To say Charlie Woods has a tough act to follow is quite the understatement. The 16-year-old is hoping to make it big in a sport completely dominated by his father, Tiger Woods, for more than 15 years. Given how far Tiger has fallen from his peak, it is easy to forget he was world No. 1 as recently as 2013.
Tiger Woods’ dominance in numbers
There are countless statistics that demonstrate just how dominant the 49-year-old was in the world of golf until injuries and personal issues derailed his career.
Tiger, who won 14 of his 15 majors in an 11-year span, has the lowest career scoring average and the largest career earnings of any player in PGA Tour history. He has spent the most consecutive and cumulative weeks at the top of the world rankings. He is the only player ever to hold all four major championships at the same time. He also owns the PGA Tour record for most consecutive cuts made. The list goes on, but you get the idea.
The spotlight on Charlie Woods
Because of his father’s staggering achievements, the spotlight has been on Charlie from an incredibly young age, especially since it became clear he would pursue a career in the same sport.
Comparisons between Charlie and his father have been inevitable, if often unfair. Those close to the game even argue it is tough to judge the younger Woods compared to his peers, most of whom have been competing more seriously for much longer.
“People need to quit comparing him to other kids who have been playing competitive golf for more time,” a Golf Digest Top 50 Teacher in America said in 2023. “People need to wait and see where he is in five years, 10 years.”
A late start in golf
Charlie reportedly shifted his focus from soccer to golf during the covid-19 pandemic, only about five years ago. Since then, he has teed it up with his dad several times at the PNC Championship, previously known as the Father/Son Challenge, which features PGA Tour and Champions Tour players alongside family members.
Charlie has also made headlines for two holes-in-one, the most recent coming at the Junior Players Championship on Aug. 31. He also secured his first American Junior Golf Association victory at the Team TaylorMade Invitational in May.
Rapid rise in the rankings
Woods entered that event ranked No. 609 in the AJGA Boys Rankings but has since soared to No. 9, helped by that victory and a T9 finish at the Boys Junior PGA Championship.
Clearly, Charlie still has a long road ahead if he is to carve out even a solid career as a professional golfer, let alone approach his father’s legendary accomplishments. His recent progress, however, shows he is moving firmly in the right direction.
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