Tiger and Charlie Woods, of such a stick such a splinter

By age 9, Charlie Axel Woods already had the same competitive gene fully developed that led his father to reach the highest heights in the history of sports. “Here I am, a 9-year-old boy winning the number one in the world and who is supposed to be the best of all time,” said the young Woods in 2018 with sarcasm at the attentive, astonished and, at the same time, funny look at his two competitors in a putting contest. They were Justin Thomas and Tiger Woods, who had become very close friends in recent years. Thomas has also become a kind of older brother to young Charlie, obsessed with beating any sport. Like his father, he does not like to lose.

But until now everything was indoors, stories that Justin Thomas told funny, always affable and open to the microphones. This Saturday things will change. If Tiger appeared on television for the first time with a golf club at age 2, his son Charlie will do so with 11 contesting the PNC Championship this weekend, a parent and child for Grand Slam winners and family members. For the first time, Tiger and his son will form a couple in public, in a tournament that acquired unsuspected media overtones and that will be broadcast on television, also in Spain through Movistar.

Jealous to the extreme with his privacy, Woods’ decision to play this tournament with his son and expose him to the cameras has surprised members of his environment. But Tiger believes that the time has come for his son. Passionate about soccer (and Barça), Charlie has been enjoying golf a lot for a while – he trains at The Medalist, like his father and Justin Thomas, and has won some junior tournaments in Florida – and now it is Tiger himself who wants to enjoy playing with your child as much as you can. And it will start with this PNC, which is held at the Ritz-Carlton in Orlando, and in which Bernhard Langer and his son defend the title.

It is impossible to observe young Charlie’s swing and not see similarities to his father’s. “They are very similar, of course if your father is Tiger Woods, how can you not try to look like him?” Jokes Justin Thomas, who will play the tournament with his father Mike. They will both be dating the Woods. And is that Mike Thomas, who lately winters in Florida far from his native Kentucky, is the only person who has tiger’s permission to protect your child’s swing. Everything stays at home. What’s more, Tiger will be accompanied at the PNC by his lead caddy, Joe LaCava, who in turn has recruited his son, Joe Jr, to carry Charlie’s bag.

On The Medalist Driving Range

Mike Thomas, father of Justin Thomas, is the only person who has permission from Tiger Woods to mentor Charlie’s swing

“We’re going to have a good time, nothing more,” Tiger stressed before the tournament, trying to take pressure off his son. But the cameras already have a new lens and his last name is Woods.

What is the PNC Championship?

It is played this Saturday and Sunday

The PNC Championship is what in Spanish clubs is traditionally known as a parent and child. But with some nuances. Only players who have won a Grand Slam tournament (or a The Players) can register for this tournament and can play with their children, parents or in-laws. There are 20 couples and this year there will be faces as well known as Gary Player, Vijay Singh, Lee Trevino or Bernhard Langer, defending champion with his son. The 2020 PNC Championship takes place at the Ritz-Carlton in Orlando (Florida).