Tag: 2020 PNC Championship

Tiger and Charlie Woods ‘make memories that will last a lifetime’ at PNC Championship

Charlie Woods continued to have the time of his life playing alongside his famous father in Orlando.

ORLANDO – Charlie Woods can already fist pump like his father.

It was a beautiful moment to see Tiger’s 11-year-old son pour in a 10-foot birdie putt at the 10th hole on Sunday at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club at Grande Lakes and celebrate the way his father had so many times before. It looked awfully familiar to former British Open champion David Duval, who was witness to many of Tiger’s heroics during the height of his career.

“You’ve got to love it, right,” Duval said. “I thought that was spectacular.”

On Sunday, Charlie continued to have the time of his life playing alongside his famous father in the PNC Championship, a 36-hole team event that paired 20 winners of prestigious titles alongside a family member in a scramble competition. Team Woods offset one bogey with eagles at Nos. 5 and 14 and six birdies to shoot a second straight score of 10-under 62 and finish in seventh place, five strokes behind the champions, Justin and Mike Thomas. But the result was almost immaterial as this was likely the first and only time that Tiger teed it up without concern for winning.

“The idea was to make sure we had fun,” Tiger said. “That’s why we play, for the enjoyment and playing together.”

PNC: Team Thomas holds off Team Singh

Charlie seemed to enjoy every minute of making his most public appearance as a golfer. He made an eagle on his own ball Saturday and followed it up by hitting several approach shots inside his famous father’s shot in the scramble format. On multiple occasions on Sunday, Team Woods, dressed in matching red shirts, opted for a strategy where Charlie teed off first. After blasting a ball down the middle at the third hole, Charlie turned back and signaled he’d hit a good one with a thumbs up and Tiger didn’t even bother to hit. At the 18th hole, he simply waved, a gesture that told his dad ‘we’re good.’

“He’s got great fundamentals,” Duval said. “Charlie moves it pretty darn good for being a little fellow. It’s only going to get better, if that’s what he wants.”

Charlie displayed poise and maturity beyond his years. It’s still to be seen whether he sticks with the sport. But for one week, he did what few golfers have been able to do – steal the spotlight from his famous father.

This was a coming out party of sorts for Charlie, who has played well in several junior tournaments in Florida. A gallery of about 200 people, which included sister Sam and mother Elin Nordegren, witnessed his tournament debut as the youngest player ever to compete in the tournament.

“Imagine how many people would’ve been following them?” one spectator said. “It’s never going to be like this again where you can see Tiger with just 50 people around.”

When the final putt was holed by Team Woods, Charlie sank into his father’s arm for a warm embrace. It was a weekend of quality father-son time, Tiger said, and “memories that would last a lifetime.”

But Charlie is his father’s son. The uppercut and the club twirl weren’t the only ways that Charlie resembled his dear-old dad. He’s inherited his competitive spirit, too. As Justin Thomas recounted, the first thing Charlie said to him after the round was that he and his dad had hit it to 23 feet at No. 8 – and three-putted.

The apple didn’t fall far from the tree.

[vertical-gallery id=778080827]

[lawrence-related id=778081345,778081319,778081300]

How much money each team won at the PNC Championship

Check out how much money each team won this week at the PNC Championship in Florida.

Charlie Woods stole the show this weekend at Ritz-Carlton Golf Club Orlando. Teamed up with his 15-time major champion father, Tiger Woods, the two provided content all weekend that sent golf Twitter into a frenzy.

Ultimately it was another debut team that took home the title: Justin Thomas and his father, Mike, won at 25 under thanks to a final-round 15-under 57. Team Thomas won by one stroke ahead of Team Singh, who finished runner-up at the event formerly known as the Father-Son Challenge for the third time.

There were 20 pros in the field who won a combined 67 major titles. Check out how much money each took home from the annual silly season event.

PNC Championship prize money

Place Team Earnings
1 Team Thomas $200,000
2 Team Singh $80,000
T-3 Team O’Meara $53,625
T-3 Team Trevino $53,625
T-5 Team Kite $48,500
T-5 Team Kuchar $48,500
7 Team Woods $47,000
8 Team Daly $46,000
T-9 Team Furyk $44,500
T-9 Team Norman $44,500
T-9 Team Lehman $44,500
T-12 Team Janzen $43,500
T-12 Team Langer $43,000
T-14 Team Price $42,250
T-14 Team Duval $42,250
16 Team Player $41,500
17 Team Sorenstam $41,000
18 Team Watson $40,500
19 Team Calcavecchia $40,250
20 Team Harrington $40,000

[vertical-gallery id=778080827]

Justin Thomas, dad Mike, win PNC Championship; Charlie Woods shines in debut

Father and son Thomas teamed to make 15 birdies and win the PNC Championship by one stroke over Vijay Singh and his son Qass.

