Every time Charlie Woods teed up, the cameras moved in his direction. ‘It’s Tiger Woods‘ son who’s playing; is he any good?’ headlines would ask. Comparison was inevitable, but as time passed, Charlie began putting up numbers that demanded attention. For instance, he won the state high school championship in 2023, earning an accolade even his father doesn’t have. Now, Tiger in Charlie is showing, but naturally. And the 16-year-old’s recent achievement is proof.

On November 5, the AGJA named Charlie Woods to its Rolex Junior All-America first team. He is one of just 12 boys across the US to earn this distinction. This ranking was finalized on October 14th and is built entirely on performance in Rolex-ranked events. Players are required to have at least six starts in AJGA tournaments, and Charlie had exactly that many. He finished ninth overall in the ranking with 46.715 points.

For the Woods household, this is a full-circle moment. Tiger Woods earned the AJGA Player of the Year honors in both 1991 and 1992. He, too, was 16 years old at the time of receiving this award. Now, his son has joined that same echelon.  Other notable honorees include Miles Russell, who was named the Rolex Junior Boys Player of the Year for the second time, and Aphrodie Deng, who was named the Rolex Junior Girls Player of the Year.

Charlie wasn’t going to forget this season, and rightfully so, but now he has one more reason not to.

He captured his first AJGA title in May at the Team TaylorMade Invitational with a 15-under-par 201. This 3-stroke victory turned the spotlight on him as he shot 26 birdies—a record for the most ever at an AJGA Invitational. Moreover, he was competing as the 606th-ranked player against names like Miles Russell, who was placed as one of the top five ranked junior players. The rest of the year showed similar grit.

Charlie had a strong showing at the Junior PGA Championship, finishing T9. A closing 74 cost him a top-3 finish, but it was his best performance at a national yet. He then also qualified for the US Junior Amateur for the second consecutive year and competed in the Junior PLAYERS Championship. This was the event where he made a hole-in-one in the final round. And just a few days back, he helped his school, The Benjamin School, capture the Florida High School Regional title. Along with good days, the young golfer had some setbacks, too.

He missed the cut for the second year at the US Junior Amateur. This is a dramatic contrast with his father, as he had won this event three straight times, from 1991 to 1993. He also could not make it to the Junior Ryder Cup team. His coach says that he plays rather emotionally, and that could be a double-edged sword.

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Charlie’s hardest opponent is his father

Tiger Woods’ AJGA career was one of the most dominant. He was just 15 when he had given 13 starts and then went on to win 8 of them. He was the recipient of the Rolex Junior of the Year titles, back-to-back. Then, between 1990 and 1993, he had a record-setting mark of 11-3-2 at the Wyndham Cup. Finally, he placed a cherry on top by winning six straight USGA titles. He had three US Juniors, which were followed by three US Amateurs. That is a streak that no one has come close to replicating and may not even be matched in the near future.

So, it’s rather unfair to expect Charlie Woods to do the same, just because he shares the same surname. Nevertheless, for Tiger Woods, his son’s growth is what impresses him the most. He has been watching him closely, even though he might not attend his events at times.

“He has gotten better at every facet of the game. That’s a commitment to practicing and developing as a player. Most of us forget he’s only 15. Being only 15, I think it’s incredible what he’s been able to accomplish so far, and the ceiling that he has is unlimited,” said Woods of Charlie.

In all honesty, that comparison might never waive off. For as long as he plays, he will be compared to his dad. But through all that scrutiny, he’s still able to carve a distinct name for himself, and that’s what makes him actually stand out. Not as Tiger Woods‘s son. But as Charlie Woods.