After several years of trying, Tiger Woods and Charlie Woods appear to have a golden opportunity to win the PNC Championship for the very first time, with the pair tied for the lead after the opening round in Florida.
There were plenty of positive signs for Tiger Woods on Saturday at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club. The 15-time major champion appeared to be swinging and moving around the course in little pain as he continues his recovery from his latest surgery earlier this year.
Of course, the scramble format allows for the 48-year-old – who decided against playing in the Hero World Challenge earlier this month – to dust off the cobwebs. Meanwhile, it also allows for his son Charlie Woods to steal the show from time to time.
The pair posted a round of 59 to find themselves tied at the top alongside the last two champions of the event, Team Langer and Team Singh.
Golf fans react as Charlie Woods produces ‘absurd’ bunker shot at the PNC Championship
Charlie Woods made a number of impressive putts throughout the round. But it was a sumptuous bunker shot he hit on the 13th to set up a tap-in birdie which really caught the eye of those watching the event.
One fan replied: “That’s ridiculous”, while another simply labelled the shot: “Classy”.
Meanwhile, one person claimed: “This bunker shot was absurd.” And another said Charlie will be ‘the truth’.
The younger Woods is just 15 years of age, but there is also real excitement for what his future holds, with one viewer saying: “Can’t wait for this kid to go pro! Been watching him play in this event for a few years now. He’s incredible.”
Interestingly, there was also a word of concern for the starlet, with one fan fearing that the weight of expectation is almost certainly going to be too great. He said: “It’s a shame his surname is Woods he’ll fail even before he starts with this media coverage.”
Tiger Woods hoping to end long wait for a win at the PNC Championship
It will be surprising to some to see that Team Woods is yet to win the PNC Championship. And they appear to have a tough task ahead of them if they hope to get across the line, with Vijay Singh winning alongside his son in 2022, while Bernhand Langer is a five-time winner of the event.
| Position | Team | Score |
| T1. | Team Woods | -13 |
| T1. | Team Singh | -13 |
| T1. | Team Langer | -13 |
| T2. | Team Harrington | -12 |
| T2. | Team Lehman | -12 |
Unsurprisingly, the 15-time major champion suggested that he is hopeful when asked after the opening round if it feels like a matter of time before they win.
“I hope so. We’re right there,” he said. “There’s a bunch of teams that are up there. We’re going to have to shoot another ground tomorrow. And you know, make a bunch of birdies and hopefully we can do that and get off to a good start, and then develop it into the back nine.”
Just two shots separate the top six in Orlando, so it could be a fantastic conclusion to the event on Sunday.
Receive exclusive golf news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
