Tiger Woods says that he and son Charlie have “fed off our competitive nature” as they prepare to play alongside each other at the PNC Championship in Florida this weekend.
This will mark the fourth occasion that the father-son duo has participated in the annual tournament in Orlando, where previous major-winning golfers team up with a family member.
Woods recently made a comeback to golf at the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas, which was his first competitive event in almost eight months after undergoing ankle surgery earlier this year.
At the PNC Championship, he will tee off at 8:22am ET with his 14-year-old son Charlie, alongside Justin Thomas, a two-time major winner, and his father Mike.
In an interview with NBC before the event, Woods expressed how enjoyable the experience has been for both of them. They have embraced their competitive nature and have motivated each other to improve. The atmosphere is light, competitive, and enjoyable.
On Friday, the pair practiced together at the Ritz Carlton Golf Club, once again displaying their remarkably similar golf swing and mannerisms at the tee.
According to Woods, Charlie has grown four inches in the past year, which is a noticeable physical change from the 11-year-old boy who first participated in this event three years ago.
Justin Thomas jokingly remarked to reporters that he can’t tease Charlie as much anymore because he’s getting closer to being able to beat him up.
This year’s PNC Championship is expected to be affected by rain, adding an additional challenge for the players. They also have to learn how to effectively play alongside their family members.
During Friday’s practice, there was an instance where Charlie exclaimed “you gotta be kidding me” when his father chose to hit a driver off the deck. This highlights the learning process and the importance of providing the right timing and environment as a parent, according to Woods. They don’t always see eye to eye, but that’s part of the journey.
“It makes for challenging times at times, but it’s part of the process. We’re both learning and we’re both growing at the same time.”
Injuries and the physical repercussions of a car crash in 2021 have forced Woods to take time away from golf in recent years. As he steps up his return to the sport, he has said that he aims to play in one tournament per month next year.
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