Charlie Woods suffers brutal Junior PGA exit after nightmare third round

Charlie Woods’ Junior PGA Championship campaign is over after a costly third round sent him tumbling down the leaderboard in Texas.

Woods carded a 5-over 77 at PGA Frisco’s Fields Ranch East Course on Thursday, leaving him at 6-over par for the championship and outside the cut line.

The Junior PGA Championship features an unusual second cut, with players required to survive both the initial 36-hole cut and a further reduction after 54 holes. 

Woods, 17, made it to the third round but could not do enough to extend his week into the final round.

The rising high school senior’s scorecard contained some encouraging moments, including three birdies, but they were outweighed by six bogeys and a double bogey.

By the time Woods completed his round, he was five shots behind the projected mark needed to advance.

It brings a disappointing end to a tournament in which Woods had been hoping to build on his performance from 12 months ago, when he finished tied for ninth.

Another setback for Woods

The result comes during a challenging spell for Woods, who was also unable to progress from the U.S. Junior Amateur last week.

Woods produced a remarkable second-round fightback to force his way into a 14-for-2 playoff for a place in match play. 

However, he ultimately missed out when the playoff concluded.

He also came up short in qualifying for the U.S. Amateur, which is scheduled to begin in 11 days at Merion Golf Club in Ardmore, Pennsylvania.

Despite those setbacks, Woods remains one of the most closely followed young players in the game as he prepares for his final year of high school golf.

The Florida State commit will return to Benjamin School in Florida this autumn for his senior season.

Woods has already enjoyed team success

Woods enters his final high school season with two state championships already on his résumé.

As a junior, he occupied the No. 1 spot in Benjamin’s lineup and produced the team’s lowest score in the final round as the school secured another state title.

It was the second championship of Woods’ high school career. He was also part of Benjamin’s 2023 state-winning team as a freshman.

While the Junior PGA result will undoubtedly be a disappointment, Woods still has plenty of competitive golf ahead of him before he makes the move to college.

For now, however, his week at PGA Frisco is over after a third-round 77 left him outside the 54-hole cut.