“That was some round, huh!” quipped Charlie Woods at the end of his 18-hole qualifier at the Lost Lake Golf Club. It indeed was some round for Tiger Woods’ 15-year-old son. He carded 16-over 86 to tie for 110th on the leaderboard, missing out on Monday’s qualifier for the Cognizant Classic. The chances were always slim, in retrospect. He’s a teenager who plays for Benjamin School, just starting his foray into professional golf. Considering this, the expectations and pressure on Charlie should’ve been lower. However, they were anything but.

The younger Woods had won silverware with his school, bears a freakish resemblance to his pop’s mannerisms, and has been very candid about himself in media interactions. The hype reached its peak when he set foot in Hobe Sound for the Cognizant Classic pre-qualifier. His first shot at the chance to join the big leagues, however, came to the limelight for all the wrong reasons.

Autograph hunters and PGA Tour overshadow Woods Jr.’s performance

Reports of unruly fans came pouring in. Some 50 of them tagged along with the teenager, the Palm Beach Post reported. When his wayward drive landed on the bush, it threw a frenzy among the spectators. Some of them thronged to excavate the ball, “hoping to grab a souvenir from the bushes and palms.” 

If that wasn’t enough, soon realizing that there were no boundary ropes and Woods Jr. had only his caddie and two security officials, fans came up close. “Who are you? The fire marshal?” one fan reportedly snapped back at the field marshals when asked to maintain distance. Requests for autographs were flying around, with one fan even approaching Woods Jr. for his signature on Tiger’s book, ‘How I Play Golf.’ “It’s definitely the most people I’ve ever seen at a pre-qualifier,” said Olin Browne Jr., Charlie’s playing mate.

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Even the PGA Tour couldn’t hold itself back from milking Charlie Woods’ popularity to the fullest. NuclrGolf tweeted that the Tour sent a Getty photographer to the event. There are more than 70 images of the teenager. That’s about four images per round. They also posted videos of Woods Jr. arriving on the course in the wee hours. With all this media attention, Paige Spiranac voiced her opinion.

She wrote on X, “How about we let Charlie Woods develop his game without constant media coverage. Golf is mentally challenging enough without all the added eyeballs on him and pressure.” One of the reasons for all the attention he garnered was, of course, Tiger Woods. But as the golf legend wasn’t there alongside his son – still down with influenza – his mother, Elin Nordegren, was there to support him. On his bag was his good friend and teammate, Jacob’ J.J.’ Kutner. But despite the support, the round went a little haywire nonetheless.

Was Charlie Woods caught wrongfooted? 

It’s a question that has been making rounds on social media. Perhaps he was underprepared. Saving 11 pars in an 18-hole qualifier isn’t bad in itself for a 15-year-old amateur. Nevertheless, Charlie Woods was clearly disappointed and frustrated by his game, which saw him 21 shots behind the leader, Billy Basham. Woods Jr. also made four bogeys and two double bogeys in the round. 

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However, Woods’ eye-popping, 16-over-par would’ve been drastically different without the 12 on par 4 seventh. In fact, Charlie Woods would’ve moved up 30 spots on the leaderboard. Eight players qualified from Hobe Sound. None were amateurs. Wylie Inman was the only amateur to come within the top ten, carding 1-under 69.

At 15 and still developing, Charlie Woods will have plenty more shots at the elite level. But what the Cognizant Classic pre-qualifier showed was that he might have to battle with fame early on in his life.

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