Charlie, the 15-year-old son of Tiger Woods, was unable to earn a spot on the PGA Tour.
Charlie’s mother Elin Nordegren was there to support him on Thursday. As Charlie competed in the Florida event, fans went crazy, wanting signatures and mementos.
Charlie Woods, the son of Tiger Woods, will not go to the PGA National in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, for the 2024 Cognizant Classic competition.
Charlie, 15, participated in the pre-qualifying round on Thursday morning at Hobe Sound’s Lost Lake Golf Club. But as other sites, including the Associated Press and ESPN, have reported, the son of the 82-time winner of the PGA Tour battled from the beginning.
Tiger, 48, is a regular caddy for his son, but he was not present, the Palm Beach Post said. Rather, Elin Nordegren, Charlie’s mother, joined him, with golfer Jacob “J.J.” Kutner of Palm Beach Gardens High serving as his caddie.
Charlie, who shot 16-over 86 on Thursday, also had difficulties on the course due to fervent supporters and unreliable security.
The Post stated that after realizing there were “no ropes to bar them” from getting close to Charlie, “more than 50 fans” trailed him around the course. Fans disregarded the “repeated requests” from tournament organizers to keep on the cart road.
The source claims that one fan even questioned the official, asking, “Who are you? “The fire marshal?” Another acknowledged that she had taken her granddaughter out of school so that she may attract Charlie’s attention.
According to The Post, Charlie was also approached by another enthusiastic golf fan who had a copy of Tiger’s book, How I Play Golf, and a pen. The fan asked Tiger to autograph the book.
The fan “made a commotion” and said, “I live here,” after a tournament official informed him that requesting players to sign autographs was not permitted, according to the site. Furthermore, it appeared like a few spectators were searching the bushes for the ball to preserve it as a memento when Charlie struck one out of limits.
Charlie’s Thursday loss doesn’t necessarily indicate how good he is at something. In November, Tiger’s kid had success as he participated in his first-ever high school state golf competition and assisted the Palm Beach Gardens team in winning their fourth state championship.
Charlie has previously participated in the two-player PNC Championship, which pits teams made up of a family member and a major champion. Charlie did this competition alongside his father. According to ESPN, Tiger and Charlie placed second in the competition in 2021.
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Charlie described it as “great” to have his father cheering him on the golf course in a post-round interview following a tournament where Tiger catered for his son the previous year. In response to his father joining him, he quipped, “We just stay in our own little world.”
Charlie went on, “We take it one shot at a time,” and mentioned that his father occasionally “puts me in my place.” “He says, ‘No,’ but I’ll talk about the next tee shot. We’re going to concentrate on one particular photo. Pay attention. This is our plan of action.
Tiger and his ex-wife, Nordegren, have a sixteen-year-old daughter named Sam Alexis, in addition to Charlie.