Mike Ehrmann/Getty ImagesLike father, like son!
Tiger Woods' 11-year-old son Charlie Woods, the youngest of his two children and a rising child golf star, played with his dad in a competitive golf tournament for the first time on Saturday, Dec. 19. Wearing matching purple polo shirts, the two both made their debut in the PNC Championship, an annual two-day exhibition event that pairs pro golfers with a family member, in Orlando, Fla.
Charlie stole the show as he showed off some impressive golfing skills on the course. At one point, he drove the ball around 175 yards, setting himself up for his first eagle. Tiger, 44, stood and watched proudly, later telling his son, "Awesome shot" and giving him a pat on the back.
"I really don't care about my game. Just making sure Charlie has the time of his life and he's doing that," Tiger later told reporters without his son present. "[And] making sure that he is able to enjoy all this."
Tiger said Charlie "enjoyed being out there," adding, "The fact that we got off to such a quick start helped." The golf champion also gave his son kudos for "hitting some of those incredible shots and carrying from the range to the golf course."
Tiger and Charlie were all smiles as they played together and fist-bumped their way through the tournament.
Earlier this month, Tiger told Golf Digest that Charlie honed his golf skills during the current coronavirus pandemic. This past summer, the child won two junior golf tournaments during the South Florida PGA Junior Tour.
"Because everything was shut down, the only thing that was available to us was golf," he said. "He started to pick up golf, but this pandemic allowed us to play more golf and be with one another. And we just started playing a lot, and he started getting the bug for it. And so did I."
Tiger added, "It kept me competitive, kept me in it when we didn't have any tournaments. But I had a tournament every day with him, and that was the fun part. Was just like me growing up with my dad."