ORLANDO – Make room in the Harmony Landing Country Club display case for another victory golf ball.

Mike Thomas has been collecting balls at the Louisville, Kentucky, golf club where he worked as head professional (and remains pro emeritus) from his son Justin’s victories and other memorable achievements since he was a wee lad. Justin has won 13 PGA Tour titles, including the 2017 PGA Championship, since turning pro.

On Sunday, father and son teamed to make 15 birdies and win the PNC Championship at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club at Grande Lake by one stroke over Vijay Singh and his son Qass.

“I put it to the side in case if it was the one that got it done,” Justin said of the winning ball. “I’ll be giving it to him whenever I get my hands on my bag.”

PNC CHAMPIONSHIP: Money | Scores

Team Thomas shot 10-under 62 during Saturday’s opening round, but erased a four-stroke deficit with seven consecutive birdies to open the round. As Mike noted, having the No. 3 player in the world as a partner didn’t hurt.

“We kept making birdie after birdie,” Justin Thomas said.

They combined to birdie 10 of the first 11 holes as Justin found something with his driver to set up easy short iron approaches. Mike, 61, who joked that the last time he played a competitive round was with an aluminum shaft, contributed with a hot putter.

“Which made it easy on me,” Justin said. “I probably hit six putts all day.”

As the Thomases played the par-5 18th hole, Justin figured they needed one more birdie.

“I knew the tournament wasn’t over, but I felt like we had won just because of how much fun we had and how well my dad had played,” Justin said.

Short-sided in two, he hit a delicate pitch to 8 feet and let his father take care of the rest.

“I wanted my dad to make that putt so badly,” he said.

They finished with a tournament-best 15-under 57 and 36-hole aggregate of 25-under 119. Team Singh kept it interesting to the end, reeling off nine straight birdies at one point before missing a 30-foot eagle putt at the last that would’ve forced a playoff.

Lee Trevino, 81, the only player to have competed in all 23 PNC Championships, teamed with son Daniel to shoot a 13-under 59 and finish T-3, his best result in this event.

Team Thomas collected $200,000, and became the fourth team to win the PNC Championship in their first start and the first team to win with a father playing as partner.

Jani Thomas, Justin’s mother, caddied for Mike, and she contributed to the team win. While her guys were answering questions from the media, she went and fetched three Coronas with limes to celebrate. Indeed, it was a full family affair at the PNC Championship.

[vertical-gallery id=778080827]

[lawrence-related id=778081385,778081345,778081296]

Watch: Another way Charlie Woods reminds us of his dad? That Tiger Woods fist pump.

So many of Charlie Woods’ mannerisms are similar to those of his dad, Tiger Woods. Add his fist pump to that list.

This Sunday, there’s a new character fist-pumping in red. Tiger Woods and his son Charlie debuted together at the PNC Championship on Saturday in matching magenta shirts. It wasn’t all that surprising to see them wearing matching Sunday red for Day 2.

Team Woods entered the second round of the event with some ground to make up. Their 10-under effort in the first round left them four shots behind Matt Kuchar and his son Cameron.

On Sunday, something else was familiar – the sight of Woods playing next to David Duval (new element: Duval’s stepson Brady) on a Sunday. The Woodses and the Duvals were paired together for the final round.

The golf world has marveled all week at how much Charlie’s mannerisms mimic his dad’s – the club twirl, the golf swing, the walking-in of putts.

Sunday morning, Charlie helped get team Woods going on the back nine with this walk-it-in putt for birdie on the 10th hole at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club at Grande Lakes that culminated with the uppercut fist pump we’ve all seen so many times before from his dad. After Team Woods made two birdies, an eagle and a bogey on the front, the birdie at No. 10 got them to 4 under on the day and 14 under total.

