Tiger Woods Makes Rare Comments About Lookalike Son Charlie, 16, Following in His Golf Footsteps in a ‘Different World’

“Not saying it’s good or bad, it’s just different,” Woods said, comparing his early career to his son’s

Tiger Woods of the United States and his son Charlie Woods walk on the fourth hole during the second round of the PNC Championship at Ritz-Carlton Golf Club on December 22, 2024 in Orlando, Florida.

Tiger and Charlie Woods on Dec. 22, 2024.Credit : 

Mike Ehrmann/Getty

Tiger Woods said golf is a “different world” for his son Charlie than it was when he was becoming a household name.

Speaking to Golfweek at the Hero World Challenge, a tournament in the Bahamas Tiger has hosted since 2015, the golf star made rare comments about his 16-year-old son following in his footsteps.

Tiger noted that the recruiting process has been “very different” for Charlie.

“We didn’t have cell phones,” the father of two explained. “We would have written letters that would show up in the mailbox. ‘Oh, my God, I got a letter.’ “

Tiger Woods of the United States reacts with his son Charlie Woods after holing out on the fourth hole during the second round of the PNC Championship at Ritz-Carlton Golf Club on December 22, 2024 in Orlando, Florida.

Tiger and Charlie Woods at the 2024 PNC Championship.Mike Ehrmann/Getty

Tiger continued, “It’s just very different, how fast coaches can communicate with the family members and the player that they’re trying to recruit. It’s just a different world. Not saying it’s good or bad, it’s just different.”

On Nov. 15, Tiger and his ex-wife Elin Nordegren supported their son at the Florida 1A state championship in Howey-In-The-Hills, Fla. Charlie was the top seed on the golf team, which won its fifth state title and first since 2023.

“It’s fun to be a part of the process with Charlie and go through it and see where the opportunities that he has created for himself by playing better, places that he could play, wants to play, and ultimately we’ll decide where he wants to go play,” Tiger told Golfweek.

In October, Tiger underwent his seventh back surgery to address problems in his lower spine.

In a post on X following the procedure, Tiger wrote, “After experiencing pain and lack of mobility in my back, I consulted with doctors and surgeons to have tests taken. The scans determined that I had a collapsed disc in L4/5, disc fragments and a compromised spinal canal.”

He added at the time, “I already know I made a good decision for my health and my back.”