Charlie Woods wrapped up his participation in the Notah Begay III Junior Golf National Championship on Monday. He had another good performance with a third round that could have been signed by his father.
The son of Tiger Woods shot a bogey-free round at the Notah Begay III Junior Golf National Championship on Monday. This is an excellent result for a player his age (junior, 14-15).
Charlie Woods’ third round included 11 birdies and seven pars. The young Woods also birdied all nine holes on the front nine. This was good for the second-best third round of the tournament, tied with several other players.
The final score for the young Woods was 2-over 215. That put him in a tie for 17th out of 38 players in the 14-15 age group. The winner was Lucky Cruz with an 11-under 202.
In the combined 14-18 age group, Woods finished T35 out of 88 players. Of those players, 13 were the same age as Charlie, and two were younger.
The event was played over 54 holes at the Koasati Pines Course in the Coushatta Casino Resort in Louisiana. Throughout the three rounds, legend Tiger Woods was seen tending to his son’s bag.
What is the Notah Begay III Championship that Charlie Woods played in?
The event Charlie Woods played in this weekend, the Notah Begay III Junior Golf National Championship, is the final one in the series of the same name. The series is designed to develop junior talent and is open to players ages 10 to 18. Boys and girls play together.
The event consists of three stages. The first is the Local Qualifier, where local qualifying tournaments are played throughout the United States and Canada. These are 18-hole and 36-hole tournaments, depending on the age group.
This is followed by the Regional Finals. These are 36-hole events in which all local qualifiers and event organizers participate. The top finishers in these events qualify for the National Championship.
The final stage of the series (the one just played with the participation of Charlie Woods, among others) is played at the Koasati Pines course. It is an event that serves as a meeting place for college recruiters, coaches and potential sponsors to meet with junior players.
Notah Begay III, the event’s namesake, is a professional golfer and commentator of Native American descent. In his 28 years as a professional, he has won four tournaments on the PGA Tour and one on the Korn Ferry Tour.
Notah Begay III is also known for his charitable work. In 2005, he established the Notah Begay III Foundation to raise funds to help Native American children in need.
Tiger Woods caddied 54 holes for son Charlie at this week’s Notah Begay III Junior Golf National Championship – walking and carrying the bag. As speculation heats up around Woods’ potential competitive return after springtime ankle surgery, it’s another potential indicator that his next start could be imminent.
Based on video footage shared by the tournament social media accounts, Woods’ stride appeared comfortable and purposeful. He looped for Charlie as the younger Woods carded a final-round 68 to finish T17 (Boys 14-15 division) at the three-day event, contested at Louisiana’s Koasati Pines at Coushatta.
Woods’ appearance at the Notah Begay tournament marked the continuation of a busy stretch. Woods was on-site pre-tournament at last week’s World Wide Technology Championship in Mexico, contested at the Woods-designed El Cardonal at Diamante. While in Mexico, Woods visited with contemporaries including Stewart Cink – who revealed to Golf Channel’s George Savaricas that Woods said he had returned to practice, opining that Woods was in “go mode.”
It begs the question: What is Woods practicing for? The first and likeliest answer is the PNC Championship, Dec. 14-17, where competitors can use carts. Tiger and Charlie Woods have paired in the last three editions of the PNC Championship, a two-player best-ball event. Team Woods finished seventh in 2020, second in 2021 and eighth in 2022. The father-son duo has openly relished the event and the opportunity to compete together in this setting; six teams have already been announced for next month’s event, but not Team Woods.
There’s also an open spot yet to be announced at the Woods-hosted Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas, Nov. 30-Dec. 3, another potential return spot.
Woods hasn’t competed since undergoing ankle surgery in late April, shortly after withdrawing from the Masters during the third round due to plantar fasciitis. The 82-time TOUR winner was seen chipping at Liberty National in September, and a video was captured of Woods hitting balls at The Hay, the short course Woods designed at Pebble Beach, during the TGR Jr. Invitational in October.
Woods has made five TOUR starts since a 2021 car accident in which he suffered multiple breaks in his right tibia and fibula and damaged his feet. He has made the cut four times but completed 72 holes just twice; walking has proven understandably difficult, particularly on uneven terrain.
