Charlie Woods, the 15-year-old son of golfer Tiger Woods, made history at the PNC Championship by sinking his first career hole-in-one, leading to a memorable father-son exchange that highlighted the changing dynamics between the golf legend and his rising-star offspring.
On Sunday, Dec. 22, Charlie scored the ace, which came on the par-3 fourth hole during the final round at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club in Orlando, pushing Team Woods into the lead at 17 under.
“Did that go in?” he asked in shock after hearing the crowd roar.
The historic moment was also witnessed by Charlie’s mother, Tiger’s ex-wife, Elin Maria Pernilla Nordegren, and their 17-year-old daughter Sam, who served as her dad’s caddie.
The younger Woods’ growing confidence was on full display when he told golf media professionals, “Like, I already knew what he was capable of and then yesterday … that’s the best he’s ever played in a while. Kind of shocked me a little bit, but that’s really it.”
Tiger’s response was both humble and humorous, stating, “Yeah, I used to be good.”
He added, “It was neat to roll back the clock for him to see what I used to be capable of.”
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger Woods absolutely roasts his Dad about his golf game.
— AmericanPapaBear (@AmericaPapaBear) December 22, 2024
😂🔥 pic.twitter.com/NY3jPRR6NT
Speaking with Golf Channel’s Jim “Bones” Mackay, who the five-time Masters winner said knew just how great he used to be, Charlie gave a breakdown of the shot,
“It was just a perfect 7-iron, little cut in there. Of course, never got to see it go in. So that sucks.”
Tiger, clearly moved by his son’s achievement, shared his thoughts, “We heard it up on the green on the right and left but we were totally unsure until the TV confirmed it. And we went nuts. I don’t know what we did but we enjoyed it. It was an unbelievable moment.”
The 15-time major champion’s own history with holes-in-one is impressive, having recorded 20 throughout his lifetime, with his first coming at the remarkably young age of 6. Three of these aces occurred during PGA Tour competitions: the 1996 Greater Milwaukee Open, 1997 Phoenix Open, and 1998 Sprint International.
Tiger Woods, with his daughter Sam Woods and son Charlie Woods ❤️ pic.twitter.com/1CbAxXbs2v
— Complex Sports (@ComplexSports) December 22, 2024
The moment resonated deeply with social media users. “Like father like son,” one fan commented on an ESPN Instagram post about the accomplishment.
Another declared, “Charlie woods is the best goat son as of now,” while another unfairly posted, “Charlie Woods>Bronny James.”
The iconic golfer’s pride was evident in other places on social media. One user tweeted, “Tiger smile tells you everything. Ultra Proud Dad moment right there.”
Some fans picked up on the family dynamics, with one commenting, “That shove from Tiger just showed all the blackness in him. They forever given tough love lmaooooo.”
According to Golf Weekly, 30 minutes later, Paddy Harrington followed with his own ace, sinking it on the par-3 eighth hole.
Incredibly, these two Sunday holes-in-one marked the second and third in PNC history, with all three aces achieved by the younger players.
The event held particular significance given Tiger’s journey back to competitive golf following his severe car accident in early 2021. Woods credited watching Charlie continue to play during that period as a crucial motivator during his rehabilitation process.
By the end of 2022, father and son competed together in the PNC Championship, marking Tiger’s first professional appearance since the accident, People reports.
Despite the impressive ace, Team Woods would ultimately come up short, losing to Bernhard Langer and his son Jason on the first playoff hole.
During the trophy ceremony, Langer acknowledged the special moment, “I truly enjoyed playing with Tiger. They are such wonderful competitors and great humans. It was fun to see the two of them out there together and when Charlie made that hole-in-one, I’ve never seen Tiger happier.”
For Tiger, whose father trained him also and previously told ESPN that time spent with his son is “always special,” the weekend represented a perfect blend of competitive golf and family bonding. The bonding was real, even if his son’s achievements prompted some good-natured reminders about how good he used to be.
