There is little doubt that Charlie Woods would like to follow in his father’s footsteps when it comes to a career in golf. The younger Woods has been playing alongside Tiger Woods in a number of televised events over the years, and he has displayed a golf swing that has many excellent attributes and could end up allowing him to play professional golf in the future.
The 15-year-old Woods is quite serious about his golf game, and he attempted to qualify for this year’s U.S. Open by playing in a pre-tournament qualifier Thursday. It was a difficult show for the youngster, as he ended up shooting a score of 9 over par 81 at the Legacy Golf & Tennis Club in Port St. Lucie, Florida.
Charlie Woods had one birdie, four bogeys and three double bogeys during his round. As a result of his performance, he will not be able to participate in the U.S. Open this year at Pinehurst Resort & Country Club No. 2 in North Carolina. Woods finished 61st in the field of 74 golfers attempting to qualify for the huge major tournament.
The younger Woods won a state high school championship with his team in Florida last fall. In February, he failed to advance in a qualifying event for the PGA Tour’s Cognizant Classic, shooting a 16-over 86.
Previous experience allowed Charlie Woods to feel comfortable in U.S. Open qualifier
While he was not able to take the opportunity and turn it into an invitation to compete in the U.S. Open, he was able to put his swing on display, plot out his shots and then putt with some degree of comfort.
Much of that came from his previous effort to qualify for the PGA when he played with mini-tour professional Olin Browne Jr.
“It was great. Charlie is a great kid and it was great playing with him,” said Browne Jr. “It’s definitely the most people I’ve ever seen at a pre-qualifier. Charlie’s got a beautiful golf game. It’s tough to come out here and play a professional event at 15 years old. I think he conducted himself beautifully. He didn’t have his best stuff today, but he hit some high-quality shots.”
Woods clearly enjoys playing golf, but getting older presents its own set of challenges
Charlie Woods has a chance to grow in the game and become an excellent golfer. However, there’s a big difference between being a player who can hit impressive shots and score fairly well and then become a dominant professional golfer.
This is clearly the legacy that Tiger Woods has, and it’s also clear that Tiger enjoys watching his son grow in the game and share a passion for the sport. It’s also clear that Charlie will have greater access to one of the game’s greatest historical figures than any other player in the game.
All of that should help Charlie Woods grow and develop in the game, but it does not mean that the son will be able to come close to approaching his father’s accomplishments.
That could lead to a degree of frustration in the years to come, but for now Charlie Woods’ golf career is loaded with hope and promise.
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