At the PNC Championship last week, there was a group of some of the most successful players in the game who loved golf themselves and who had fostered a love of the game in their child.
Tiger Woods and son Charlie followed a 13-under 59 on Saturday with a seven-under 65 on Sunday, their 20-under total leaving them six back of eventual winners, Vijay Singh and his son, Qass. For Team Woods, the event became about other things: The bonding experience between father and son, and their family friends on Team Thomas.
Vijay and Qass Singhs’ 26-under 118 total at the PNC Championship—accomplished by becoming the first team to shoot back-to-back sub-60 rounds in the 25th playing of the event—allowed them to hold off another comeback challenge from John Daly and his son John II, the defending champs, who shot a closing 59 to finish two shots short.
For every child whose enjoyment of the sport is enhanced by the spark of competition is one whose passion is crushed by the pressure applied by his or her parents.
Their commitment to the PNC, which was expected, means that Tiger Woods will play three times in December after not playing any competitive golf since the Open Championship in July.
Tiger and Charlie put on one helluva show, dropping 11 straight birdies from Nos.7-17 at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club to briefly tie Team Daly for the lead.
A natural villain emerged on a balmy Sunday afternoon in Central Florida. Tiger and Charlie Woods were hard-charging towards the feel-goodest of feel-good victories at the PNC Championship. Their only obstacle: two large men with the same last name and the same preternatural speed. The Dalys.
Justin Thomas and Tiger Woods warned us that Charlie Woods’ trash talk game was already elite at age 11. We got a taste of that early on Saturday at the PNC Championship.
The father-son duo arrived at The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club early for a practice session, and videos of the two hitting balls side-by-side already have the Internet buzzing.
Woods said entering the event was a joint decision and was all about emphasising the most important thing in Charlie’s development as a golfer: keeping it fun.
Tiger and Thomas have grown close over the past half-decade, as Thomas was instrumental in motivating Woods to return to the PGA Tour after his spinal fusion surgery.
Before Golf Twitter comes after me with pitchforks, all I’m saying is what everyone was saying when this video went viral: Charlie Woods has one heckuva a swing for a 10-year-old.
Australian Golf Digest
