Charlie Woods continues carving out his own path in golf while following in the footsteps of his father, Tiger Woods.
The teenage golfer has steadily developed into one of the top junior players in Florida, earning another berth in the U.S. Junior Amateur while drawing praise from coaches for both his physical transformation and growing maturity on the course.
Charlie Woods’ Fitness Transformation Has Helped Elevate His Game
Charlie, a rising junior at The Benjamin School in Palm Beach, has become one of the leaders of the Buccaneers‘ golf team.
Head coach Toby Harbeck told The Palm Beach Post in November 2025 that Charlie has dramatically improved both physically and mentally over the past two years.
“Charlie has come a long way in two years,” Harbeck said. “He’s lost 10 pounds and is ready to take on that No. 1 role.”
The coach also praised Charlie’s approach despite the added attention that comes with being Tiger Woods’ son.
“Charlie knows a lot of the attention is going to be on him and he knows not to put himself in an uncomfortable position, but his teammates are protective of him,” Harbeck said.
According to the coach, Charlie’s development has made him one of the experienced leaders expected to guide the team.
“I’ve got those three juniors who have played on the team and have quite a lot of experience. My first three guys are going to be really good.”
Harbeck also reflected on the team’s disappointing finish at the Florida state championships after entering as one of the favorites.
“To this day, I don’t know what happened,” he said. “Maybe we were overconfident. We just had one bad round at the worst time possible.”
Looking ahead, Harbeck hopes to challenge the team with stronger competition.
“You can’t get any better by beating the same teams every day.”
Tiger Woods’ Son Qualifies for Another U.S. Junior Amateur
Charlie’s latest accomplishment came when he qualified for the 2026 U.S. Junior Amateur.
He secured one of five qualifying spots after shooting a 3-under 68 at Heathrow Country Club in Florida before winning a playoff against Eric Zhao.
The round included seven birdies, including birdies on each of his final three holes.
The tournament, scheduled for July 20-25 at Saucon Valley in Pennsylvania, marks Charlie’s third consecutive appearance in the U.S. Junior Amateur.
He missed the cut in both of his previous appearances after competing at Oakland Hills in 2024 and Trinity Forest in 2025.
Tiger, who won the U.S. Junior Amateur three consecutive times from 1991 through 1993, has attended each of Charlie’s appearances at the championship.
Earlier this year, Charlie finished tied for 28th while defending his Team TaylorMade Invitational title after capturing the prestigious junior event in 2025, the biggest victory of his young career.
Charlie Woods Continues Gaining Experience Beyond Competition
Charlie has continued finding ways to learn even when he is not competing.
After narrowly missing a spot in final qualifying for the 2026 U.S. Open, he spent golf’s “longest day” serving as caddie for future Florida State teammate Miles Russell during final qualifying at BallenIsles Country Club.
Charlie had come within one stroke of a playoff during his own qualifying attempt after shooting an even-par 72 at Eagle Trace Golf Club.
The round included birdies on the sixth, 10th, 12th, and 15th holes, but a double bogey on the seventh and a bogey on the 14th ultimately left him one shot short of extending his bid.
The experience added to Charlie’s growing résumé after previously attempting U.S. Open qualifying in 2024 and 2025.
Away from golf, Tiger has supported both of his children as they pursue athletics. While daughter Sam followed a different path through soccer, and track and field before enrolling at Stanford University, Charlie has embraced competitive golf.
He first captured national attention in 2020 when he became the youngest competitor in PNC Championship history at just 11 years old.
Tiger Woods’ Son Charlie Woods Undergoes Remarkable Transformation While Chasing Dad’s Legacy