Only Charlie Woods knows the pressure it takes to be the only son of the golfing great, Tiger Woods. So far, the 15-year-old has been under the microscope as golf fans predict his future, primarily on account of whether it will be as bright as his father’s. And Woods has not disappointed the masses, as he recently acclaimed the US Junior Amateur qualifier at Eagle Trace Golf Club to play his first USGA event.
As Tiger Woods won the amateur title three times in his life, once Charlie Woods tees up at Oakland Hill Country Club, a similar spectacle would be expected of him. Talking about winning his first USGA event, has the 15-year-old junior pro ever won in his life, for that matter?
Over the past couple of years, Charlie Woods has started playing more and more golf. From playing in the qualifiers for the Cognizant Classic to the 124th U.S. Open, the 15-year-old has left no stone unturned to make a name for himself. Although he couldn’t pass those two tests, Woods has tasted victories in his career.
Woods has played mainly on two tours: the Hurricane Junior Golf Tour and the South Florida PGA Junior Tour (SFPJ Tour). Between the two leagues, the 15-year-old’s first victory was at the SFPJ Tour. Woods won the Links Tour Jonathan Landing Old Trail, a 9-hole event in August 2020 on the 9-11 division.
Moreover, he was also the leading golfer for two days at the SFPGA’s West Coast High School event to win a gold medal and catapult Benjamin High School to the winner’s podium. But to date, Woods has not carded another victory at the South Florida PGA Junior Tour. However, the 15-year-old has won four times on the Hurricane Junior Golf Tour. He first won the South Florida Junior Open in February 2022 and again the next year.
Additionally, the Flordia native was also victorious at the Major Championship at the Village Open for two consecutive years, in 2022 and 2023, respectively. Woods also won a qualifier last September for the Noath Begay III Junior Championship but couldn’t win the prestigious event. So, as evident, Woods’s award shelf is not empty of victories; just like his father, he has attempted to win and emerge as the best junior golfer. However, there is a blemish in Woods’s illustrious record.
Shocking as it might be, Charlie Woods had never played an AJGA event until February 2024. As revealed, even the U.S. Junior Amateur will be his first-ever USGA event. Consequently, among his peers like Miles Russell and Blade Brown, Woods has been in the rear seat regarding elevated amateur events.
However, the 15-year-old did try to change that, as he made his AJGA debut at the Will Lowry Junior Championship four months ago. After shooting 78, 81, and 78 in three rounds, Woods fell into a tie for 32 and left the course disappointed. His AJGA debut was spoiled, and he failed yet again to make a mark. Courtesy of his not having a membership in these organizations, Woods is also not ranked either on the AJGA Rankings or the WAGR.
But things might change if he successfully wins the U.S. Junior Amateur, which will start on July 22nd. Then, for once and all, he could hammer down his name as the next biggest junior golfer in the game.
