The pressure is on! Charlie Woods, son of the legendary Tiger Woods, is making waves at the Florida Class 1A State Championship, and the stakes couldn't be higher. After a rollercoaster first round, his Benjamin School team is locked in a tight battle for the state title. Let's dive into the details!
Day one at the challenging El Campeón Course at Mission Inn Resort in Howey-in-the-Hills proved to be a test of skill and nerves. Charlie, at just 16 years old, battled through the course, finishing with a 74, including four birdies, four bogeys, and a double bogey. This placed him at T19 on the individual leaderboard. But, as they say, it's a team effort!
But here's where it gets exciting: The team standings tell the real story. Benjamin School is in a three-way fight with Orlando First Academy and Orlando Circle Christian. First Academy currently leads at 1-under 287, with Benjamin School just one stroke behind, and Circle Christian two strokes back.
Benjamin's hopes are high, thanks to a stellar 68 from Alexander Tsar, tying him for the lead with Mingbo Jiang of First Academy. The Benjamin School team, ranked No. 1 in Florida high schools by FHSAA iWanamaker rankings, certainly has the pedigree to win. They qualified for the state championship after dominating defending champions Oxbridge Academy at Regionals.
This season has been a landmark one for Charlie. He was named a first-team All-American by the AJGA, an honor his father, Tiger Woods, received in the early 90s. Charlie is one of only 12 boys nationwide to receive this prestigious award. Miles Russell, a Walker Cup alternate, and one of America's top prospects, also earned Player of the Year for the second straight season, matching Tiger's back-to-back triumphs in 1991 and 1992. Charlie currently sits ninth in the AJGA rankings, fueled by his victory at the Team TaylorMade Invitational.
Adding to the excitement, Charlie also achieved a stunning hole-in-one at TPC Sawgrass' iconic 17th during the Junior Players Championship. This wasn't even his first! He famously aced another alongside his father at the PNC Championship in December 2024.
While Charlie competes, his father, Tiger, is still recovering from his seventh back surgery. However, Tiger is approaching a significant milestone: he'll be eligible for the PGA Tour Champions next month when he turns 50.
Interestingly, Tiger also has a keen interest in the LPGA's Annika tournament this week, as his girlfriend Vanessa Trump's daughter, Kai, is making her LPGA debut. Tiger offered Kai some simple advice before her debut. Kai, unfortunately, finished the week at 18-over par, but showed resilience in the second round.
What do you think? Will Charlie's team take home the state title? Do you think the pressure of following in his father's footsteps is an advantage or a disadvantage for Charlie? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
