Charlie Woods qualifies for 1st USGA Championship: Get to know Tiger Woods' family
The budding golf star is one of golf legend Tiger Woods' two children.
Like father, like son!
Tiger Woods' 15-year-old son Charlie qualified on Wednesday for his first USGA Championship event, the U.S. Junior Amateur Championship, which will be held July 22-27.
The elder Woods competed in his first U.S. Junior Amateur when he was 14 and won the championship three straight times.
Earlier this month, Woods himself was granted a special sponsor exemption by the PGA Tour for his "exceptional lifetime achievement," paving the way for him to compete in eight PGA signature events in the upcoming season.
The golf legend also accepted the 2024 Bob Jones Award from the United States Golf Association on June 11. At the award ceremony, he made sure to thank the great golf figures in his life but he also took time to thank his beloved mother.
"My mom doesn't get enough credit," Woods said, after recalling a few standout moments from the early days of his golf career. "They all thought that it was my dad and I on the road, which it was, but mom was at home. If you don’t know, mom has been there my entire life. She's always been there through thick and thin."
In addition to accepting the Bob Jones Award "in humbleness" and "unbelievable regard for the past recipients," Woods said he also accepted the USGA's "highest honor" on behalf of his mom.
"She allowed me to get here. She allowed me to do these things, chase my dreams," Woods added. "I didn't do this alone, I had the greatest rock that any child could possibly have -- my mom. Thank you, mommy."
The five-time Masters champion has made a name for himself in the world of golf in the nearly three decades since he turned pro in 1996.
Woods most recently competed in the Masters tournament at Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia in April, and the PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club in Kentucky in May.
Nowadays, Woods, founder of the lifestyle brand Sun Day Red with the TaylorMade Golf Company and a proud father of two, also plays caddy for son Charlie, who followed in his father's footsteps onto the green.
Both of Woods' children -- daughter Sam and son Charlie -- supported their father at the Bob Jones Award ceremony.
In March, Woods joined Charlie as he and his high school teammates received their championship rings after winning the 2023 state championship in Florida.
Woods told Golf magazine in a 2022 interview that he aims to both guide and protect his kids as they grow into their own.
"Being a parent, you always want to be the protector and guider of them and teach them skills that they will need in life when you're not around. And so that's the most important thing about being a parent," Woods said at the time.
Get to know Woods and his children, whom he shares with ex-wife Elin Nordegren, to whom he was married from 2004 and 2010.
Who are Tiger Woods' children?
Charlie Woods
Charlie Axel Woods was born on Feb. 8, 2009.
Now a teenager, he has been competing on the junior golf circuit.
Charlie has competed alongside his father previously and made his debut Feb. 22 as an individual competitor in a pre-qualifier event for The Cognizant Classic, a PGA Tour event.
In September 2023, Charlie competed in the Notah Begay III Junior Golf National Championship Last Chance Florida Regional, where he emerged as the winner of the regional qualifier in the boys 14-15 age division with final scores of 71 and 66.
In a post-competition interview, Charlie said it was "great" having his dad right alongside him on the course as his caddy.
"We just stay in our own little world and we just take it one shot at a time," he told tournament host Ryan Burr.
"He puts me in my place," he added.
At the national championship in November, held in Louisiana, Charlie tied for 17th place.
The elder Woods has caddied for his son in the past and the father-son duo have also competed together at multiple PNC Championships, most recently in December 2023.
Tiger Woods has previously said he doesn't formally coach Charlie in golf in order to minimize any pressure his son might feel.
"He just watches me do it, and then he kind of does it," Woods said of Charlie in 2021.
When Charlie's high school team in Palm Beach, Florida, won the 2023 state championship, Woods was by his son's side as he received a championship ring.
Sam Woods
Sam Alexis Woods was born on June 18, 2007.
Sam honored her father by introducing him when he was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in March 2022, calling him a "fighter."
"You've defied the odds every time," she said.
In December 2023, Sam joined her dad on the golf course at the PNC Championship, where she served as his caddie for the first time.
The PGA Tour posted a video on Instagram showing a sweet moment between the father-daughter duo on the course, captioning the post: "For the first time, Sam Woods is caddying for her father today ❤️."
"Sam was fantastic," Woods said of his daughter, according to Golfweek. "This is the first time she's ever done this, so it couldn't have been any more special for all of us."
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