The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Florida key family affair for Woods’
Tiger Woods will play with son Charlie in the PGA Tour’s PNC Championship in December, the special tournament where major winners compete along with a family member.
The 11-year-old, who has been competing in mini and junior events close to the Woods’ home in Florida for over a year, will play in his first competitive event with his dad, the winner of 15 major championships and 82 tour events, over the the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club in Orlando, Florida, from December 17-20.
“I can’ t tell you how excited I am to be playing with Charlie in our first off ic ia l tournament together,” said Tiger.
“It’s been great watching him progress as a junior golfer and it will be incredible playing as a team together in the PNC Championship”.
Charlie won back-to-back junior events in August, the first when his dad was otherwise engaged at the PGA Championship, but for the second, in the 9-11 age group of the PGA South Florida Sectional event, Tiger was on the bag.
“He’s asking me the right questions,” said Woods earlier this year. “I’ve kept it competitive with his par, so it’s been just an absolute blast to go out there and just be with him.
“It reminds me so much of me and my dad when I was young. I don’t know how far he’ll go. It depends how bad he wants it.
“It’s all on him. I wanted it at a very, very early age, but that’s on him, whether he wants it or not.”
The younger Woods first gained attention when he was controversially filmed at the junior event in Florida at the end of last year. Tiger had caddied for him at a number of the events, which are usually played over just nine holes.
Alastair Johnston, the former Rangers chairman and senior man in IMG, has been the long- time executive chairman of the event, and said he’d even talked to Tiger about competing when Woods won his first major.
“This is a very special moment for the championship,” he said.
“Back in 1997, Tiger and I were next door neighbours at Isleworth and after his momentous victory at the Masters that year, I advised him that as a newly-minted major champion, he had now qualified to participate in the Fa ther/Son Challenge!
“He was somewhat bemused at the time, but 23 years later, we will welcome him knowing very well that he will not be driven by nostalgia but will be on a mission to add to his commendable list of titles, but this time having the chance to share one with his son.”
Last year’s championship was won by twice Masters champion Bernhard Langer and his son Jason.
They will defend the title and among those confirmed to compete are Greg Norman and son Gregory, John Daly and son John Jr, Padraig Harrington and son Patrick, Gary Player and grandson Jordan, and Annika Sorenstam and her father Tom.