He appeared to walk just fine, though, while looping for Charlie this week. The younger Woods earned a spot at the Notah Begay event via rounds of 71-66 at a September qualifier in Florida, with dad also caddying.
“It’s great. We just stay in our own little world,” Charlie said at the time. “We take it one shot at a time. He puts me in my place. I’ll talk about the next tee shot, and he’s like, ‘No. This is the shot we’re going to focus on. Focus up. This is what we’re gonna do.’”
Charlie Woods clinched a place in the national championships after shooting a 66 to win the 14-15 year-old Notah Begay III National Championship’s Last Chance Regional.
And he had a very famous helper in the process, as his dad Tiger Woods operated as his caddie.
“It’s great. We just stay in our own little world,” he said after the round. “We take it one shot at a time. He puts me in my place.”
Tiger Woods won the Junior World Golf Championships a whopping six times en route to a career than has seen him claim 15 major titles. Now, his son Charlie appears to potentially be on the way to carving out his own successful golfing career.
1. Tiger Woods announced the field for his Hero World Challenge (Nov. 30-Dec. 3), with 17 of the 18 spots filled and one spot open for a “TBA tournament exemption.” Last year, Woods left this spot open for himself, yet he withdrew Monday of tournament week due to plantar fasciitis. What are the chances we see Woods play the Hero this year? If not at the Hero, when do you predict we’ll see Woods next?
Josh Sens, senior writer (@joshsens):Woods used to make it pretty plain that the Masters was his top priority. I think you could argue that at this point in his career, playing in his own tournament in the tropics and with his son in the PNC are now right up there in importance to him. So, barring any new physical setbacks, I’d bank on seeing him at the Hero. And of course in the father/son. And possibly the Genesis at Riviera, before Augusta in April. Oh, and if we’re looking further out — the senior circuit. How about Woods saying he’s looking forward to getting out there in a cart when he turns 50? Remember how unlikely that prospect used to seem? The years wear on. People change.
Ryan Barath, equipment editor (@rdsbarath): As much as I’m an optimist, I don’t have a lot of optimism for Tiger playing a lot more professional golf — even his own event. Do I believe that the final spot at the Hero is potentially for Woods? Yes. But the spot could also be filled by any number of players, including a player from LIV. Considering the swings we saw Tiger make a few weeks ago at the par-3 course at Pebble Beach, I think best-case is we see Tiger next at the Masters.
Jack Hirsh, assistant editor (@JR_HIRSHey):I don’t think Tiger would save himself a spot if he didn’t think he could play. That said, I was more discouraged from the one swing video we saw from him at Pebble Beach a few weeks ago. That looked like a man who is almost completely unable to push off his right leg. The surgery he had looks like it has vastly limited his mobility in his right ankle, so until I’m seeing him swing away at drivers, I think this is more of an optimistic hope for Tiger than a realistic plan.
2. In a press conference during LIV Golf’s Team Championship, Phil Mickelson was confident that more PGA Tour and DP World Tour players would join LIV. “Do I think that? No,” he said. “I know that’s going to happen.” How much truth do you think there is in Mickelson’s statement? Given the state of the current golf world and the fact that LIV was just denied World Ranking points, how intrigued do you think pros are to join LIV right now?
Sens: Mickelson is both a LIV player and a LIV PR agent, so everything he says has to be taken in that context. In this case, though, I think he speaks the truth. Seems inevitable that some additional guys will jump; most people have a price, after all. If there’s enough money involved, someone will be intrigued. Whether those will be big names or players of slim relevance is another matter. With so much up in the air with the merger, it’s hard to make the calculus. Or make predictions. While the OWGR’s decision to deny ranking points wasn’t good news for LIV, it could become moot depending on the terms of the deal. We may soon see a world where players can move fluidly between LIV and the other tours. Only time will tell. I doubt even Jimmy Dunne and Yassir know exactly what’s going to happen at this point.
Barath: Similar to what Josh said, I think Phil is throwing whatever predictions he can into the void, so he can claim any that come true as him being right. As for top players, I bet there could be a few who have existing major exemptions who are willing to sign a deal with LIV if the number is high enough. Look, we can be as romantic as we want about the game of golf, but at the professional level, there are a lot of players who are simply there to use their skills to make as much money as possible — and if LIV still has a wide-open checkbook, why not take the money?
