Nike doubt, sheer power and things noticed from Tiger and Charlie Woods at PNC
Tiger Woods' comeback continued on Saturday, but this time he had his teenage son Charlie for company as they shot an eight-under-par opening round in the PNC Championship,
The annual exhibition brings major champions and their family members together for a scramble tournament, and although the field is packed with star names from past and present like Justin Thomas, Jon Daly and Nick Faldo, all eyes are on the team of Tiger and 14-year-old Charlie.
Tiger is on the comeback trail once again, hoping his injury woes of the past decade are finally behind him after ankle fusion surgery, with this his second event after playing at the Hero World Challenge earlier this month. For Charlie, meanwhile, this is a rare chance for him to show the world his development over the past 12 months, and Saturday's round was punctuated by several sensational moments.
Team Woods is tied for 11th midway through the 36-hole tournament, with former Players Championship winner Matt Kuchar and his 16-year-old son Cameron leading the way at 15-under-par after a stunning round of 57. But thW Woods duo are undoubtedly the big story at the Ritz Carlton Golf Club in Orlando, Florida, and here are some of the moments you may have missed from their opening round.
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Charlie's blast
How good is Charlie Woods? Well, the 14-year-old is obviously very good, but Is he an elite-level player for his age? Time will tell whether he is blessed with anything like the all-around skill set that made his father so special in his pomp, but he certainly has terrific power in his arsenal.
In the post-round press conference, Charlie revealed he has gained close to 10 miles per hour in clubhead speed since the last time he played in this tournament a year ago. The teenager says he is regularly clocking in the 120s, which would put him ahead of the PGA Tour average of 115mph and in similar company to Rory McIlroy (123mph) and Scottie Scheffler (121mph).
Of course, there is much more to the game than just bombing it a long way, but Charlie was impressively accurate off the tee throughout the first round, and he sensationally drove the ball through the 321-yard par-four 13th at the Ritz Carlton. The ball landed pin-high before dribbling onto the fringe at the back of the green en-rouet to a birdie.
No lack of confidence
This tournament may be a bit of fun, but it surely makes the experience rather daunting when there is international TV coverage watching your every swing of the club. With the benefit of playing the event three times before, though, Charlie looked completely at ease throughout his round.
On the fifth hole, he delighted fans both on the course and watching from home when he unleashed a booming drive that split the fairway in two. And it was clear he smashed it right out of the screws when he raised his right hand and waved goodbye to his ball as it sailed into the distance.
Sam Woods caddied for her father during the opening round of the PNC Championship. (David Cannon/Getty Images)Family affair
Tiger makes no secret of the immense pride he has playing alongside his son in the PNC, but the 15-time major winner had reason to be doubly proud on Saturday, with his 16-year-old daughter Sam caddying for him.
Sam may not be addicted to the game of golf like her dad and brother – she is a budding soccer player – but she has history in the game, reducing Tiger to tears with a touching speech she gave when he was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2022. This time, there were only smiles as Tiger and his kids savored a day to remember out on the course together.
Telling Nike response
When Tiger Woods speaks, the golf world listens, and there is plenty to talk about right now in the wake of Jon Rahm's departure from the PGA Tour to LIV Golf. But one of the most interesting moments from Wood's post-round press conference was when he was asked about his future with Nike.
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The sports brand has been ever-present throughout Woods' incredible career since he turned professional and he has been among the most prominent athletes in its marketing efforts, alongside basketball icons Michael Jordan and LeBron James.
But his response to a question about "Where his relationship with Nike is going", he gave a very brief response. "I'm, still wearing their product," he said, before repeating the same response when pressed for more detail. Maybe it is nothing, Woods' response was hardly a resounding declaration that his long-term relationship with Nike is going to continue much longer.
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