[lawrence-related id=778081232,778081165,778081155]

Matt Kuchar teams with son Cameron to lead at PNC Championship

Team Kuchar combined for 10 birdies over the first 11 holes en route to shooting 14-under 58 and lead by two strokes.

ORLANDO – Peter Kuchar joked that he earned a top-10 finish in his one appearance at the PNC Championship with son Matt, and his grandson is looking to eclipse him in his rookie debut.

Matt Kuchar and son Cameron fired 14-under 58 in the scramble format to build a two-stroke lead over Vijay Singh and son Qass after the first round at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club at Grande Lakes.

Making his second start in the PNC Championship (T-9 in 2018 with Peter), Kuchar and his 13-year-old son combined for birdies on 10 of their first 11 holes and 14 overall during a bogey-free round: Nos. 1-6, 8-11, 13, 15, 17 and 18.

“As a father you look forward to seeing how your son is going to cope in certain situations and it’s fun to see how they respond,” Kuchar said. “The day could not have gone better. Cameron played some spectacular golf and it was a blast for me to sit back and watch.”

Kuchar, who won the QBE Shootout with Cameron as his caddie last week, qualified for the PNC Championship’s 36-hole exhibition by virtue of his 2012 Players Championship title, one of nine career Tour victories. (A member of each of the 20 teams holds at least one major championship or the Players.)

Team Singh, which has finished runner-up twice before, is in position for its first title after opening with 60.

It is a very bunched leaderboard with the trio of Greg Norman and son Greg Jr., Tom and Sean Lehman, David and Brady Duval at 11-under 61 and six teams a shot further back including Tiger and Charlie Woods.

Bernhard Langer, who won the 2019 event with son, Jason, opened with 9-under 63 with daughter, Jackie.

PNC Championship: The field, tee times, TV times, format

Tee times were moved up to 8 a.m. due to potential inclement weather. It’s setting up to be another Sunday shootout.

“Whatever happens tomorrow, it’s an amazing experience,” Matt Kuchar said. “What a cool thing to be able to share with people you care about.”

[vertical-gallery id=778080827]

[lawrence-related id=778081232,778081165,778081155]

Charlie Woods shines, carries his dad Tiger Woods in PNC Championship debut

Charlie Woods carried his dad Tiger Woods in the first round of the PNC Championship. Team Woods shot 10 under in the scramble format.

ORLANDO – Charlie Woods is having the time of his life this week at the PNC Championship.

He’s just 11 years old, making his tournament debut as the youngest ever competitor in this 36-hole exhibition featuring winners of prestigious tournaments and their family members.

On Saturday, Charlie carried his famous father, the 15-time major champion.

“He did,” Tiger said with a big smile on his face. The proud papa added that his only son hit “some of the most incredible shots,” and that he had “the best time.”

Father and son teamed for a score of 10-under 62 in the scramble format, offsetting a bogey at the par-4 15th with nine birdies and an eagle at the par-5 third hole. Team Woods trails first-round leaders Matt Kuchar and son Cameron by four strokes heading into Sunday’s final round.

Until this week, Charlie’s golf exploits had mostly been guarded like state secrets. Occasionally, video of his swing would surface on social media from one of his appearances at a junior tournament and dissected as if it was the Zapruder Film.

Justin Thomas and father Mike, who has helped Charlie with his swing, were paired with Charlie and Tiger in the first round and neither were surprised with his poise and clutch play.

“I’ve seen it,” Justin Thomas said. “He’s special. He’s a gamer. He’s a grinder. He’s competitive. But he’s just so young.”

Mike Thomas touted Charlie as “focused and driven” before sharing a colorful anecdote of an 11-year-old with his father’s competitive spirit.

“I lost a dollar to him on the practice green,” he said. “The first thing he did when he got here was come running up to me. I guess he knew where the easy money was. We were about 10 minutes from heading to the tee and I said, ‘Charlie, do you still have that dollar with you? One putt, closest to the pin.’ He said, ‘I like my dollar. I think I’ll just hold on to it.’ ”

And that wasn’t the last time Charlie showed he got more than just the golf genes from his dad. Apparently, he also got his long needle. At the 13th hole, he poked fun at Thomas after he drove into a bunker, as Justin Thomas detailed.

“It started in the pro-am. Charlie hit his drive through the fairway on 13 and my dad was playing in front of him and took a piece of paper and wrote, ‘draw hole’ on it and put it underneath his ball,” he said. “In typical Woods fashion, he kept the piece of paper and when my dad hit it in the bunker he took that same exact piece of paper and put it behind his ball. Little bit of karma.”