Hirsh: Barath took the words straight outta my mouth, err, off my keyboard? Anyway, I totally agree: Mickelson is just throwing you-know-what at the wall and seeing what sticks. I’m not sure he’s as keyed in with discussions as he lets on. I doubt many more PGA Tour players will jump over given how LIV’s future has never been more clouded, given the impending deal with the PGA and DP World Tours. If I’m a pro, there’s no way I’m leaving the PGA Tour for a tour that may not exist in 2025.
3. Golf Channel analyst Brandel Chamblee reacted to Mickelson’s comments and said it’s “inevitable” other stars will join, but said very few players make a difference. He also added: “Rahm worries me a bit as he seems open to the idea.” If the Tour lost another star to LIV in the offseason, how detrimental would it be to the PGA Tour after all that’s happened to appease the Tour’s top talent in the past year?
Sens: If one big-name defection led to a slew of others jumping ship, it would make waves. But I don’t think any single player switching over would be a crucial tipping point, not even someone of Rahm’s stature. It wouldn’t suddenly turn LIV into an exciting product; and it wouldn’t ruin the biggest Tour events either. You can rearrange the puzzle pieces any way you want, but the fact remains that there are a limited number of tournaments anywhere that really move the needle. That was the case before the birth of LIV, and it remains the case today. The irrational market created by LIV may have created the impression that some individual players are invaluable to the game. That’s fantasy, not reality.
Barath: The entire sports landscape is built on regularity, familiarity and history, and no matter how hard LIV tries to force themselves into the professional golf ecosystem, it’s going to take a seismic shift to: 1) bring non-major events into the world of casual golfers; and 2) have casual sports fans pay attention to LIV. At the end of the day, sports ratings soar only when casual fans understand what’s on the line. For sports like baseball, football and basketball, that’s the playoffs. In tennis, it’s the four Grand Slams. And as much as the PGA Tour won’t admit it, golf’s four majors are when casual golf fans care the most. So with all of that in mind, I think LIV could get a few top players, but it won’t make a huge difference.
Hirsh: We call him the needle for a reason. Unless Tiger is doing it, it’s not going to matter. And he’s not doing it. Besides, even if they could sway one player, it’s looking increasingly like it would be for only a year or so.
4. Collin Morikawa won the Zozo Championship in Japan, ending a winless drought that dated back to the 2021 Open Championship. What had been holding him back the past couple of years? And now, as he jumps from 20th to 13th in the World Ranking with the win, do you expect him to crack the top 10 in 2024? Top five?
Sens: The stats tell a pretty clear story. Heading into the week, he was second on Tour in Strokes Gained: Approach and 112th in Strokes Gained: Putting. Golfing his ball well but rolling it poorly. This week, he rolled it great. Putting is streaky. The good news for Morikawa is that his ball-striking isn’t likely going anywhere. And I’d wager on him having enough good weeks on the green to crack the top 10.
Barath: For Collin, it has always been about his putting, and it seems like his newest gear change has been a big help to that part of his game. If he is able to maintain a steady level, even if it’s not like it was this week, he will continue to show up on leaderboards in 2024 and beyond. (And here’s the story on his putter!)
Hirsh: Morikawa just needs to have average PGA Tour performances around the greens to win. We really saw how much his short game holds him back when he blew a six-shot lead at the Sentry. And his putting was just never what it needed to be. We didn’t get strokes gained data from the Zozo, but judging from his 26 putts in round four, I bet he’d at least rank among the top 20 in the field in putting. That’s scary for a guy who is nearly guaranteed to hit 13 to 16 greens a round. Plus, he was 17th in the field in scrambling for the week, with five of his seven missed up-and-downs coming in Friday’s 73. The work he’s doing with Stephen Sweeney and Parker McLachlin is clearly paying off.5. Netflix announced its first-ever live sports property in the Netflix Cup (airing Nov. 14), which will feature Rickie Fowler, Max Homa, Collin Morikawa and Justin Thomas competing in teams alongside Formula 1 stars Alex Albon, Pierre Gasley, Carlos Sainz and Lando Norris. What are your thoughts on the newest golf/celebrity match?
