As U.S. wins Presidents Cup, Tiger Woods caddies for son in career round
Tiger Woods wasn’t on hand at Quail Hollow this past week, but he still made an impact on the U.S. Presidents Cup team.
From making his own pairings suggestions and joining team meetings virtually to watching the action on television and even calling U.S. captain Davis Love III during the actual competition, Woods has retained some duties, though unofficially, from his victorious 2019 captaincy.
“He’s spoken to a lot of people on the team,” Love said last Thursday. “I was standing there on 6 tee for like an hour, a long time, so I called him and we talked for a while. And I said, ‘Well, at least you’re watching on TV. Call us if you see anything.’ He’s having fun.”
Yet on Sunday afternoon, as the Americans were putting the finishing touches on a 12th win in 14 tries in the biennial event, Woods was a little distracted; he had more important matters to tend to. Some 500 mile south of Charlotte, North Carolina, in a small Florida town called Howey-in-the-Hills, Woods was caddying for his son, Charlie, in a junior tournament.
Charlie Woods, 13, had opened the 36-hole qualifier for the Notah Begay III Junior Golf National Championship in 8-over 80 at Mission Inn Resort’s El Campeon Course, and while he didn’t punch his ticket to the championship event, he bounced back in a huge way on Sunday, carding a career-best 4-under 68.
“Well, Dad told me to stay patient,” Charlie told tournament interviewer Ryan Burr. “Just play steady golf. Just stay patient, play, focus on each shot, don’t look too far ahead. Just stay in the game.”
Woods’ round included four birdies and an eagle at the par-5 14th hole, where he nearly made an albatross. Tiger has
“When I hit it, I knew it was good,” Charlie said. “When it started trickling down, I knew it was going to be close, but not that close.”
Charlie has competed alongside his 15-time major winning dad twice at the PNC Championship, and Tiger is no stranger to caddying for Charlie in other events. While Tiger played a noticeable role for Team USA from afar, Charlie gives plenty of credit to his dad for Sunday’s career day.
“I couldn’t have done it without him,” Charlie said. “I mean, some shots, I would have been so off. But he steered me in the right course.”