Team Woods got off to a quick shot, keyed by a spectacular second shot at the par-5 third hole from Charlie from 175 yards away. Charlie was in between a 3-wood and a 5-wood, and Tiger told him to just hit it. He belted the shot to 3 feet, and Tiger could be heard exclaiming, “Awesome shot!”

Charlie cleaned up from there for the only eagle of the day at the hole.

At the fifth hole, Tiger fanned his tee shot to the right and after Charlie cranked a draw that split the fairway, Thomas could be heard telling Charlie, “You’re so much better than your dad it hurts.”

Other highlights included seeing Charlie walk in a birdie putt at the ninth hole and hit a gorgeous approach to set up birdie at 16. On three occasions – Nos. 13, 14, and 18 – Tiger didn’t bother to hit a tee shot because he knew he couldn’t do any better than Tiger. As noted on the NBC telecast, Tiger’s tee shot at the 15th hole was the first time Team Woods had used his drive on a par 4 or 5 since the opening hole, a span of 10 holes.

“There are kids 11, 12, 13 years old sitting on their couch at home that can’t hit those shots on the range and he’s doing it in front of crowds and on national television,” Justin Thomas said.

When asked to explain how Charlie managed to treat playing in front of hundreds of spectators and millions more watching on TV, Tiger simply explained, “The shots don’t change. That’s the thing he’s learning.”

Part of the beauty of this week has been seeing Tiger in ‘dad mode,’ a side of him that we’ve witnessed only in rare snippets such as their celebratory hug when Tiger won the 2019 Masters.

“I don’t really care about my game,” Tiger said. “I just want to make sure that Charlie has the time of his life and he’s doing that.”

As is Woods, apparently. Asked if it was the most fun he’s had this year, he smiled and said, “Oh, without a doubt. Yes.”

[lawrence-related id=778081165,778081155,778081069]

Charlie Woods chirps at Justin Thomas with a handwritten note on No. 13 at PNC Championship

Charlie Woods made a pit-stop on his way to his drive at the par-4 13th to trash talk Justin Thomas with a handwritten note.

When the highlight reel plays after this year’s PNC Championship, Team Woods’ performance at No. 13 during the first round is sure to be in the mix. The short par 4 at Grande Lakes in Orlando, Florida, said a lot about Tiger Woods and his son Charlie’s skill level as well as their sense of humor.

Charlie, at 11, is the youngest player to ever compete in the PNC Championship. He played forward tees during the competition and at No. 13, his dad sent him up to peg driver – a club he’d been hammering so far on the day.

When Charlie hit a beauty that ended up just short of a front-right bunker, Tiger didn’t even tee off, rather walking off the tee in this scramble format to hit from Charlie’s ball.

Charlie apparently made a pit-stop on his way there.

Team Woods drew a pairing alongside Justin Thomas and his dad Mike. Justin had hit his ball in a bunker off the tee. Charlie dropped a note next to it that simply read, in all caps, “DRAW HOLE!”

It drew a laugh and a head shake from Thomas and a big grin from Charlie.

“The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree,” Golf Channel analyst Notah Begay, a former college teammate of Tiger’s, said on the broadcast before the words written on the note were revealed.

Team Woods made par on the hole to remain at 8 under.

[lawrence-related id=778081155,778081069,778080870]

Watch: Charlie Woods smashes a 5-wood for eagle with Tiger Woods watching him

The 11-year-old absolutely smashed a 5-wood for team Woods to make an eagle as Tiger was watching.

Like father, like son. We already know that Charlie Woods and Tiger Woods have eerily similar swings. But it’s not just for show — Charlie seems like he’s going to be pretty good at golf if he chooses to turn pro.

He’s already showing his skill off in his debut at the PNC Championship with his dad. The 11-year-old absolutely smashed a 5-wood for team Woods to make an eagle as Tiger was watching.

He drilled it 175 yards down the green. It was incredibly impressive. He also drove the ball and made the putt for the eagle, so he essentially made it on his own.

Team Woods is right in the thick of the event midway through the opening round — 8 under through nine holes.

Just take a look at this.

 

Tiger loved it.

 

Shouts to Charlie Woods for the first highlight of his career. Hopefully, there are many more to come. It’s probably a safe bet seeing as it only took him three holes to get this one.

