Charlie Woods bounces back from US Junior disappointment to win first major
Charlie Woods responded in true Tiger style by winning the South Florida major in his first start since failing in the U.S. Junior Amateur.
He bears few similarities to his father in his golf swing or on-course manner, and he also seems to have the tenacity Tiger had after his first major tournament victory.
Just a week ago, Woods finished 22-over par for 36 holes in his USGA debut, missing out on a spot in the U.S. Junior Amateur Championship. But the 15-year-old responded in typical Woods fashion by going out and winning on his own merits, and seemed to retain the old Tiger’s fighting spirit.
On July 31, Woods won the South Florida Junior Cup, one of eight events designated majors on the South Florida Junior Tour.
It’s not “the” major where Tiger stashed 15 at home, but it’s a start, and the circumstances of the win are all the more impressive considering what happened last time. Woods shot 73-68-73 on the East Course at BallenIsles Country Club, becoming the only one of 63 players to finish under par.
And even in his post-round comments, Charlie displayed the same tenacity that inspired his father throughout his legendary career – and his performance at the U.S. Junior Amateur Championship only fueled his passion for victory even more. Contact me for news and offers from other Future brandsReceive emails from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information, you agree to the Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy and you are 16 years of age or older.
“I wanted it so bad,” Woods said. “I felt focused and I knew what I had to do to get there. I wanted to prove that I could do more.
“I think it’s the result of a lot of hard work this summer. I wanted to get myself back and it feels good to play.
Having that last name puts a lot of pressure and expectations on Charlie, but whether his golf game can hold up in the future, he already seems to have a great attitude towards golf.
Tiger and Charlie Woods during the PNC Championship
(Photo credit: Getty Images)
It might also help that he’s already famous. Woods regularly performs Tiger partners with PNC championships when it is difficult to ignore the swing comparison.
Despite the fact that he was very young, teenagers also noticed in August and other major championships that help Tiger in distance and training. This kind of misfortune in the U.S. Junior Amateur always attracts attention, and going forward, every performance like that one at Oakland Hills will raise questions about just how good Charlie could have been to qualify for the U.S. Open, where he shot 81 in a local qualifying tournament to pre-qualify for the Cognizant Classic PGA Tour. It didn’t do him any good either, as he shot 86 with a minor disaster on 12 par fours – and again, a lot was made of that.
However, all of these events are well above where a 15-year-old golfer should be, and Woods has won two events in two months at his level, so overall he’s doing okay. Judging by the way he’s handled the last two weeks, even if he doesn’t reach the heights his father has, it won’t be for want of effort.
Paul Higham is a sports journalist with over 20 years’ experience covering most major sporting events for Sky Sports and BBC Sport. He now freelances covering major golf tournaments for the BBC Sport website and highlights of the year included covering Monday’s epic Ryder Cup final at the Celtic Manor and watching Rory McIlroy secure one of the most dominant major victories of 2011 at the Congressional, the 2011 US Open. He also writes betting tips and is strangely proud to have supported Danny Willett in his Masters victory in 2016. Willett also praised Willett’s putting stroke at the pre-Open media event at Hoylake. His favourite interviews have been with McIlroy, Paul McGinley, Thomas Bjorn, Rickie Fowler and a mysterious figure called Victor Dubuisson. A big fan of watching golf on all tours. Unfortunately, he has recently spent more time writing golf than two young children. He is from Liverpool and likes something like a truck section along the Golf Economy in the United Kingdom, but his favorite field is Kingsburn and Port Rush.
