15-yo Charlie Woods to play U.S. Open qualifier in Florida: Reports
Charlie Woods, son of legendary golfer Tiger Woods, is reportedly set to compete in a pre-qualifying round for the upcoming US Open. An 18-hole local event is scheduled to take place in Port St. Lucia, Florida, on Thursday, April 25.
Reportedly, 84 players will tee off in the tournament. Out of them, only five will advance to another qualification round scheduled for June 2024.
Charlie Woods had previously attempted to earn an exemption on the PGA Tour by competing in a pre-qualifying round for the Cognizant Classic earlier this year. He participated in an 18-hole pre-qualifying round in February but struggled with his game and failed to make it to the Monday qualifiers.
However, the young budding golfer is set to grace the greens with another attempt, but this time for a major event, according to si.com. He is slated to tee off on Thursday at the Legacy Golf & Tennis Club at 8:18 a.m. ET. The US Open is one of the four Major events in men's golf. This year's event will take place from June 13 to 16 at the Pinehurst No.2 golf course.
Charlie Woods has already impressed audiences with his remarkable game on the greens since making his debut at the PNC Championship alongside his father, Tiger Woods, in 2019. He has played alongside professional golfers in the popular father-son tournament but is still seeking to make his solo debut in the field.
Is Charlie Woods' father, Tiger Woods, eligible to play at the 2024 US Open?
Although Tiger Woods has won the US Open three times in his career, he is not officially qualified to compete in the Major in 2024. Unlike the Masters, which allows its past winners to compete at the Augusta event for a lifetime, the US Open only permits the last 10 years' winners to participate in the Major.
Tiger Woods won his last US Open in 2008, resulting in him being ineligible based on the criteria. Additionally, he claimed victory at the Masters in 2019, which means his exemption to compete at the US Open expired last year. It is important to note that the US Open grants five-year exemptions to the winners of the Masters and the PGA Championship for participation in the tournament.
Although Tiger Woods is not officially qualified for the US Open, he will most likely receive a special exemption from the United States Golf Association (USGA) to compete in the Major.
Woods last played at the Masters 2024 earlier this month, and after four rounds of the tournament, he settled in the 60th position on the leaderboard. He will likely return to compete at the PGA Championship next month and then at the US Open in June.
It would be interesting to see if Tiger Woods and Charlie Woods can play together at the US Open in 2024.