Tiger Woods, barring an unforeseen development, won’t be at this year’s Ryder Cup.
His son, however, tried to be at the host course.
Playing this week’s Junior PGA Championships at Birck Boilermaker Golf Complex in Indiana, Charlie Woods was tied for second entering Friday’s final round — and a top two finish would secure a spot on the U.S. team for the Junior Ryder Cup, to be played Sept. 23 and 24 at Nassau Country Club, and Sept. 25 at Bethpage Black, where the main Ryder Cup will be played. Woods had opened the Junior PGA with a one-under 70 on Tuesday, then made a move with 66s on Wednesday and Thursday.
On Friday, though, the 16-year-old was undone by three bogeys and a double bogey on his way to a three-over 74 and a tie for ninth. Woods finished with a 276 total, which was 10 shots behind winner Lunden Esterline and four shots behind runners-up Giuseppe Puebla and Tyler Mawhinney. (Puebla earned the Junior Ryder Cup spot.)
Ahead of Friday, Woods was encouraged. During both the second and third rounds, he carded nine birdies.
“My round was pretty up and down, and it gave me a heart attack out there,” Woods told the Lafayette Courier and Journal. “But nine birdies is pretty good. A couple of three putts, I made a few mistakes today, but overall pretty solid round. Pretty good position going into tomorrow.”
The younger Woods could still make the Junior Ryder Cup team through the one allotted captain’s pick, though it appears unlikely. As for his 15-time major-winning father, he’d been pegged to be the U.S. Ryder Cup team captain, but turned down the post last year, citing his work with the PGA Tour.
“With my new responsibilities to the Tour and time commitments involved, I felt like I would not be able to commit the time to Team USA and the players required as a captain,” Woods said in a statement released last July by the PGA of America. “That does not mean I wouldn’t want to captain a team in the future. If and when I feel it is the right time, I will put my hat in the ring for this committee to decide.”
On the girls side of the Junior PGA event, Asterisk Talley finished first, and Zoe Cusack was the runner-up.
Editor’s note: For a complete leaderboard of the boys event, please click here. For a complete leaderboard of the girls event, please click here.