Sens: Given the stake the Saudis also hold in Formula 1, I think we can see this as further evidence of their growing influence in the game. A slam-dunk opportunity for cross-branding. I expect we’ll see more of this as time wears on. Personally, I’d rather get a root canal than sit on my couch watching Formula 1. And I’d take a root canal without novocaine over watching a bunch of Formula 1 drivers play golf with Tour pros. But I also know that that probably puts me in the minority, and I’m sure that this celebrity hoo-hah will draw plenty of eyeballs and sponsorship dollars. I just can’t get excited about it. As a wise friend recently put it, there’s just too much of everyone nowadays, clamoring for more cash, more attention, more … you name it. Thomas, Morikawa, Fowler, Homa — great golfers, all. But do we really need to see more of them in watered-down formats? What all this fluff does is make the majors and a few other meaningful events seem all the better. I’d rather save my free time for those competitions than spend it on a televised celebrity match. And while we’re at it, you kids, get off my yard!
Barath: On a personal level, I’m with Josh in that it’s not something I’m going to spend a lot of time consuming, but — and it’s a big one — these types of entertainment events are not designed to bring in hardcore fans, and because of that, I think it’s going to be a huge hit! I have a number of casual golfing friends who don’t know the Genesis Invitational from the Farmers Insurance Open, but they were quick to reach out and ask me questions about this made-for-TV event, which I think is great for golf as a whole. A lot of curious people will be tuning in.
Hirsh: I really have no interest in watching people who are not better than me at golf play golf. It’s not fun watching famous people struggle to make par on courses set up for birdie fests. I don’t like watching celebrity golf tournaments or the Match when pros aren’t involved. Now what would be a great idea is the one floated by our GOLF Subpar guys this week. Let’s do away with the celebrities and give the caddies their time to shine. A player-caddie team event would be sick.
Charlie Woods clinched a place in the national championships after shooting a 66 to win the 14-15 year-old Notah Begay III National Championship’s Last Chance Regional.
And he had a very famous helper in the process, as his dad Tiger Woods operated as his caddie.
“It’s great. We just stay in our own little world,” he said after the round. “We take it one shot at a time. He puts me in my place.”
Tiger Woods won the Junior World Golf Championships a whopping six times en route to a career than has seen him claim 15 major titles. Now, his son Charlie appears to potentially be on the way to carving out his own successful golfing career.
Despite his long hiatus from the game, Tiger Woods‘ name has not stopped headlining the news in the golf world as his son Charlie Woods makes his own place in the spotlight. The 14-year-old has been raising the bar for himself as he aims to follow in his father’s legacy while carving out a name for himself in the sporting world.
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However, as all prodigies experience competition. So has the young golfer, who has found one in his father’s former rival’s son as he recently made the news for his achievements. However, what came out as a surprise this time around was not the contender’s talent but his siblings’, leaving the LIV golfer with not one but three talented children!
Although Englishman Ian Poulter seems to be having a rough season in 2023, he has been extremely vocal about the pride he has for his children, especially his son Luke. The LIV Golf pro’s boy has found himself dubbed as a potential rival for the GOAT’s son as the duo’s recent accolades have pitted them against each other, albeit without their knowledge.
However, in a surprise of sorts, the 47-year-old took to Instagram to share news about his children’s golf endeavors, but this time, it’s not Luke: it’s about his siblings. The 3X PGA Tour champ uploaded a series of stories to his social media handle showcasing the various talents of his other two children, namely Lilly Mai Poulter and Joshua James Poulter.
The first video showcases the third child, Lilly beautifully playing the piano while his father records the same. He uploaded the same with a caption expressing his love for the same, “love coming home to this.”
The next story showcases the youngest son, Joshua, trying his hand at basketball. The young athlete was spotted kneeling down on the top of a golf cart while attempting to score a basket. Moreover, after successfully scoring one, the LIV golfer’s son tried to replicate the ever-famous “suiii” of soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo, someone whom his father respects very much.
Well, it doesn’t seem so far-fetched to call the older Poulter sibling a potential rival since the rest of the children are gifted in their own right!
The Saudi-backed League player’s son was named the SEC Freshman of the Week owing to his exceptional performance on the course. The young golfer finished T11 at the Williams Cup while registering a score of 2-over 218 through 54 holes in just his third start.
However, he received the collegiate honor just when the legend’s son was taking a small break from the game. The Woods duo were spotted at Pebble Beach for the TGR Invitational which was hosted by the Hall of Famer himself.
