Tiger Woods and his son, Charlie, narrowly missed out on their maiden PNC Championship title when they were edged out in a thrilling contest with Team Langer on the first playoff hole at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club, Orlando.
However, even though the duo couldn’t quite get over the line as Bernhard and his son, Jason, claimed their record sixth title, there was a moment the Woods family will never forget.
All eyes were predictably on Woods Sr given it was his first event since undergoing back surgery in September, but it was 15-year-old Charlie who stole the show on the par-3 fourth. There, the teenager achieved his maiden hole-in-one.
That drew the humorous response of "the (drinks) round is on you bud" from his proud dad as they embraced. The moment was made even more special by a second successive appearance from Tiger’s daughter, Sam as his caddie and afterwards he described what the moment had meant to him.
He said: “That was the thrill of a lifetime to be able to have that moment with Charlie, make his first hole-in-one, Sam on the bag, just our family and friends. That's what this event is about. It's about bonding and family.
“For us to have that experience together, I know we didn't win, but it was the fact that we competed. No one really made a mistake out there. We had to earn it, and that's what you want to have. Hats off to Langers. They played amazing.”
Tiger also singled out the contribution from Sam and how contributions from family members makes the PNC Championship so special. He said: “It's more special to have Sam on the bag, and then be able to experience this, communicate with Charlie shot-for-shot. Just our team, most of the stuff, as I was alluding to early in the week, most of the stuff we do at home is against each other time and time again each and every day.
“But this week is different. We're a team, and this is about family. That's what makes this week, and all the players that are out with their families, that's what makes this week so special.”
As for Charlie, he was also thrilled with his unforgettable shot, although he admitted he hadn’t seen the ball find the hole. He said: “It was awesome having Dad there. That was so much fun It was just a perfect 7-iron, little cut in there. Of course never got to see it go in. So that sucks. But that's all right.”
Tiger added: “We heard it up on the green on the right and left but we were totally unsure until the TV confirmed it. And we went nuts. I don't know what we did but we enjoyed it. It was an unbelievable moment. I was talking to Todd out there, and that two-hole stretch, that was his first eagle he ever made out there on 3, and then his first hole-in-one.”
