Charlie Woods has his sights set on his future as an amateur golfer. And he’s not following the same path as his father, Tiger Woods. Instead, he has chosen to go down the road where his arch-rival is enrolled: Florida State University. Eager to rise up the ranks, the crew of Fore Play Golf podcast explained why Woods will benefit from playing alongside Miles Russell.

Sam “Riggs” Bozoian told his co-hosts, “Charlie Woods, 17 years old, commits to Florida State University. He announced his commitment Tuesday afternoon. He will join Miles Russell, who is the number 1 player in the AJGA rankings, as the kind of star-studded class that they’re going to have of 2027.”

As confirmed by the PGA Tour on Instagram, Woods announced that he will be joining FSU alongside #1 AJGA-ranked player, Russell. Bozoian’s statement gave Frankie Borrelli the perfect stage to comment on the situation.

“I love it. I think it’s a great move,” Borrelli said. He added, “I saw a lot of people were surprised it wasn’t Stanford or something closer to what Tiger did at Stanford. Florida State having Miles Russell is great for Charlie Woods. Being around the best player, they’re going to be very competitive; they’re going to build off of each other. Obviously, Charlie on to Miles more than the other way around, because he’s the best player in the country.”

Unlike Woods, Russell enjoyed a very successful spell as a junior golfer. Over the last year, he has won three events and was in contention in every time he joined the field. Not that the Big Cat’s son has also not found success during this period. Woods managed to capture the Team TaylorMade Invitational last year and showed tremendous improvement in his game. However, he was still being compared to his father’s legacy. And moving to FSU will potentially help him overcome that.

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“I think this is great for his development. For a kid that grew up with his dad being Tiger Woods, the best situation ever for a golfer, but also not a realistic childhood or upbringing. So to be able to go to experience college and playing with a team. Not being singled out and with the spotlight on you; you’re just a part of a team with a logo,” Borrlli added.

He also said, “That’s going to be great for Charlie Woods. This is everything that he needed instead of going pro and trying to be on the PGA Tour at the age of 18-19; this is so much better for him.”

Had Woods gone to Stanford University, he would have constantly been compared to his legendary father. Instead, the young protege will be teamed up with and competing against his rival at FSU. That will give him the opportunity to breathe and build his own path into professional golf.

That said, Woods will also have a score to settle with Russell, going to Florida State University.

Charlie Woods might look for payback against Miles Russell at FSU

Charlie Woods has been working hard to find his game. However, over the last couple of years, his efforts have been overshadowed by those of his rival. Miles Russell has been stealing the spotlight from the 17-year-old due to his incredible skills.

After his incredible record in 2024, Russell left an impression on TaylorMade after his U.S. Amateur Championship domination whereas Woods ended up missing the cut. And the brand didn’t hold back on highlighting Russell’s skills.

In an Instagram post, they shared glimpses of him with a caption, “A 15-year-old phenom. 😳 @milesrussellgolf has all the shots in the bag with #TP5x. #TeamTaylorMade.”

While may be hanging out with Russell as they prepare to join FSU in 2027, but the young protege might also be looking for some payback. It might not come in the form of direct competition. But Woods might be looking to get one-up on his rival by slowly getting better than him while playing alongside him.