Orlando, Fla. — Vijay Singh and his son finally cashed in their 16th attempt at the PNC Championship. He settled in for another great week with his son at a tournament where no one had a bad time for Tiger Woods.
Charlie Woods, 13, said: “It was great to be with my dad after working so hard to get here – school for me and him being the only downside. “It was great with a good atmosphere and everyone being there.”
It felt better for Singh, a three-time major champion who made his PNC Championship debut in 2003, when his son Kass was 13. Be the first team to score below 60 points in both rounds
They finished 26-under 118 and beat defending champions John Daly and his son by two strokes over 2020 winners Justin Thomas and his father.
“This is what we’ve been looking for forever,” says Cass, now 32 and working in insurance.
“Sixteen years,” his father interjected.
“It’s been a long time, but the time has come,” Kass said. “So, I’m so happy. I’m so happy. This is already the best week, so this just makes it … it can’t be explained in words. It’s going to be a memory I’ll have forever.”
Woods and his son fell after a bogey on the par-4 seventh hole when both went into the woods. They are ranked eighth in a field of 20 teams.
Thomas and his father, Mike, a longtime Kentucky club professional, seemed to be on their way to another title until his birdies dried up on the back nine, and by then Tim Singh was cruising to a late victory.
Little John Daly rolled an 18-foot eagle from the green for 59 at 24 under, while Kas Singh hit the shot of the day on the par-5 14th to 4 feet for eagle.
For Team Woods, their best shots were on Saturday and put them in the final group and hope to win the Wiley Park trophy.
On Sunday, Woods hit his approach to 15 feet on the par-5 fifth, and Charley made an eagle layup to get within two shots of the lead. But that was fine, at least for golf.
In their third year playing this event, it was the first time Woods allowed his son to join him for interviews, and the boy delivered.
“I feel like I know what he’s capable of, and yesterday, he’s the best he’s played in a while,” Charlie said as his father tried to contain his laughter.
“I was good,” Woods replied.
Woods cited some text messages he received Saturday night that indicated “turning back the clock” with a 3-iron on the 18th hole.
Woods has been saying he still has all the shots, he just has to walk. He was in a wheelchair at a PGA Tour Championship sanctioned event, still limping because of plantar fasciitis in his right foot.
But he has a lot of pop, and he let Justin Thomas know. Woods ripped one off Thomas, the 29-year-old PGA champion, on the fifth hole. He sped up the fairway to leave a note saying “You’ve got mail” next to Thomas’ ball.
Thomas had hope in the last word if he and his father won again. Looking to the side, he was surprised by what he saw in some of the shots, that driver being one of them.
“I wasn’t kidding when I said yesterday, when he feels good, he goes longer than I have with a driver,” Thomas said. “But I’m sure he’ll trade 10 meters to walk every day and feel good. But yes, it’s amazing. You can tell, he’s very, very strong, now he’s very fit. It’s just to meet the other. Issues.”
Those other issues weren’t going to keep him away from a tournament that meant so much to Woods at this point in his career. He had to pull out of the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas because of his leg. He has no idea when he will return in 2023.
The Thomas clan has become an extended family. Woods’ caddy is Joe Lacava, whose son works for Charlie at this tournament.
“We had an amazing time with each other on the ropes,” Woods said.
