Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports
Charlie Woods fired off a 6-under 66 to earn a spot in the Notah Begay III National Championship with his dad, Tiger Woods, caddying.
Charlie Woods earned a spot in the Notah Begay III National Championship field after firing a 6-under 66 to win the 14-15 age division of the Last Chance Regional.
It was a family affair for the young cub as his dad, Tiger Woods, was on the bag. To see the Big Cat carrying and walking 18 holes is huge. He was seen walking one of his courses earlier this summer, but to do this for a youth golf tournament is an even greater sign that the legendary golfer is close to returning to action.
“It’s great. We just stay in our own little world,” Charlie said about having his dad caddying and with him for this win. “We take it one shot at a time. He puts me in my place.”
Charlie opened his round with three straight birdies on holes 1-3. The young Woods bogeyed the par-4 5th and par-4 7th before landing his fourth birdie on the par-3 8th. He went out in 33 strokes.
After the turn, Charlie made three straight birdies on holes 10-13. A bogey on the par-4 16th kept his competitor Kaden Puranik right in the mix with him. However, a birdie on the par-5 17th and then an 8-foot birdie putt on the par-4 18th secured Woods’ win by one shot and a return to Coushatta.
“Shooting 68 last year and followed up with 66 this year, obviously, this course is great for me… You have to go shoot a low round to win this thing, and it’s not going to be given,” Charlie Woods said. “Just took it one shot at a time, don’t think too far ahead, and you just gotta keep eating. That’s it.”
This victory isn’t his first of the summer, as Charlie also won the Hurricane Junior Golf Tour’s Major Championship at Village Golf Course in Royal Palm Beach. He won that event by eight shots.
At that point, Tiger Woods followed his son on a golf cart. Now, in September, he carried his sons bag.
Charlie Woods will tee it up with the other qualifiers in the Notah Begay III National Championship on November 4-6 at Koasati Pines at Coushatta Casino Resort in Louisiana.
Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. You can follow her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and Instagram @savannah_leigh_sports for more golf coverage. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThrough too.