Well, the 14-year-old would need to pull off another victory like the win that he achieved at the Village Golf Course in Royal Palm Beach if he is to surpass his rival.
Phil Mickelson has burned a few bridges. Some he might have a little regret about, and some he is extremely proud of. The biggest bridge that he burned, and indeed one he can boast about, is the one with his older self. The Mickelson of the early 2000s and the 51-year-old golfer who is playing at LIV Jeddah have one huge difference. The latter is fit, healthier, and stronger. But it was not always so.
Mickelson was at the receiving end of persistent ‘fat-shaming’ since his poor eating habits started reflecting on his body. The media was ruthless when he welcomed his daughter Amanda in 1999. A journalist quipped, “Was it Phil or Amy who was pregnant?” Two decades later, the table has turned. Lefty is perhaps the fittest 40+ golfer, making everyone wonder what’s the secret to his weight loss journey.
The secret to Phil Mickelson’s weight loss is intermittent fasting. It’s a dieting regimen, except that there is little to no ‘diet’ at all. Instead of fasting for a day, during intermittent fasting, you fast for a stretch of five to six days, feeding only a liquid diet to your body.
According to an article in Forbes, your body starts digging into the stored energy reserve to supplement the deficiency. In short, it’s a process of burning fat by fasting. It has found some backing in the athletics world. Most notably, MMA legend George St. Pierre has revealed that he intermittently fasts three to five times a year, drinking only water.
In 2019, the six-time Major winner announced on Instagram that he had completed a six-day cycle of intermittent fasting, drinking only water and a special blend of his own coffee. Mickelson claimed to have lost 15 pounds and felt way more healthy and fresh.
He appeared a further 25 pounds slimmer at this year’s Masters, courtesy of another cycle of intermittent fasting. But progress is not a straight line. The veteran golfer suffered setbacks before finding the perfect balance.
A calorie-restricting diet is often a double-edged sword. It helps you lose fat, but along with that, you also lose muscle mass. The veteran golfer admitted that although he got back in shape, his form was impacted.
To his credit, he picked up the signs quite early on. After noticing the impediment to his performance, the golfer started following an aggressive speed-training regimen. To get back the power behind his swings, he started lifting weights.
Phil Mickelson turned a few heads when he became the oldest major champion, lifting the trophy at the age of 51. The PGA Championship victory in 2021 was in large part due to his refocus on health and fitness. And now perhaps more majors lie in the way of the fit senior golfer!
The golf world has been rife with news related to the return of Tiger Woods to the course during the TGR Invitational held at Pebble Beach. Moreover, prior to the event, the golfer had taken to caddying for his son Charlie Woods in various tournaments. The iconic duo had, thus, been hogging all of the limelight for a while now.
But ever since the tournament began at The Hay in California, the father-son pair has been busy owing to the legend hosting the event. However, the silence of the young prodigy helped another golfer claim his moment in the spotlight—none other than the son of a LIV golfer!
Ian Poulter seems to be having a bumpy year, but the same cannot be said for his son, Luke Poulter. The LIV golfer’s oldest son had earlier made his first appearance as a Florida Gator at the Fighting Illini Invitational in Chicago, Illinois. Although he could only finish T44, it was a special occasion nonetheless. And now, the 47-year-old took to Instagram to share another piece of good news with his followers.
The 3X PGA Tour champ shared a story on his social media handle congratulating Luke for being dubbed the SEC Freshman of the Week. The teenager, who is part of the Florida Gators Men’s Golf Team, had a team- and career-best T11 finish at the Williams Cup not too long ago. The amateur golfer scored 218 (+2) over 54 holes in just his third straight start, thus cementing once again why he is dubbed a potential opponent for Charlie Woods.
The collegiate honor dragged him into the spotlight just when the son of his father’s rival was taking a break owing to the TGR Invitational. The teenage golfer is slowly building up his legacy in the game, much like the GOAT’s son, who won the Major Championship at Village Golf Course in Royal Palm Beach, Florida, last month.
Well, it takes a talented bunch of people to garner accolades through their exquisite gameplay and skills. However, while mentioning the two young spiritual rivals, one can’t help but bring in another youngster who outshines a lot of his peers.
