Woods returns to the Course with son

Golf icon Tiger Woods, 49, is set to make a long-awaited return to the course, teaming up with his 15-year-old son Charlie, for a family-focused competition.

The father-son duo will compete in the PNC Championship at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club in Orlando, Florida, on Dec. 21-22. This marks Woods' first appearance on the course since the Open Championship in July, a span of five months.

Woods has endured a difficult season, battling persistent back pain that led to surgery in September to alleviate the symptoms. He also withdrew from the Hero World Challenge earlier this month, a PGA Tour event hosted by his foundation, saying, “I’m just not physically ready to compete.”

Despite his struggles, Woods has decided to compete in the PNC Championship. “I’ve been looking forward to playing with Charlie. Competing with family and friends always makes it special,” Woods said on Tuesday. The event, which allows players to use carts, is less physically demanding, making it more manageable for Woods as he continues his recovery. The Woods duo, who finished as runners-up in 2021, aim for their first title this year's event.

Defending champion Bernhard Langer, 67, will pair up with his 24-year-old son, Jason, who works in investment banking in the U.S., to chase back-to-back titles. Langer, a dominant force on the PGA Tour Champions with 47 career wins, holds the record for most PNC Championship victories. He has claimed the title five times, winning three alongside Jason, his youngest son, and twice with his eldest, Stefan, 34.

The PNC Championship, which began in 1995 and adopted its current name in 2020, features major champions from men’s and women’s golf teaming up with a family member for a 36-hole, two-day tournament. Originally reserved for fathers and sons, the event expanded its rules in 2005 after Fuzzy Zoeller competed with his daughter. Nelly Korda, 26, the world number one female golfer, will also participate this year, partnering with her father, Petr Korda, a former tennis star who won the men’s singles title at the 1998 Australian Open.


Heon-Jae Lee uni@donga.com