Last weekend marked the first time World Golf Hall of Famer Tiger Woods competed in front of the bright lights and packed galleries since The Open Championship back in July.
Playing alongside World No. 1 Rory McIlroy, the duo lost to a dominating Presidents Cup tandem from a few months ago in Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas in a night featuring fun, trash talk, and charity support in the seventh edition of The Match.
Woods was set to play at the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas two weeks ago but had to withdraw due to plantar fascitis in his foot. Being the competitor that Woods is and for how long he has been walking around the links, he did not want to be the only player in the 20-man field to be riding a golf cart from shot to shot, leading to him backing out.
That is one of the benefits of last week’s The Match and this week’s PNC Championship as he will play alongside his 13-year-old son, Charlie.
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PNC Championship sets up unique opportunity
Tiger Woods is one of 20 past major champions or Player’s Champions in the field this week. Each current or former professional golfer in the field this week has the opportunity to choose a relative of choice to compete with them this week in the two-round scramble event with the first round on Saturday.
As Tiger will be riding the cart, he will probably be carried around the course by Charlie as the two are competing in their third PNC Championship at The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club.
In 2020 during their first appearance, it was an opportunity to enjoy the father-son moment, including witnessing Charlie’s first eagle.
After learning from 2020, Tiger took advantage of his son being ahead of the championship tee boxes as he did not have to in the scramble format and Charlie ripping drives down the fairway.
Charlie, who has been trying to emulate McIlroy’s swing, held his own last year as he was club twirling like his father and draining putts left and right. He was also taking aggressive shots and going flag hunting as much as he could.
At one point in the final round 12 months ago, Tiger and Charlie combined for 11 straight birdies, which was a tournament record for consecutive birdies.
Now with Charlie a couple years older since debuting and now starting to outdrive his father, they are looking to go after the top spot following last year’s runner-up finish to John Daly and his son John Daly II, who is currently a sophomore in the University of Arkansas men’s golf program.
Despite losing last year’s event by two strokes, the demeanor of tossing markers to wearing red for the second and final round on Sunday will be on full display for everyone to notice the swag.
For Saturday’s first round, Tiger and Charlie tee off in the final grouping at 9:02 a.m. PT.
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PNC Championship features current and former golf stars beyond Tiger Woods
Not only has this event become a mainstay on the calendar for Team Woods, but also for other family duos in the field.
Amongst active PGA Tour players in today’s game, Thomas and Spieth are both playing with their fathers this week.
In addition to Thomas and Spieth, Matt Kuchar is competing this week with his 13-year-old son Carson after playing the previous two PNC Championships with his elder son, Cameron.
Some of the game’s best players of all time on the men’s side are playing, including Gary Player and Lee Trevino. Trevino, 82, is the only golfer to play in every PNC Championship.
Nick Faldo, who retired from broadcasting PGA Tour events for CBS earlier this year, is playing this week with his son Matthew. It should be a fantastic event of which each participant will never forget.
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Women golf stars, Sorenstam and Korda also comprise the tournament field
This year, there are two women’s golfers in the field in Annika Sorenstam and Nelly Korda. Korda is playing with her father, Petr while Sorenstam is playing with her son, Will, who making his first appearance in the PNC Championship.
Will, 11, competed in his first U.S. Kids Golf World Championship at Pinehurst earlier this year and is thrilled to make his debut with some of the game’s best players.
“It’s insane how excited he is. He’s like, ‘Mommy, in a few weeks I’ll be putting with Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth.’ I mean, he’s a golf nut, he’s a golf fan. He watches everything and for him to be part of this event and his name is in a press release with Tiger, it’s his dream. And what a dream right? I’m just proud to be a part of it with him.”
Annika Sorenstam on her son, Will’s anticipation for the PNC Championship via the Golf Channel
Sorenstam and her son, Will, tee off at 8:49 a.m. PT alongside the Kuchars, and the Kordas tee off at 8:23 a.m. PT with Thomas and his father, Mike.
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