ORLANDO, Florida — Tiger Woods believes he can still win on the PGA Tour and was full of appreciation after he and son Charlie carded a final round 61 at the PNC Championship in Orlando.
Woods had struggled to walk four rounds after severe leg injuries suffered in a 2021 car crash but has said he plans to compete once a month next year thanks to a strong fitness recovery.
“We’ve been training every day, which is great,” Woods said. “It has been nice to knock off a lot of the rust and some of the doubt I’ve had because quite frankly I haven’t hit a shot that counted in a long time.
With Tiger’s 16-year-old daughter Sam caddying, the pair shot a sparkling second round 11-under to finish tied for fifth at the event formerly known as the Father/Son Challenge.
“To have both my kids out there the last two days has been so special,” Woods said according to Reuters. “Just grateful for us to be able to have these types of experiences.”
Charlie, 14, did an emphatic fist pump reminiscent of his father after chipping in for birdie on the ninth as a beaming Tiger looked on with a broad smile across his face.
Woods said his surgically repaired right ankle continues to hold up well and that he recovered quickly after the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas earlier this month.
“A lot of things are aching a lot more than my ankle, which is the way it goes,” said Woods, who turns 48 next week.
“We’ve been working out hard, been able to recover. We’ve been training every day, which is great.
“It’s been nice to knock off a lot of the rust and some of the doubt that I’ve had because quite frankly I haven’t hit a shot that counted in a long time.”
The Hero World Challenge was the former world number one’s first event since withdrawing during the Masters in April to have his ankle fused.
The 15-time major champion has kept a limited competition schedule after a 2021 car crash left him with a serious leg injury and has said the plan for 2024 was to compete in one tournament a month.
Woods, who was able to use a cart at the PNC but will not have that luxury on the PGA Tour, said he still had the shot-making skills to win and it is now a question of endurance and consistency.
“I know I can still do it,” Woods said. “I can still hit the golf ball. I can still chip. I can still put.
“Granted it’s also putting it all together for 72 holes. That’s the challenging part of it.”
Langer and his son started three shots behind Matt Kuchar and his son and played so well that they had the lead after four holes and never slowed down. They didn’t reach par until the par-3 eighth and had 10 birdies in 11 holes.
Jason’s work doesn’t allow him to play as much, but he came to Florida early to get some practice and the time he spent on the greens paid off. He barely missed.
“It was incredible watching him putt,” Langer said. “The ball started on the line every time. If he missed, it was because I misread the green. Otherwise he probably would have done them all.”
The difference between Langer and Floyd and their PNC titles is longevity. Everything seems to be the same with Langer. He won his first PNC championship in 2005 and 18 years later he again wore the Willie Park Trophy, a red leather champion’s belt.
Floyd won five of the first seven PNC championships.
Woods knows all about Langer’s longevity. He remembers playing the Johnnie Walker Classic in Thailand in his mother’s home country and meeting Langer, the reigning Masters champion.
