Fifteen-time major champion Tiger Woods’ son, Charlie Woods, became the center of attention earlier this month. After all, the 17-year-old joined his legendary father by signing an NIL deal with major golf equipment brand TaylorMade, despite still competing as an amateur. However, the Protect College Sports Act has now passed the Senate and is advancing to the House of Representatives. So, what could this mean for Woods’ deal? 

Woods, a high school senior who is committed to Florida State, won’t lose his NIL deal with TaylorMade because of the bill, according to Golfweek. That’s because the sweeping bipartisan legislation establishes a federal standard for athlete compensation and NIL deals, overriding conflicting state laws. It mandates reporting for NIL compensation over $600, caps agent fees at 5%, and helps curb pay-for-play loopholes involving boosters.

Athletes would get one free transfer with no penalty, but any additional transfer would cost them a year on the sideline. The bill also sets a five-year cap on college eligibility. On top of that, the NCAA and conferences would receive limited antitrust protection, letting them enforce eligibility, transfer, and compensation rules without being tied up in constant lawsuits.

The bill would require 10-year scholarship guarantees and out-of-pocket medical coverage for athletes after they finish competing, and it would create a dedicated medical trust fund. Football coaches could not leave for another FBS job mid-season, and Power Four conferences would be capped at 20 members, with limits on rapid conference mergers.

The bill (S. 4668) was spearheaded and introduced by Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Maria Cantwell (D-Washington), with additional support and bipartisan co-sponsorship from senators including Eric Schmitt and Chris Coons. It passed the U.S. Senate 77–22 this week to regulate college athletics. Cruz said its main purpose is to bring some structure to what he describes as the current “Wild West” of college sports.

He argued that years of litigation have stripped away many existing rules, allowing athletes to enter the transfer portal multiple times and compete for seven or eight years. He also pointed to financial pressures, noting that some schools are losing millions of dollars and that programs, particularly women’s and Olympic sports, could be cut. Without intervention, hundreds of thousands of roster spots and scholarship opportunities could disappear within a few years.

Cruz called that prospect “a tragedy,” given that roughly 500,000 athletes compete in college sports across the country each year. It’s worth noting, however, that the bill is not law yet. It still has to pass a vote in the House of Representatives. If it does, it will reach President Donald Trump’s desk, where he could sign it into law.

As for Charlie Woods, he has a current NIL valuation of $3 million, which outranks fellow golfer Kai Trump’s $2.5 million. Woods had previously been using TaylorMade equipment, and the deal only formalized and expanded that support. And don’t forget, TaylorMade is also the parent company of Sun Day Red, Tiger’s apparel brand, which Charlie has worn frequently.

Charlie’s last appearance came at the Junior Players Championship, where he finished T-8 at 1-under 215, carding rounds of 71-73-71. His final-round 71 included five birdies and four bogeys, and the event marked one of his strongest performances of the season and his best finish in a national junior tournament since May 2025. 

Woods’ TaylorMade deal looks safe, since the bill would set rules for NIL instead of banning it. The House vote is the next hurdle, and lawmakers there could change what the Senate passed. If the bill becomes law, deals like his would have to be reported once they top $600, and agents could take no more than 5%.