From preferring soccer over golf when he was younger to playing his first PGA Tour pre-qualifier event in February 2024, Charlie Woods has come a long way. So, as Tiger Woods returned to the Masters this year – an event steeped in tradition – almost everyone expected his 15-year-old to be there with him. However, that wasn’t the case, and the 15-time major champion explained why.

Once a golfer wins the Masters, they become an honorary member of the Augusta National Golf Club. Because of that, they can set up a round of gold whenever the course is open for regular play. While Charlie has tagged along with his father on previous occasions, he wasn’t there this year when Tiger played the course last weekend. Referring to something the 48-year-old said last year, a reporter mentioned Charlie during the Masters press conference.

They asked, “I think last year you talked about bringing your son here and sharing memories with him. How often do you bring him here to play, and how often does he ask to come?” Tiger Woods replied, “We haven’t played together in a couple years now.” When the five-time Masters champion visited Augusta last weekend, he played alongside his caddie Lance Bennett, Justin Thomas, and close confidante Rob McNamara. Woods explained, “I came up here last weekend. He wanted to be at home.”

“So I came up here and got a chance to play with the chairman and Rob and JT, and we had just an absolute blast,” he added. Addressing the part about sharing memories with Charlie, Woods said, “I would like to, obviously, play a little bit more up here with him and to share the experiences. Especially now that he’s got a little bit longer so he hits it past me.” It was evident that Woods missed his son during that excursion, even if he had a fantastic time with his buddies, just like the father-son duo did in 2022 – an Augusta experience that Woods admitted “meant a lot to both of us.”

After his 2021 car crash, that was the first time he returned to Augusta to play. And with Tiger and Charlie was Justin Thomas. Describing what that feeling to play with his son at the iconic course was like, Woods said, “[Charlie] had a chance to play right before the ’20 Masters, and he’s grown a lot since then, become a lot better player. It was fun to see the changes in him and for us as a family to go out here and have Robbie out here and JT, and just play together. We just had a blast.”

Since that 2022 outing, Charlie Woods has grown a lot more, both in terms of his physique and his ball-hitting ability, so much so that his father joked during the recent press conference, “I think that the days of playing from the members’ tees are over. He’s got to come back there with us.” With the 15-year-old not making an appearance at the ANGC last weekend, it put into question his attendance for Wednesday’s Par 3 Contest as a caddie for Tiger. Speaking of being on the same team…

When did Charlie and Tiger Woods last play together?

The last time Tiger Woods and his son Charlie played together was at the PNC Championship in 2023. They might not have won, but they were, without a doubt, the highlights of the last round at the Orlando Ritz-Carlton Golf Club. While Bernhard Langer and his son Jason took home the trophy with a dominant final round, Team Woods tied for fifth place, showing not only Charlie’s noteworthy talent but also Tiger’s exciting return to competitive golf.

The then 14-year-old Charlie Woods impressed all through the competition. He showed a remarkable touch on the greens and drove the ball 355 yards. His chip-in birdie, however, which included a celebratory fist pump emulating his father’s famous actions from his heyday, was the highlight.

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Tiger Woods may have found his form again, and Charlie Woods showed signs of a bright future at the PNC Championship. We hope he can replicate some of that form now, a few days before the Masters, as it was some of his best work since his return following the injury. However, his performance, as of now, is purely up to speculation.

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