WATCH: Tiger Woods causes a stir watching Charlie play at US Junior Amateur
Charlie Woods had his father watching him through a tough round at the US Junior Amateur earlier this week. The younger Woods shot a 12-over 82 on Monday in the tournament he played his way into. Woods won his qualification last month in Coral Springs, Florida, with a one-under 71, earning him a berth in the field of elite juniors from across the globe.
He would go on to miss the cut on the Oakland Hills South Course, dubbed “The Monster” by Ben Hogan. But Charlie is the only person in the world who has experienced what it’s like to be Tiger Woods’ kid, and he now knows exactly what it’s like to compete under intense scrutiny.
Charlie’s father was among about 100 onlookers who waited on the first tee to watch his son play, at an event that typically draws a few hundred people for the championship match. At least that many more watched them for hours.
“He still qualified,” Tiger said to his son’s caddie after the round.
“That’s what I keep telling him,” caddie Luke Wise said.
Six Oakland Hills members were tasked with crowd management support. Ten extra men were sent to hold ropes to give the players and Tiger some room.
A fan removed Charlie’s tee, embellished with a palm tree, from the ground to preserve it as a keepsake after he made a tee shot on the seventh hole.
“I feel like he’s feeling pressure,” said 35-year-old John Pinch of Warren, Michigan. “If his dad could talk to him, he would probably try to get him to settle down.
“You can tell he’s really down on himself.”
