Tiger Woods was back stateside on Monday to watch his 15-year-old son Charlie take part in his first U.S. Junior Amateur at Oakland Hills Country Club in Michigan.
The elder Woods was part of the large crowd that followed the younger Woods around on the first day, with roughly 100 people waiting at the first tee to see Charlie play, the Associated Press reported.
Woods walked the course, keeping a keen eye on his son’s play, but was prohibited by U.S. Golf Association rules from serving as Charlie’s caddie for the tournament.
Charlie Woods watches his ball after he hit it out of the rough on hole No. 6 during the 76th U.S. Junior Amateur Championship.Mandi Wright / USA TODAY NETWORK
Tiger Woods watches his son Charlie tee off from No. 1 on the North Course during the 76th U.S. Junior Amateur Championship at Oakland Hills Country Club.Mandi Wright / USA TODAY NETWORK
Under the USGA guidelines, a player cannot use a parent, step-parent or guardian as a caddie during the event, which includes the qualifying.
Charlie turned to teammate Luke Wise to handle bag duties.
It was a tough day for the son of the 15-time major winner as Charlie shot 12-over-82 and appeared visibly frustrated on the 18th hole when he covered his face with his hat after closing out the day shaking his playing partner’s hand.
Charlie will need to have a much better day on Tuesday to be among the lowest 64 scorers to continue on in the tournament, which has a field of 264 players.
Charlie Woods of the United States reacts after his round on the 18th hole.Getty ImagesWhile the day wasn’t how Charlie had envisioned it going, for some of the other golfers in the tournament the large crowds and having a golf legend on hand made it a unique day.
“It’s so special,” Baylor sophomore Davis Ovard told The Detroit News about having Woods there. “[Sunday] was so much fun. Today he was a little more off to the side, so I didn’t see him as much, but yesterday he was walking down the middle of the fairway with us and was on the greens with us and we were talking about the course. It was like, is this real? It was crazy. Playing with Charlie is super fun. The crowd and everything is a lot of fun.”
Tiger Woods looks on from right as his son Charlie Woods participates in the 76th U.S. Junior Amateur Championship.Mandi Wright / USA TODAY NETWORK
Woods is coming off a rough performance of his own a the British Open last week when he matched his highest 36-hole score as a pro and missed the cut in his third straight major.
