Charlie was supported by his mother, Elin Nordegren, as Tiger was not in attendance at the tournament
Fans became overzealous, asking for autographs and looking for souvenirs, as Charlie competed in the Florida event
Tiger Woods’ son, Charlie Woods, will not advance to the 2024 Cognizant Classic tournament at PGA National in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.
Charlie, 15, competed in the pre-qualifying event at Lost Lake Golf Club in Hobe Sound on Thursday morning. But the son of the 82-time PGA Tour winner struggled from the start, according to multiple outlets, including the Associated Press and ESPN.
Tiger, 48, was not in attendance, according to the Palm Beach Post, despite being a recurring caddy for his son. Instead, Charlie was accompanied by his mother, Elin Nordegren, while Palm Beach Gardens High golfer Jacob “J.J.” Kutner caddied for him.
Tiger Woods of The United States poses for a picture on the first tee with his son Charlie Woods and his daughter Sam Woods who was caddying for Tiger during the final round of the PNC ChampionshipMore
Charlie, who shot 16-over 86 on Thursday, also struggled with overzealous fans and shaky security while on the course.
The Post reported that “more than 50 fans” followed Charlie as he moved through the course after they realized there were “no ropes to bar them” from getting close to him. When tournament officials made “repeated requests” to fans to stay on the cart path, the attendees ignored them.
One fan, according to the outlet, even asked the official, “Who are you? The fire marshal?” Meanwhile, another admitted to pulling her granddaughter out of school with the intention of having her get Charlie’s attention.
The Post also reported that Charlie was approached by another eager fan, equipped with a pen and a copy of Tiger’s book, How I Play Golf, hoping that he would sign it.
A tournament official told the fan that asking players to sign autographs wasn’t allowed, to which the fan “made a commotion” and yelled, “I live here,” according to the outlet. And when Charlie hit a ball out of bounds, several fans were apparently looking in the bushes for the ball to serve as a keepsake.
Charlie’s setback on Thursday isn’t necessarily a reflection of his skill level. Tiger’s son saw success in November when he competed in his first-ever high school state golf tournament, and helped lead the Palm Beach Gardens team to their fourth state title.
Charlie has previously competed with his dad in the two-player PNC Championship, which features teams comprised of a major champion and a family member. In 2021, Tiger and Charlie finished second in the event, ESPN reported.
Tiger Woods of the United States and son Charlie Woods celebrate on the sixth green during the first round of the PNC Championship at Ritz-Carlton Golf Club on December 17, 2022 in Orlando, Florida.More
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After a competition last year in which Tiger served as a caddy for his son, Charlie said in a post-round interview that it was “great” to have his father supporting him on the golf course. “We just stay in our own little world,” he said about his dad joining him.
“We take it one shot at a time,” Charlie continued, adding that his dad “puts me in my place” from time to time. “I’ll talk about the next tee shot and he’s like, ‘No. This is the shot we’re going to focus on. Focus up. This is what we’re gonna do.’ ”
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