Why Charlie Woods won't defend his title this week at South Florida junior golf major

Charlie Woods is not in the field to defend his title this week at one of the South Florida PGA’s annual “Junior Major” tournaments.

Woods, a rising junior at the Benjamin School and son of legendary golfer Tiger Woods, is the reigning champion of the South Florida PGA Junior Cup after winning last year’s event on July 31, 2024 at the BallenIsles East Course in Palm Beach Gardens.

He shot 2-under (73-68-73) and was the only player to finish the tournament under par. It was Woods’ first career win on the Srixon Medalist Tour, which is the highest competition level of the South Florida PGA’s Junior Tour program.

The Junior Cup was formerly known as the Doral Junior Open and was played on the “Red Tiger” course at Trump National Doral Golf Club.

This year’s Junior Cup will be hosted from July 28-30 at the BallenIsles North Course in Palm Beach Gardens.

DALLAS, TEXAS - JULY 22: Charlie Woods of the United States hits a tee shot on the third hole during the second round of the U.S. Junior Amateur at Trinity Forest Golf Club on July 22, 2025 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Tim Heitman/Getty Images)

DALLAS, TEXAS – JULY 22: Charlie Woods of the United States hits a tee shot on the third hole during the second round of the U.S. Junior Amateur at Trinity Forest Golf Club on July 22, 2025 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Tim Heitman/Getty Images)

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Instead, Woods is competing in the 49th Boys & Girls Junior PGA Championships this week at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana.

The Junior PGA Championships are considered the PGA of America’s premier annual junior golf tournaments. Past winners include major champions like Trevor Immelman and David Toms while past runner-ups include Tiger Woods and Jordan Spieth.

From 1980-2000, the Junior PGA was held at PGA National Golf Club in Palm Beach Gardens in all but two years (1988, 1993).

Woods’ most recent tournament was the U.S. Junior Amateur Championship — the United States Golf Association’s national championship for boys junior golf — last week at Trinity Forest and Brook Hollow Golf Club in Dallas.

He shot 14-over in stroke play and missed the cut to advance to match play.

Eric J. Wallace is deputy sports editor for The Palm Beach Post. He can be reached at ejwallace@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Why Charlie Woods won’t defend title at South Florida junior golf major