Team Bernhard Langer beats Team Tiger Woods for 6th PNC Championship title

The Woods family broke a long drought Sunday at the PNC Championship, but the most famous family in golf is still searching for the winner’s circle.

On the par-3 hole at Ritz-Carlton Golf Club, 15-year-old Charlie Woods smoothed a 7-iron from 176 yards that took one hop and rolled right into the cup for an ace.

The golf world went wild as the younger Woods accomplished something his 15-time major-winning father, Tiger Woods, hadn’t done in competition in 26 years. It was Charlie’s first-ever hole-in-one at the same event where four years ago he made his first-ever eagle.

Team Woods kept rolling after that. The first-round co-leaders after a 59 Saturday, kept making birdies. They finished with a 57 Sunday and a record-setting 36-hole score of 28 under.

But in the end it wasn’t enough.

Bernhard and Jason Langer also finished at 28 under, and on the first playoff hole, Bernhard, who was last to putt, curled in an eagle putt to beat the Woods’ and win their second straight PNC Championship.

“It was a special day,” Jason Langer said. “What a treat to play with Tiger and Charlie. Charlie is an awesome player. You know, amazing to witness that hole-in-one on 4. A real honor for me to play with Tiger.

“It was tight all day. We were within a shot either way from the very beginning, and he [Bernhard] really played well. I put a little bit of pressure on him in certain spots, and he made a bunch of putts and was so consistent. It was a special day. Won’t forget it.”

Charlie’s hole-in-one and the Langer’s win were part of a wild final round at the PGA Tour Champions-sanctioned event that was dubbed the “greatest day in PNC Championship history” by NBC’s Dan Hicks. Shortly after Charlie’s ace, Paddy Harington, son of three-time major winner Padraig Harrington, made his own ace at the 8th hole. The two aces were just the second and third in the 27 editions of the tournament.

“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,” said Tiger, whose daughter Sam caddied for him. “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.”

The Langers pulled into a share of the lead three times on Sunday, but could never take the outright lead away from Team Woods. The pairs kept matching each other shot for shot, making birdies on the same hole nine times, and answering Charlie’s hole-in-one on No. 4 with an eagle on the par-5 5th.

Both teams parred the 17th hole and birdied the 18th hole after the Langers missed an eagle putt from just off the green.

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That sent them back to the 18th where Charlie Woods and Bernhard Langer hit it nearly in the same position as they had in regulation. Tiger Woods hit their approach just right of the green while Jason Langer — playing from 20 yards closer thanks to dad Bernhard playing nearly 50 yards farther up than Charlie — hit his approach 20 feet left of the hole in the center of the green.

Team Langer has now won a record six PNC Championships; Jason has won four times while brother Stefan — who caddied for Jason — has won twice.

It was Tiger Woods’ first tournament since missing the cut at the Open Championship at Royal Troon. He did not play two weeks ago at the Hero World Challenge, the charity exhibition event he hosts in the Bahamas, saying his game wasn’t sharp and revealing he underwent a sixth back surgery in September.

The week was a family affair for Team Woods as Tiger had 17-year-old daughter Sam caddying for him for the second consecutive year. Woods’ ex-wife, Elin Nordegren, also was onsite watching the action.