[vertical-gallery id=778080827]

Watch: Charlie Woods smashes a 5-wood close with Tiger Woods watching him

The 11-year-old absolutely smashed a 5-wood for team Woods to make an eagle as Tiger was watching.

Like father, like son. We already know that Charlie Woods and Tiger Woods have eerily similar swings. But it’s not just for show — Charlie seems like he’s going to be pretty good at golf if he chooses to turn pro.

He’s already showing his skill off in his debut at the PNC Championship with his dad. The 11-year-old absolutely smashed a 5-wood for Team Woods (the eventual result was an eagle) all while Tiger was watching.

He drilled it 175 yards down the green. It was incredibly impressive. He also drove the ball and made the putt for the eagle, so he essentially made it on his own.

Team Woods is right in the thick of the event midway through the opening round — 8 under through nine holes.

Just take a look at this.

 

Tiger loved it.

 

Shouts to Charlie Woods for the first highlight of his career. Hopefully, there are many more to come. It’s probably a safe bet seeing as it only took him three holes to get this one.

[vertical-gallery id=778080827]

Bubba Watson on his son coming to PNC: ‘He just wanted to miss school’

Watson will play with his father-in-law, Wayne, but only signed on after Caleb discussed the possibility of playing in a father-son event.

While the entire golf world has been in a tizzy about Charlie Woods’ Dad-like swing this week, Bubba Watson’s son was racing around the PNC Championship shooting friends and family members with a Nerf gun.

Baby steps, Watson insists.

Although the two-time major winner is excited to have his 8-year-old son Caleb on hand, he knows the little guy currently has golf on the backburner.

Watson will play this week with his father-in-law, Wayne, but only signed on after Caleb discussed the possibility of playing in a local father-son event.

Bubba, as he’s wont to do, went bigger.

“I’ve heard about this tournament and thought about this tournament but didn’t know the criteria to get into it. My dad passed away in 2010 and I never thought about it again until this year (when Caleb brought it up),” Watson said. “It was the same day I heard that Tiger and Charlie were playing in it. I reached out as quick as I could to see if there was any way my father-in-law could play, thinking about the future and wanting him to see us play.

“It’s not about if you win or lose; it’s just about having fun. That’s what I wanted him to do. I want him to have fun in the game. For me, coming to this tournament is a dream come true. He just wanted to miss school, but I wanted him to see how much the game means to some people and the impact it’s had.”

[vertical-gallery id=778072620]

The field at PNC is chock-full of accomplished players — the 20 golfers on hand this week have combined for 67 major titles. So even though it’s primarily a fun event, it’s also good for Bubba to see how he stacks up against those who’ve been the best in the world. He insists he’s been working with his putter, a bugaboo that continues to hold him back at times.

Through the handful of events that opened the 2020-21 season, Watson took his traditional place among the top 10 in Strokes Gaines: Off The Tee. Yet he continues to be held back by his struggles on the greens — Watson is 241st in Strokes Gained: Putting.

PNC: The field, tee times, TV times, format | Scores

Still, he thinks there’s plenty of great golf in his future, and he hopes it culminates in another chance to represent his country next September.

“I want to make the Ryder Cup team. I want to compete. I’m trying to do different things in my life to get me where I can compete at a high level still. I think we’re on the right track,” he said. “I think I’m a few majors, five or six wins away from the Hall of Fame, so I want to push myself. I feel like I still have a lot of good golf in me. I’m trending in the right direction.”

Watson hopes to make noise on the PGA Tour when it returns in January, but in case that doesn’t pan out, he’s already got a backup plan.

The 42-year-old has a decent stretch until he’s eligible to play on the PGA Tour Champions, but he figured another 40-something dad might help get organizers to change their rules.

“I’ve been telling Tiger (Woods) all year that he needs to start voting for 45 for the Champions Tour. I said, ‘Look man, I’m getting close to 45 and you’re really close. If you vote for 45 they’ll change it for you.’ I told him he can ride in the cart,” Watson joked. “I was trying to sweet talk him the whole time. I told him Phil Mickelson is 1 up on him, now 2 up. You’ve never won a Champions Tour event. You need to hurry up and get there.”

[jwplayer AdnjeHT0-9JtFt04J]

[lawrence-related id=778081069,778081004,778080989]