Son of golf legend pays tribute to absent Tiger Woods at PNC Championship

Tiger Woods is a notable absentee at the PNC Championship. 

The 15-time major winner, who turned 50 this week and is now eligible for senior golf tournaments, has played the past five editions of the PGA Tour's hit-and-giggle with his teenage son Charlie. 

Team Woods finished runner-up 12 months ago after losing to German legend Bernhard Langer and his son Jason in a play-off. 

Fans were hopeful the duo would go one better this year and finally step into the winner's circle at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club in Florida. 

But their hopes were dashed when Woods told media before the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas that, despite getting medical clearance to chip and putt again, he would be unable to compete. 

Woods is still recovering from the seventh back surgery of his illustrious career. 

He said it would be unfair to rely on Charlie to hit the longer shots and would also snatch the opportunity from another team to make some life-long memories. 

Former U.S. Open champion Gary Woodland and his father Dan have taken the place of Team Woods. 

Also playing this week once again is Team Annika, with the Swedish LPGA Tour legend joining forces with her son Will McGee. 

McGee shone on day one, converting a birdie putt at the final hole to give the team their lowest ever round (61) in the scramble format. 

Ahead of the final round, the 14-year-old paid a touching tribute to the absent Woods by wearing a pair of his Sun Day Red golf shoes:

Excellent stuff. 

Whether Team Annika can finally get a win in the family event remains to be seen. 

Matt Kuchar and his son Cameron opened up a two-shot lead on day one. Former Open champion John Daly and his son John Daly II are also in contention. 

When will Tiger Woods play again?

Tiger underwent back surgery in September. 

It was his second operation in the calendar year, following an earlier ruptured Achilles tendon he suffered in March whilst preparing for the 2025 Masters. 

Woods began the year optimistic he was going to play in all four men's majors, plus a select few PGA Tour events. 

He has not played in a professional golf tournament since the 2024 Open at Royal Troon. 

Woods has not committed to any specific schedule and told reporters at the Hero World Challenge earlier in the month that he just wants to get back to playing golf again as a leisure activity before he considers playing again. 

He confirmed that he has been given clearance by his medical team to chip and putt. 

But Woods also admitted recovery from his latest injury is not going as fast as he hoped. 

"It [surgery] was a good thing to do, something I needed to have happen and it just takes time and dedication to the rehab process," Woods said in the Bahamas. "It [recovery] is not as fast as I'd like it to be.

"Not able to do much on a disc replacement to let it set. Can't really do much. Now we got the OK to start cranking up a little bit in the gym, started strengthening and started doing a little bit more of the rotational component that I haven't been able to do."

Woods confirmed he will also miss the first part of the new TGL season, but will be in attendance at every Jupiter Links match to support his team. 

He is hopeful that he will get to play towards the end of the season. 

Woods was asked about whether or not he will play senior golf, but offered a guarded response. 

"I need time to figure this out with my back and with my body," Woods explained. 

"As I start to get more explosive and start to rotate and see what I've got, then I can find out or assess what tournaments I could play in, how much I should play, where I would like to play.

"I really haven't gone in depth of what the schedule looks like on the Champions Tour except for a few tournaments."