For a very long time, we have watched Charlie Woods by a really particular lens-curious, hopeful, and perhaps somewhat guarded. We admired his swing on the PNC Championship, cheered his hole-in-one, and could not assist however discover how acquainted his mannerisms seemed. However we at all times added a disclaimer: “Let’s examine what occurs when he is on his personal.”
At Streamsong Resort, we acquired our reply. And it was loud.
Charlie Woods, simply 16 years previous and ranked 606th in junior golf earlier than the weekend, got here into an AJGA occasion on a sponsor’s invite and left with a trophy, a leap to No. 14 within the rankings, and a discipline of elite juniors left in his wake. He shot 70-65-66 to complete 15-under and win by three. Not dangerous for somebody the golf world was nonetheless treating like a curiosity.
And this wasn’t a mushy discipline. Charlie outpaced Luke Colton (dedicated to Vanderbilt) and AJGA No. 1 Miles Russell. These are legit D1 abilities who’ve had nationwide buzz for years. Charlie beat them clear, with no Tiger on the bag, and no excuses.
He is Not Taking part in for Legacy Anymore-He is Taking part in for Wins
Charlie’s recreation is beginning to look much less like a refined shadow of another person and extra like one thing totally his personal. Positive, you will spot flashes of Tiger-how may you not? However the fluidity, the tempo? That is all Rory. Actually. Tiger as soon as advised Golf Digest he suggested Charlie to mannequin his swing after McIlroy’s, not his personal.
It was a wise transfer. As a substitute of turning his son into a reproduction, Tiger stepped again. He isn’t barking in his ear or obsessively breaking down swing footage. “I do not need him to fall into that entice,” Tiger advised Golf.com, alluding to the strain he felt from his personal father, Earl. What we’re seeing now could be a youngster who is aware of his recreation as a result of he constructed it.
You might see it in the way in which Charlie dealt with the strain. He did not look on the leaderboard as soon as in the course of the ultimate spherical. His caddie needed to inform him on 18: “Make par right here, you are going to be superb.” That calm beneath hearth? That is not taught. That is inner.
Tiger, who’s nonetheless recovering from Achilles surgical procedure and will not play in 2025, now takes a quieter function. He is current however not prescriptive. And perhaps that is why Charlie appears like he is having fun with golf greater than ever. His stroll has confidence now. His smile is not compelled. He does not appear like a child carrying a name-he appears like a participant chasing one thing actual.
We have seen prodigies before-Rory, Spieth, even Tiger himself. However that is completely different. Charlie is not rewriting Tiger’s story. He is writing his personal chapter, along with his personal rhythm, and the early drafts are greater than promising.
Seems, we weren’t too early. We had been simply ready for the second he confirmed us it was actual. Now it’s.