Holden Bautista scored two aces in the same round at Pebble Beach in the presence of the legend of the game, Tiger Woods. The prodigy managed to do so at The Hay, a special 9-hole course designed by the Hall of Famer and TGR Designs.
One can’t help but look on in awe at the extraordinary talents showcased by the two golfers’ sons, along with the 11-year-old golfer. Well, it would be nothing short of an exciting future for the sport when all of them grow up to compete with each other.
Tiger Woods is undoubtedly one of the greatest golfers of all time, but his lеgacy may not be limited to his own achievements. His 14-year-old son, Charlie Woods, has shown remarkable talеnt and potential in this sport, following his father’s footstеps. However, Charlie is facing some challenges and prеssurе as he tries to carve his own path in the golf world.
Tiger Woods has not played competitively because of injury, and it is unclear when he will return to the course. This means that Junior Woods will have to compete without his father’s guidance and support as his caddie. This could be a daunting task for the young golfer, who may fееl the prеssurе of living up to his father’s name and еxpеctations.
It is reported that the young golfer may bе fееling thе hеat from his rivals, еspеcially Lukе Poultеr, thе son of Tigеr Woods’ longtimе nеmеsis Ian Poultеr. Lukе Poultеr is also a talеntеd junior golfеr who has bееn making wavеs in thе sport.
Luke had a strong performance at the Williams Cup, finishing T11th place. In the third round, he played below par, scoring two strokes less than the average and his total score for the round was 70, which was one of the best scores of the day.
Tigеr Woods’ Son is Coping with his Father’s Absеncе
While Ian Poultеr may be enjoying his son’s success, Tiger Woods may be feeling anxious about his son’s future. He has said that he wants Charlie to enjoy the game and have fun, but he also knows that golf can be a cruel and competitive sport. He has еxpеriеncеd both the highs and lows of golf, from winning 15 major championships to undergoing multiple surgеriеs and scandals.
Mr. T may not be able to help his son directly on the course right now, but he can still offer him some valuable advice and еncouragеmеnt from afar. Hе can also hope that Charlie Woods will overcome the challenges and prеssurе that he faces, and find his own way to shinе in the sport that he loves. After all, Charlie Woods is not just Tiger Woods’ son; he is also a golf prodigy in his own right.
With Charlie Woods’ golf career gaining momentum, fans might be curious to know where the prodigy attends high school. School golf can be an important factor in shaping up one’s career, especially for someone as passionate about the sport from such a young age.
Tiger Woods‘ fourteen-year-old is part of his school team that recently won the West Coast High School tournament a few days back. Young Charlie Woods attends this school in Palm Beach, Florida. Interestingly, golf legend Jack Nicklaus’ children attended this school too.
Charlie Woods is part of the Golf Varsity team at the Benjamin School. Golf legend Jack Nicklaus, whose children attended the school, famously promoted the school. It was inaugurated in 1960, and Nicklaus has been instrumental in its growth. He has contributed significantly to building the school’s legacy.
The team includes 13 boys, including Charlie, and has an impressive track record. The team played in the recent PGA West Coast Team Invitational League, which started on 30th September. The list of matches from the tournament was on the School’s website with win-loss records. We couldn’t spot a loss on the list in the entire tournament.
Another popular golfer, Greg Norman, also sent his son to the Benjamin School. Greg Norman Junior was an alumnus from the class of 2004. He is currently on the list of Distinguished Alumni of the School.
Although Charlie Woods is only 14 years old currently, he is still not too young to take his golf career seriously. It makes sense that Tiger Woods wanted him to attend a school that has a strong golf connection to it.
Speaking of high school golf, do you know where Tiger Woods attended high school?
Tiger Woods attended Western High School, a public school, and after he started going there, he won his first USGA championship when he was 15. It was the U.S. Junior Amateur Championship in 1991.
The legend was already playing for the PGA Tour when he was 16, and he won two more amateur championships in the next few years. Woods also played for his school golf team and all four years of his high school golf life, he earned the MVP of the Year title.
Looking back, it might seem obvious, but decades earlier, Tiger Woods’ classmates voted him “Most likely to succeed’ during graduation. Makes one amused at how right their prediction turned out to be.
With the legacy that the Benjamin School carries, Charlie Woods would probably make headlines on his own pretty soon.
