Tiger Woods was looking forward to participating in the PNC Championship with his son, Charlie, before his back surgery in September 2024. During the Open in July, Woods expressed his excitement about teaming up with his son in the Father/Son tournament, affectionately referring to it as their “fifth major.” However, his plans were put on hold after he underwent microdiscectomy surgery to relieve nerve impingement in his lower back and alleviate back spasms.
“No, I’m not going to play until then. I’m going to just keep getting physically better and keep working on it. Hopefully just come back for our — what is it, our fifth major, the Father/Son, so looking forward to it”, he had said. Woods has been focused on his recovery, with an expected timeline of 8-12 weeks. He’s not scheduled to play again until the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas on December 5-8, followed by the PNC Championship with Charlie on December 21-22 in Orlando, Florida.
“It remains unclear if Tiger will play the Hero World Challenge. It’s getting late for the announcement of the 3 promised exemptions. The TaylorMade shoot appears to be this coming week in Florida so he will definitely be involved in that”, read the latest post by TW LEGION. Woods has confirmed that he won’t be playing any tournaments before the Hero World Challenge, instead choosing to prioritize his physical rehabilitation and preparation for his return to competitive golf.
🚨#TIGER UPDATE — It remains unclear if Tiger will play the Hero World Challenge. It’s getting late for the announcement of the 3 promised exemptions. The TaylorMade shoot appears to be this coming week in Florida so he will definitely be involved in that. His SDR shoe releases…
— TWLEGION (@TWlegion) November 23, 2024
The PNC Championship is still finalizing its list of competitors, and this year’s event has undergone a few notable changes, including a shift in its timing, with the tournament taking place a week later than in previous years, which is likely to create some scheduling conflicts, particularly given its proximity to the TGL dates in January, an event that is expected to feature the legendary Tiger Woods in action, setting the stage for an exciting and potentially complicated golf calendar.
Tiger Woods’s shocking reaction to his son’s performance at the 2024 PNC Championship
Tiger Woods and his then 14-year-old son Charlie returned to the PNC Championship in 2023, competing in the golf tournament that features major champions and their family members for the fourth time. The father-son duo was spotted on the course at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club in Orlando, Florida, on a Friday for a pro-am ahead of the official start of the tournament. Charlie left his dad in awe with an impressive flop shot during warm-ups, prompting Woods to exclaim, “We’re ending on that one right there. That was nasty!”
Woods and Charlie had previously found success in the PNC Championship, finishing as high as second place in 2021, and setting a tournament record with 11 consecutive birdies that year. Charlie had recently won a state championship as a high school student, showcasing his growing skills on the course. Woods, meanwhile, was competing in just his fourth event that year after undergoing ankle surgery in April, marking a significant milestone in his recovery and return to competitive golf.
