No one better than Tiger Woods can define the moment he is in, both from a physical and game perspective. What was seen at the PNC Championship invites optimism in the eyes of the fan. He played well, was solid, made few mistakes, and managed to reach the end of the tournament with a chance of victory alongside his son Charlie. The million-dollar question at the end of the festive tournament in Florida was obvious: when will we see him again and how far does he believe his level can reach again according to his practice possibilities?
Tiger summed up the expectations in a single phrase: “right now I’m a good scramble partner. I can hit some good shots here and there and not much more. We’ll see what the future holds. It’s about training and progressing, building little by little on small things,” he explained to the journalists. It’s a clear message of containing euphoria and optimism. There’s still a long way to go to see the great 15-time Major champion fighting for tournaments… if we ever see it again. His last victory, as you know, was more than five years ago at the ZOZO Championship.
This harsh reality check from Tiger doesn’t mean he would trade this week for anything in the world. He had a blast. “Being able to play with my son and see him make his first hole-in-one, with my daughter Sam on the bag, surrounded by my family and friends is everything. I can’t ask for more. This is what this tournament is about, strengthening bonds with your loved ones, connecting everyone,” he stated.
In this regard, the father spares no praise when talking about his son Charlie’s evolution. “He has improved a lot over the past year in all areas of the game. His golf has no ceiling. Let’s not forget he’s 15 years old. It’s true he’s been with us for a long time, in front of the media, but he’s only 15. Honestly, I wish I had hit as well and as far as he does at his age,” he assured. Charlie, of course, couldn’t hold back in response to Tiger’s words and replied, “Dad, I wish I had won the tournaments you had already won at my age,” to which Tiger responded, “I made a couple of putts.”
Explaining Bernhard Langer’s performance at 67 is more difficult. “It’s impressive,” Charlie intervened without being asked, while Tiger Woods couldn’t have been more expressive: “I have no words to define what he does, it’s incredible. He doesn’t miss a shot. I take my hat off to him. Today I felt that pressure to win again, and the most fun part is doing it against someone who doesn’t make a single mistake. We had a great time. I love that. You know if you miss a shot, you’re dead,” he emphasized.
If the father had a good time, what to say about Charlie, who also achieved the first hole-in-one of his career. “It was, by far, the best day of my life on a golf course, by far. The hole-in-one was with a slightly cut 7-iron. Still, it really annoyed me not to see it go in,” he concluded.
