Charlie Woods certified for a slot within the U.S. Junior Amateur championship on Wednesday.
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Golf is a household affair for Tiger Woods, and now apparently one thing else is just too: USGA Championships.
On Wednesday night, Charlie Woods, the 15-year-old son of the 15-time main champion, grew to become the second member of the Woods household to qualify for the U.S. Junior Amateur Championship. The youthful Woods shot a one-under rating of 71 to safe medalist honors on the Eagle Trace Golf Club qualifier in Coral Springs, Fla., grabbing certainly one of 264 spots within the subject of the junior sport’s most prestigious championship.
According to the USGA, Woods overcame a bogey-double begin within the qualifier by recording 5 birdies over his final 16 holes, ending in first place within the qualifying occasion by one shot.
“I didn’t play great my first two holes, but I played really good for the last 16,” the youthful Woods stated Wednesday. “I just told myself not to make any more bogeys or doubles and I took advantage of some nice birdie looks when I had them. Putting was my biggest strength today. I made a lot of putts when I needed to.”
Tiger’s solely son has reached cult ranges of fame amongst golf followers within the years following his debut on the parent-child PNC Championship. That fame has solely grown as his junior golf profession has continued to take off in Southern Florida, however it’s additionally transitioned. After Charlie’s dazzling (and eerily Tigeresque) debut introduced his golf sport into focus, the youngest Woods has shifted within the highlight, spending the final a number of months as his father’s swing coach du jour.
“I trust him with my swing and my game,” Tiger stated eventually week’s U.S. Open. “He’s seen it more than anybody else in the world. He’s seen me hit more golf balls than anyone. I tell him what to look for, especially with my putting. He gave me a couple little side bits today, which was great, because I get so entrenched in hitting certain putts to certain pins, I tend to forget some of the things I’m working on.”
If nothing else, the U.S. Junior Amateur serves as a reminder that the youngest Woods’ aggressive profession forges on. Charlie has had a number of unsuccessful aggressive alternatives in current months, together with a failed try at a Monday Qualifier into his hometown PGA Tour occasion, the Cognizant Classic. Late final 12 months, his highschool coach Toby Harbeck spoke with GOLF.com about his improvement as a participant.
“There’s certain pins you don’t want to go after, and he goes after everything. When I can break him of that a little bit, he’s going to become a much better player,” Harbeck stated, however… “He can bomb it out there 300-plus in a heartbeat. He’s got a different mode — sometimes it’s a nice easy swing, and then sometimes he puts it on ultra-mode and he can just fly it.”
Now the main focus is about to shift once more at Oakland Hills Country Club in Michigan, the place the youthful Woods will play for the U.S. Junior Amateur, the identical occasion his father received thrice as a junior golfer. Woods’ efficiency would be the topic of nice scrutiny in his first big-time occasion — and he says that’s simply the best way he likes it.
“It feels amazing to qualify for my first USGA championship,” he stated. “The USGA means a lot to me. I want to win USGA championships and hopefully one day the U.S. Open.”
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