Charlie Woods struggled to a 16-over 86 that included a 12 on a par-4 on Thursday and failed to advance out of a pre-qualifier for the PGA Tour’s upcoming Cognizant Classic at the Palm Beaches, but that wasn’t the worst performance of the day.
“Bad fan behavior” followed Woods, the 15-year-old son of Tiger Woods, at Lost Lake Golf Club in Hobe Sound, Florida, The Palm Beach Post reported. With no gallery ropes restricting access in what normally would be a lightly attended event, spectators hounded Woods throughout an otherwise forgettable attempt to make his PGA Tour debut.
Ignoring repeated requests by tournament officials to stay on the cart path and away from competitors, a “zealous gallery” of 50-plus fans “made a commotion” and approached Woods for his autograph during play, among other disruptions, the Post’s Emilee Smarr reported. One local woman told the Post that she took her granddaughter out of school to follow Woods in the hopes that he might notice her. A two-man security detail that included a Martin County deputy sheriff walked with Woods. His mother, Tiger Woods’ ex-wife Elin Nordegren, also followed, but his father did not attend.
Woods came up 19 strokes short of the low five scores and ties needed to advance to the Monday qualifier, which will award four spots into next week’s Florida Swing opener at PGA National. It was his first attempt to qualify for a PGA Tour event. He plays each year with his father in the PNC Championship, a parent-child exhibition sponsored by the tour. READ MORE
The National Golf Foundation has been tracking an increasing number of on-course golfers in the U.S. for six consecutive years, but the makeup of the 45 million American golfers is changing.
According to a study published earlier this month, the number of off-course golfers who use simulators and play the game only in non-traditional ways reached 18.5 million in 2023 – up 19 percent in only one year – and has skewed the game toward a younger and more diverse makeup than the traditional on-course golfers. READ MORE
TAP-INS
Topgolf Callaway Brands recently reported fourth-quarter and full-year results from 2023, highlighted by a 7.2-percent year-over-year increase in company revenue from 2022, to $4.285 billion. The company’s holdings include the Topgolf entertainment centers, the Callaway and Odyssey equipment brands and the TravisMathew line of apparel. READ MORE
A federal judge in Tennessee barred the NCAA from enforcing its rules prohibiting recruits’ compensation for their name, image and likeness, known as NIL, citing antitrust concerns. The ruling affects the governing body’s ability to oversee some 500,000 college athletes. READ MORE
The USGA will debut a 36-hole cut in the U.S. Adaptive Open, officials announced. The third national championship for disabled golfers will be played July 8-10 at Sand Creek Station in Newton, Kansas. The USGA added three exemption categories for the USAO and disclosed the six qualifying sites. READ MORE
Compiled by Steve Harmon