The golf world’s eye has always been focused on how the only son of the legendary pro, Tiger Woods, plays out as a golfer. Thus, the pressure has always followed Charlie Woods as a large number of galleries watch his every move. On top of that, the 15-year-old’s performance in the 2024 season has been anything but forgetful.
He missed the qualifying cuts for the Cognizant Classic and US Open just a few months ago. And the criticism was always there. But everything got bigger than Woods. Jr. made his USGA debut at the US Junior Amateur, the tournament his father has won three consecutive times. The pressure was on, and many expected that if not lifting the decorated cup, Woods would at least reach the finals.
However, what happened was the opposite of the predictions. The junior golfers shot 12 over in round one of the US Junior Amateur and 10 over in the second round to miss the cut with a 22 over scoreline. One missed shot of Woods from the second round at Oakhills Country Club was shared on Instagram. And the 15-year-old looked frustrated as he tried to hit a low-cut shot but clearly missed it.
It has been a month since Woods failed to make it to the US Junior Amateur final. But since then, the golf world has had many opinions about the 15-year-old golfer, some cheering him on while many were brutal.
The golf world shares contrasting views on Charlie Woods’s game
After seeing missed shots by Charlie Woods, this golf user painted a parallel image between the basketball legend, LeBron James son Bronny James, and Tiger Woods’s Charlie Woods. Bronny James has had a hard start in the Summer League, and as he was drafted as No. 55 despite his low performance, the harsh comments poured in. James Jr. was compared to his father and how he couldn’t fill his shoes. This user compared Woods to him to disregard both and said Woods was the “bronny james of golf.” Implying that even the 15-year-old pro could not be able to perform as spectacularly as his father.
Another viewer chimed in and reciprocated a similar stance on Charlie Woods. They suggested that the junior golfer should choose a different sport and said, “He should really consider quitting golf – way too young to be this miserable playing a game. Someone tell him – it’s not his job.” But just after a month of missing the 2024 US Junior Amateur’s cut, he won the 2024 South Florida PGA Junior Cup. Woods was grateful and said that he redeemed himself. With this victory, he also proved the critics wrong.
Although many were criticizing the young golfer, there were also a few who looked past his mistakes and appreciated his gameplay. Every golfer has lost form from time to time. Even the pros, for example, Jordan Spieth, have not been on his best front, but he may still be one of the best golfers in the world. That’s why this fan encouraged Woods and said, “Been there buddy! Hang in there!”
It might be hard being the child of arguably one of the best golfers in the world, who has broken, made, and equaled many records in his career. As similar expectations are put on Charlie Woods at the age of 15, he rarely gets to relax. And it’s not usual that he always misses shots or plays poorly. Last year, he shot a round of 66 after draining an 8-foot birdie to win the Notah Begay III National Championship qualifier and showed his capabilities. Thus, this fan said, “Give the kid A “Fricken Break!!!” Imagine the scrutiny. Post Solid Shots.” Although many were comparing Woods’s missed drive to his father’s and said that he could not match it, this user differed on that opinion. They could see the resemblance and praised the young golfer by saying, “Steep and spinny, just like pops.”
It remains a question if Charlie Woods would ever come to par with what his father did. But his abilities cannot be disregarded, as he has a few wins under his belt and there are still four more months to the season. Who knows, Charlie Woods may win a couple of junior events and shut the mouth of critics for once and all.
