Five things from the PNC Championship, including Charlie Woods’ electric chip-in and Izzi Stricker’s dream week

Here are five takeaways from a soggy but festive Sunday at Ritz-Carlton Golf Club.

ORLANDO — Bernhard Langer and his son Jason entered the final round of the PNC Championship trailing by three strokes and wound up winning by two after a final-round 59.

“That’s just steamrolling people,” said runner-up David Duval.

The Langers finished at 25 under in the two-person scramble. For Bernhard, it’s his fifth title at the PNC – twice with his eldest son Stefan (2005 and 2006) and now three times with his youngest son, Jason (2014, 2019, 2023).

“Very special,” said Bernhard, who has competed in the PNC with all four of his children. “It’s always special whether you win or not, just being here is like the Olympics. They only take 20 teams and there’s probably 25 on the waiting list that would love to be here.”

2023 PNC Championship
Bernhard Langer and son, Jason Langer, celebrate winning the PNC Championship at The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club on Dec. 17, 2023 in Orlando. (Photo by Mike Mulholland/Getty Images)

Rain and wind that gusted more than 30 mph couldn’t the dampen the spirits of teams at the family-focused event. And with Tiger Woods and son Charlie back for a fourth consecutive year, plenty of fans braved the weather to catch a glimpse.

Here are five takeaways from a soggy but festive Sunday at Ritz-Carlton Golf Club:

Bernhard Langer, son Jason make history with 2023 PNC Championship win

Langer is the second five-time winner of the annual family event.

For more than 20 years Raymond Floyd was the only five-time winner of the annual PNC Championship. That all changed on Sunday.

Bernhard Langer and his son, Jason, ran away with the 2023 family hit-and-giggle at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club in Orlando after a white-hot day on the putting green. The father-son duo made birdie on their first seven holes of the day and shot an impressive 13-under 59 during Sunday’s final round to take the trophy at 25 under.

“Just it’s always special whether you win or not, just being here is like the Olympics. They only take 20 teams and there’s probably 25 on the waiting list that would love to be here,” Bernhard said after the round. “It’s always a wonderful thing to get an invitation to come and play here, and as you all know, I’ve got four kids, played with all four of them, and we have a lot of wonderful memories.

Floyd and Langer are now the only five-time winners of the event. Larry Nelson has three wins and Davis Love III has two. Langer won with his son, Stefan, in 2005 and 2006, and won with Jason in 2014, 2019 and now 2023. He also previously played with his daughter, Christina, in 2013 and 2016.

“It was a ton of fun. I said it earlier, but I don’t get to play as much golf anymore, and I don’t get to see my parents and my family quite as much anymore,” Jason added. “To be able to play golf as a family and in a beautiful spot and great competition and play a really good golf course, it’s amazing.”

David Duval and his son, Brady, finished second at 23 under, while defending champions Vijay and Qass Singh finished third at 22 under.

“This is by far the best week of the year, this is the week that you’re just hoping for that invite every single year,” said Brady. “I’m very thankful to have the invite and I’m thankful for everybody here. It was an absolute blast out there. If we got it a little closer on a few holes and gave ourselves a couple better chances, we would have had a pretty good chance at winning this year.

“It’s the best golfing week of the year,” David echoed. “You’re on pins and needles come — once August kind of rolls around, hoping to see that e-mail from Alastair with the invite. I think certainly with the majority of folks who play at our age, it’s the most coveted invite in golf, as well, and I think as you could argue, it’s the hardest field to get into.

“To be asked to come back and participate, it’s a dream come true every year it happens.”

Tiger and Charlie Woods finished T-5 at 19 under. Justin Thomas and his father, Mike, who won the event in 2020, finished T-13 at 14 under.

Team Langer earned $200,000 for the victory.

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With Tiger Woods and son Charlie, 13, in the hunt at PNC Championship, Bernhard Langer’s son Jason holds the record of youngest to win at 14

“I mean, it’s such a cool tournament, really unique.”

ORLANDO — Jason Langer graduated from the University of Pennsylvania last May with a degree in economics and finance from The Wharton School and landed a job in investment banking in New York City. The former college golfer was only 14 years old the first time he won the PNC Championship with his father, Bernhard. They won it again in 2019, matching the number of times Bernhard won the PNC with son Stefan (2005, 2006).

Now Jason, 22, is back with dad seeking a third title. The pair trail Justin and Mike Thomas by three strokes heading into Sunday’s final round. Tiger Woods and his son Charlie trail the Thomas’ by two. Should Team Woods win, Charlie, 13, would set a new tournament record.

“I didn’t want to expose him to this kind of pressure too early, but he said, ‘I’m ready. I can handle this,’ ” said Bernhard, “and he was right.”

Langer, a two-time major champion, has won 44 times on the PGA Tour Champions. The family rotates to see who gets to play with dad, but after Jason hurt his back and couldn’t defend in 2020, his sister stepped in to compete.

Now it’s Bernhard who is feeling under the weather in Orlando, battling a sore throat.

2022 PNC Championship
Bernhard Langer and Jason Langer line up a putt on the 18th hole during the first round of the PNC Championship at Ritz-Carlton Golf Club on Dec. 17, 2022 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)

When asked what advice his dad gave him 6 years ago to compete under this kind of spotlight, Jason echoed the thoughts of everyone this week – just enjoy the experience.

“I mean, it’s such a cool tournament, really unique,” said Jason, “and don’t get to be inside the ropes and hitting a golf ball with my dad too often.”

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