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ORLANDO, Fla – Justin Thomas and Tiger Woods texted on the eve of the PNC Championship final round, with their teams tied for the lead and in contention. Neither of them mentioned the victory.
It was about Woods playing alongside his 11-year-old son Charlie, watching him spin the club after a good workout and, yes, even deliver a fist pump in his red shirt on Sunday. For Thomas, it was about competing with his father Mike, a longtime Kentucky club pro and the only coach he had ever had.
Team Thomas birdied the first seven holes and the sire had a 5-foot putt on the 18th hole which gave them a 15 under 57 in scramble format and a one-stroke victory over Vijay Singh and his son Qass .
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They won the Willie Park Trophy. It was as if the other 19 teams had won a participation trophy.
“Memories that we’ll have all our lives,” Woods said after he and Charlie posted 62 more to finish seventh. “He won’t appreciate that at 11. I didn’t do it when I was with my dad. Over the years, you start to appreciate it more.
Woods and his son dressed in his traditional Sunday Red with black pants.
The Woods played the last six holes in the par 6, too late to do anything about Thomas and his father. Thomas, a former World No.1 and PGA Champion, got close to the Woods Clan and spoke in the days leading up to this event about Charlie’s desire to beat him.
Mike Thomas said young Woods took $ 1 off him on the green on Saturday afternoon and said with a laugh, “I’m going to show him what I have here. Mike Thomas specializes in working with juniors and spends time with Charlie while in Florida.
Thomas, who has won multiple PGA TOUR titles in each of his past four years, wasn’t about to compare that with his PGA Championship, World Golf Championships or any of his 13 wins on the TOWER. Even so, he called the PNC Championship “100% the nicest”.
When his dad hit the bird putt he said he knew there were still 10 teams on the course and still felt like the tournament was over.
“Part of you didn’t care who won,” he said. “We were here as father and son to have a special time.”
This is what Alastair Johnston, IMG’s vice president, had in mind when he created this tournament 25 years ago. It started as the Father-Son challenge. Since then he has become major champions and winner of the PLAYERS championship competing with a family member – son, daughter, stepfather, grandson.
The idea was that golf enthusiasts would be curious to see the children of great players. Add in the 11 year old son of golf’s biggest star and interest has soared to new levels. Charlie Woods put on a great show, oblivious to the 250 spectators (mostly sponsors) or the spotlight on national television.
“I would love to find the right way to tell Charlie that thousands of kids watching at home will be inspired to want to play golf with their dad,” said Johnston. “He wouldn’t appreciate it now. But someday he might.
The PNC Championship has the strongest waiting list in golf, and it always has been. New to the field this year included Woods and Thomas, Bubba Watson and Mark Calcavecchia.
Calcavecchia performed with his son Eric. When they finished, the former Open champion who had been trying to enter the tournament for seven years was asked how it went.
“Nothing fancy,” Calcavecchia said. “I’m a little sad it’s over. I feel like a little child when the carnival leaves town.
That’s about how I felt for Woods.
His son has played from the starting marks over 100 yards in some cases, and Woods often waited for Charlie to hit his drive. More often than not, Charlie would look back to give him a thumbs up and Woods didn’t even bother to strike his blow.
“I’m proud of the way he handled everything,” said Woods.
He said it was “without a doubt” the most fun he had on the golf course this year. Woods only played nine times due to the COVID-19 pandemic and only finished in the top 10 once. But he wasn’t close to ranking the week with other big moments of his remarkable career.
He said the idea was to enjoy the experience together, “and we did.”
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