PINEHURST, NC — Tiger Woods might know more about the game of golf than anyone alive, but this week the superstar is turning to a surprising source when he needs a little help: His 15-year-old son Charlie.
“I trust him with my swing and my game,” Woods said Tuesday from the U.S. Open at Pinehurst. “He’s seen it more than anybody else in the world. He’s seen me hit more golf balls than anyone.”
Charlie Woods is here with dad this week and has been spotted out on the course during practice rounds with the 15-time major champ.
“I tell him what to look for, especially with putting,” Tiger said. “He gave me a couple little side bits today, which was great, because I get so entrenched in hitting certain putts to certain pins, I tend to forget some of the things I’m working on.”
When Charlie isn’t out helping dad, the teen is busy working on his own golf game. Following in a famous father’s footsteps is hard for any son, but following Tiger Woods in the game of golf takes it to another level. Luckily for Charlie, he seems more interested in the current generation of golfers than focusing on what dad’s past glories.
“It’s neat for him to see the guys that he watches on TV and YouTube and TikTok, whatever the hell it is that they do,” Woods said, sounding very much like a dad. “At home he’s with (Justin Thomas) and (Rickie Fowler) a lot.
“But to see other guys hit the golf ball, it doesn’t really do it justice until you actually see it in person. He was very excited today to watch Max (Homa) and Min Woo (Lee) and watch them hit golf balls. They’ve talked to him quite a bit, especially Min Woo and him. I think they’re closer in age than I am to anybody else.”
This week, Tiger Woods will be looking to recapture a past level of golf that has eluded him since his dramatic 2021 car accident, but in some ways the golf legend already is a winner this Father’s Day week at Pinehurst.
“Having Charlie out here is very special,” Woods said. “To have the father-son relationship that we have and to extend it into this part of both of our lives, he’s playing a lot of junior golf, and I’m still playing out here … it’s a wonderful experience for both of us.”