Tiger Woods’ Son Charlie Sees Ryder Cup Hopes Fade After Junior PGA High

Charlie Woods’ hopes of making the U.S. Junior Ryder Cup team took a big hit after he faltered in the final round of the Junior PGA Championship, finishing tied for ninth and missing out on automatic qualification. The 16-year-old was hoping to win the first big title of his junior career this week, as many of the top young golfers competed at Purdue University. He needed to finish first or second in Indiana to earn a place in next month’s Junior Ryder Cup at Nassau Country Club and Bethpage Black, but his three-day charge ended in disappointment as his late-round struggles cost him a place on Team USA.

Woods Misses Out On Automatic Ryder Cup Qualification

Woods entered the final round in a strong position after posting impressive back-to-back rounds of 5-under 66, surging into a tie for second place at 12-under overall. The 16-year-old started the final day in second, seven shots behind overnight leader Lunden Esterline, and was in a good position to secure one of the two automatic spots on Team USA for the Junior Ryder Cup. However, he found himself 10 shots behind after eighteen holes.

The son of legendary golfer Tiger Woods grabbed national attention after making nine birdies in the third round at the Kampen Course at Purdue University in Indiana. But Woods couldn’t hold his ground on the final day, as he opened with a bogey and struggled to regain momentum. A double bogey later in the round sealed his fate as he shot a 3-over-par 74 and fell down the leaderboard. His 72-hole total of 9-under left him tied for ninth, four strokes behind the two players who locked up the final Ryder Cup spots.

Giuseppe Puebla and Tyler Mawhinney both finished at 13-under to earn automatic qualification, and Lunden Esterline won the tournament with a dominant 19-under-par finish, having already qualified through the points list.

Woods Faces Fight To Make Ryder Cup Team

With only one captain’s pick remaining for the boys’ team, Charlie is in danger of missing out on the U.S. Ryder Cup team. He currently ranks 20th in the American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) standings, and this may not be high enough to earn him a final selection. The AJGA rankings play a key role in determining the team, along with performances in top tournaments like the Junior PGA.