Most golf fans have seen Charlie Woods pairing up with his dad, golf legend Tiger Woods, for pro-am tournaments and other father-son clashes.
But Charlie is starting to make a name for himself even when he hasn't been walking the links with his dad. A freshman at Benjamin School in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., Charlie has already become a force in the high school ranks even in just Year 1 of four years in high school golf.
Golf fans have already admired Charlie's ability at such a young age. And other high school golfers had to contend with that ability in the 2023 Florida High School State Championship, where he helped to guide his team to a title.
Charlie Woods’ team won the @FHSAA State Championship in front of Tiger 🔥🐅
— Golf on CBS ⛳ (@GolfonCBS) November 16, 2023
(📸 Palm Beach Post) pic.twitter.com/jk3R9nNB5v
Fans will get a chance to watch Tiger and Charlie tee off in the 2023 PNC Championship. But before they start their latest run, looking to win their first title together, Sporting News is taking a look back at Charlie's experience adding to his own trophy case.
Charlie Woods high school
Charlie attends Benjamin School in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. The school is a private, independent school founded in 1960.
According to U.S. News, it has a yearly tuition of $32,655, has an average SAT score of 1287 and an average ACT score of 29. The national average SAT score was 1028 in 2023, per OnToCollege, while the Florida average was 966. OnToCollege reported the national average ACT was 19.5 and the Florida average was 18.9.
The Benjamin School has produced several notable athletes, including Florida State quarterback Jordan Travis, Olympic gold medal swimmer Ryan Berube, former WNBA champion Erlana Larkins and Bills cornerback Kaiir Elam.
Golf legend Jack Nicklaus is listed by the school as a trustee emeritus.
Charlie Woods Florida state golf championship
Benjamin reached the 2023 FHSAA Boys 1A State Championship as the top seed among the qualifying schools. Charlie was not among the Buccaneers' top golfers at districts or regionals — he didn't play in either, per Golf.com.
But Charlie had experience on the El Campeon course at the Mission Resort and Club, having shot 71-66 in September 2023 and 80-68 in September 2022.
“So I got to thinking about it,” Benjamin coach Toby Harbeck told Golf.com. “Here’s a kid who is not afraid of this golf course. I mean, for you to break 72 on this golf course is saying something. That’s how hard it is. The fact that he’s got three or four rounds below par, I said, ‘You know what? I got to play him in the state finals.’”
So Charlie was the fifth player selected to be among Benjamin's golfers in the state championship. Harbeck explained that in that role, his goal wasn't to be flashy, but rather to just provide a solid floor and give Harbeck some scores to use if any of the other four players struggled. The format is that each team can pick the top four golf scores in each round.
And Charlie Woods proved himself up to the task. In the first round, he shot a 78, tied for the 36th-best score. In the second round, he was down to 76, ranking tied for 19th. That consistent performance led him to shoot 154 for the event, giving him a tie for 26th overall. It also ranked him fourth among his teammates. Among the freshmen at the event, Woods ranked tied for fourth with his overall performance. Both his scores were counted for Benjamin despite coming in as the fifth golfer.
"I know the numbers weren't terrific," Harbeck told Golf.com. "But Charlie did exactly what I asked him to do. I couldn't have been happier with the way it all turned out."
Per the PGA Tour, Tiger Woods was there to watch his son and his son's golf team claim the state title. Winning a state championship was something Tiger had never done in his career because the California Interscholastic Federation did not have state titles, though his golf teams did win the 1991 CIF SoCal Regional and Southern Section medals in 1991, 1993 and 1994.
As Charlie has continued to pick up his own accomplishments, he said his dad still "puts me in my place," per the PGA Tour.
"We just stay in our own little world,” Charlie said after winning the state championship. "I'll talk about the next tee shot, and he's like, 'No. This is the shot we're going to focus on. Focus up. This is what we're gonna do.'"