Tag: PNC Championship 2021

Tiger Woods to use new Bridgestone ball, may use new TaylorMade driver at PNC Championship

New equipment may be on display later this week in Florida.

As soon as Tiger Woods announced he and his son Charlie are going to compete this week at the PNC Championship, the event became appointment television for the golf world. Everyone wants to see the 15-time major winner play for the first time on TV since his car accident in February. We also want to see how Charlie, who is now 12, has improved since he stole the show last year at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club Orlando.

For equipment junkies, this year’s PNC Championship could be even more special because, according to Golfweek sources, there is a good chance that Tiger (and possibly Charlie) will be using some yet-to-be-released prototype equipment.

On Monday, TaylorMade’s Stealth and Stealth Plus+ drivers were added to the USGA and R&A’s Conforming Driver lists. That means the clubs have been tested and deemed legal for play by the game’s governing bodies, a process that has to take place before a driver can be used in an official competition.

Historically, TaylorMade and other manufacturers request that the USGA and R&A add new gear to the lists a few days before the first PGA Tour event of the new year. The idea is to keep the new gear under wraps as long as possible. The addition of the Stealth and Stealth Plus+ drivers was conspicuously early, but it would allow anyone who has a Stealth or Stealth Plus+ to use it at the PNC Championship.

While Woods was swinging the same TaylorMade SIM driver on the range at the Albany Golf Course two weeks ago that he used at the 2020 PNC Championship, it’s safe to assume that, as a TaylorMade staff player, the company has sent him a Stealth and Stealth Plus+ driver to try.

On Wednesday, Woods took to social media to announce that he is planning to use a prototype Bridgestone ball.

Woods has played Bridgestone’s Tour B XS ball ($45.99 at Carl’s Golfland) for the past several seasons, and in the image he posted, you can clearly see XS printed on the boxes.

Bridgestone has not released any details about the ball, but Woods said, “I’ve been working with Bridgestone’s R&D team on an updated version of my ball since the 2019 Zozo Championship. The process of perfecting this ball has been really fun.” he went on to say, “I have tested the new Tour B prototypes at home, and I’m looking forward to putting them into play at the PNC Championship. This event is the perfect spot for me to take the prototype testing to the next level.”

If history is a guide, both the TaylorMade Stealth drivers and the Bridgestone Tour B XS ball should be officially released sometime in January.

We occasionally recommend interesting products, services, and gaming opportunities. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. Golfweek operates independently, though, and this doesn’t influence our coverage.

[mm-video type=playlist id=01es6rjnsp3c84zkm6 player_id=01evcfxp4q8949fs1e image=https://golfweek.usatoday.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]

‘If anybody can do it, it’s him:’ PGA Tour players react to Tiger Woods playing in 2021 PNC Championship with son, Charlie

“… and one thing I’ve learned with Tiger is you never bet against him.”

NORTH NAPLES, Fla. – Last month, Tiger Woods put out a three-second video of himself hitting a wedge that blew up social media feeds around the world.

Last week, the PGA Tour released a 23-second video of Woods hitting 3-wood, this being at the Hero World Challenge on Tuesday on the back of the range at Albany Golf Club.

Starting Friday of last week, he hit balls on three consecutive days, including Sunday when he was wearing his traditional red shirt and black slacks.

Now word has come that Woods, just nine months removed from a horrific single-car rollover accident last February that nearly cost him his right leg to amputation, let alone his life, is playing again.

Woods announced Wednesday he will team with son, Charlie, once again in next week’s PNC Championship in Orlando.

Woods’ peers are thrilled.

“It’s great seeing him out,” said Will Zalatoris, who is at Tiberon Golf Club for this week’s QBE Shootout. “It’s amazing how the guy goes and hits balls on the range and you kind of want to sit there and watch it instead of the golf. That just shows you how important he is to the game.

“It was cool seeing him at the dinner that Wednesday at the Hero World Challenge. My goal is to hopefully get paired with him before he’s done if he’s able to come back and play a limited schedule. My hopes are high that we’ll see him more than he’s letting on.”

Other players at the QBE Shootout were just as encouraged.

[listicle id=778178871]

Tiger Woods to play PNC Championship with son, Charlie, less than a year after accident

The last time Tiger played was the 2020 PNC Championship, where Charlie stole the show.

Less than a year after a single-car accident almost required his leg to be amputated, Tiger Woods will tee it up alongside his son, Charlie, next week in the 2021 PNC Championship.

The father-son event to be held at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club in Orlando, Dec. 16-19, has been holding a spot for Woods and his son, who stole the show at the 2020 event. The 15-time major champion has been teasing his return to the course for a few weeks now, most recently by rocking his Sunday red during a practice session during the final round of his Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas.

More: Nelly Korda to make PNC Championship debut in 2021

During Saturday’s third round coverage of the Hero World Challenge, Woods joined the broadcast to discuss his progress and Charlie’s performance at the 2020 PNC Championship.

“He carried me, no doubt,” Woods said.

“It’s short for Charlie, it’s not short from where I’m playing,” Woods added. “I’ve got to hit it from back there with Justin (Thomas). And I’m hitting it half as far as he does.”

[mm-video type=playlist id=01es6rjnsp3c84zkm6 player_id=01evcfxp4q8949fs1e image=https://golfweek.usatoday.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]