out there,” Woods said of his third round via the Lafayette Journal & Courier. “But nine birdies is pretty good. A couple of three putts, I made a few mistakes today but overall pretty solid round. Pretty good position going into tomorrow.”
Woods, who is 20th in the latest American Junior Golf Association rankings, exhibited some of his dad’s legendary focus after his tee time was delayed on Thursday for two hours due to weather. Unfazed, Woods birdied the first hole and would proceed to play solid golf throughout the round. He finished his round the way he started it: with a birdie that was set up by an approach shot that landed five feet from the hole.
A Palm Beach, Florida, native, Woods captured the AJGA’s Team TaylorMade Invitational in May. Last December, he made his first career hole-in-one while playing alongside his father in the PNC Championship.
The duo of Tiger and Charlie Woods finished runner-up in the event to Bernard and Jason Langer after Bernard hit an 18-foot eagle putt in a playoff. The younger Woods, who is entering his junior year of high school, qualified to compete in the U.S. Junior Amateur but missed the cut.