Charlie Woods is heading back to the U.S. Junior Amateur.
The son of 15-time major champion Tiger Woods won a 2-for-1 playoff Monday at Heathrow Country Club in Florida to earn the final of five qualifying spots for the 2026 U.S. Junior Amateur, set for July 20-25 at Saucon Valley in Pennsylvania. Woods has played in each of the last two U.S. Junior Ams, missing the cut in both.
Advertisement
Woods shot 3-under 68 and finished T-5 and went to a playoff with Eric Zhao. Woods, 17, then won in a playoff to punch his ticket to Saucon Valley. His round featured seven birdies, including on Nos. 16-18.
The Florida State commit finished T-28 last month in his title defense at the Team TaylorMade Invitational.
David Kim, Phillip Dunham, Alexander Pendry and Arnold Pouncy were the other four qualifiers from Heathrow.
At each of the past two U.S. Junior Amateurs, Woods has teed it up with Tiger in attendance. Pops won the tournament three straight times from 1991-93, the only player to accomplish the feat and the only player to win it three times.
Advertisement
In his first U.S. Junior Amateur in 2024, Woods shot 82-80 to miss the cut at Oakland Hills. Last year at Trinity Forest, Woods opened in 81 and shot 74 in the second round, but still missed making match play.
Perhaps this is the year Woods can break through and make it into match play for the first time.
Cameron Jourdan is an assistant editor for Golfweek, covering college and amateur golf.
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Charlie Woods wins playoff to qualify for 2026 U.S. Junior Amateur
Read the full article here