Charlie Woods was the center of attention last Friday as he celebrated his commitment to Florida State University at Benjamin School. The 17-year-old was joined by his father, Tiger Woods, his mother, Elin Nordegren, Robert McNamara, and several others for the signing-day ceremony. However, it wasn’t until Wednesday that Charlie officially signed his athletic grant-in-aid agreement with the Seminoles. Now that the formalities are complete, the young golfer has penned a special message.

“Proud to officially be a Seminole,” he wrote on Instagram. “Huge thank you to my family, coaches, and everyone who has helped me get here. Can’t wait to get started and compete alongside my new teammates. Go Noles! 🍢”

As Charlie bids farewell to his former coaches, he is preparing to begin the next chapter under the guidance of Florida State head coach Trey Jones. He had verbally committed to Jones and the Florida State men’s golf program in February, choosing the school over several other prestigious programs that had expressed interest in his recruitment.

The University of Alabama emerged as a key runner-up, while University of Florida was also among the programs linked to his recruitment. More notably, Stanford University, Tiger Woods‘ alma mater, had also shown interest in bringing him on board. However, Charlie chose not to follow in his father’s footsteps. That said, Tiger never pressured his son to attend Stanford or continue the family’s connection with the university.

In fact, the 15-time major champion made it clear that the decision was entirely Charlie’s. Tiger even admitted that it was fun watching his son navigate the recruitment process and figure out where he wanted to play. Interestingly, Charlie’s older sister, Sam Woods, did choose to attend Stanford, making his decision to take a different path all the more noteworthy.

Woods wasn’t the only high-profile recruit to join the Seminoles. Miles Russell, 18, also signed with Florida State after verbally committing to the program in June 2025. Russell, of course, is currently the No. 1-ranked junior in the country and No. 6 on WAGR.

The Seminoles’ 2027 recruiting class also features Edwin Askerfors, one of Europe’s top recruits, and Florida native Kaden Puranik, further strengthening what promises to be an impressive incoming class. However, what makes the future even more promising for these young golfers is the opportunity to develop under Jones, who has spent more than two decades building Florida State’s men’s golf program.

Over the years, Jones has coached several players who went on to establish themselves at the highest level of professional golf. These include Brooks Koepka, Jonas Blixt, Daniel Berger, and Luke Clanton. Inducted into the GCAA Hall of Fame in December 2025, Jones has recorded 41 tournament victories with the Seminoles, the most in program history.

Jones, a three-time ACC Coach of the Year, has also guided Florida State to four top-five finishes at the NCAA Championships, highlighted by a historic national runner-up finish in 2024. 

Coming back to Woods, his signing follows the most successful year of his young golfing career. In September 2026, he tied for eighth at 1-under par at TPC Sawgrass, securing his first-ever top-10 finish at the prestigious junior event. He also captured the individual district title at the Florida Boys Golf State Championship and helped lead The Benjamin School to a regional championship victory alongside teammate Brooks Colton.

Beyond his on-course achievements, Charlie has also made significant strides off the course. He signed a Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) endorsement agreement with equipment manufacturer TaylorMade, joining his legendary father, Tiger Woods, as part of the brand’s roster.