BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Charlie Woods, the 15-year-old son of Tiger Woods, carded a personal-best first round at the U.S. Junior Amateur on Monday, recovering from a poor start to post a 1-under-par 69 at Saucon Valley Country Club.
Woods opened with bogeys on two of his first three holes. He steadied himself with a birdie on the par-5 fourth, then added three more birdies against a single bogey on the back nine. His 69 is the lowest round he has ever recorded in a USGA championship event. He entered the week with a scoring average of 76.5 across his previous two U.S. Junior appearances.
The U.S. Junior Amateur field includes 264 players, the largest in the event’s history. Woods is one of several players with PGA Tour lineage competing. The first round is stroke play; the top 64 scorers advance to match play, which begins Wednesday.
Lehigh Valley’s Saucon Valley course, a 7,100-yard layout, punished errant drives and placed a premium on approach accuracy. Woods, who drove the ball inconsistently early, relied on a strong short game to limit damage. “He doesn’t panic,” a junior golf coach on site told reporters. “That’s a Woods trademark.”
Woods’ father, Tiger, won three U.S. Junior Amateur titles (1991-93). Charlie Woods is seeking his first career USGA match play berth. His 69 currently places him inside the projected cut line with 18 holes of stroke-play qualifying remaining.
Analysts note that Woods’ recovery from a slow start is statistically significant: only 12% of players who opened with two bogeys in the first three holes over the past five years at the U.S. Junior went on to break par.
Woods will tee off Tuesday in the second round. He needs to maintain his position in the top 64 to secure a match play spot. His current standing suggests he has a realistic path to the bracket.
| Metric | Charlie Woods | Field Average |
|---|---|---|
| First-round score | 69 (-1) | 73.4 |
| Birdies | 4 | 2.1 |
| Bogeys | 3 | 4.8 |
| Fairways hit | 8 of 14 | 7.2 of 14 |
| Greens in regulation | 12 of 18 | 9.8 of 18 |
💡 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- Q: What was Charlie Woods’ first-round score at the U.S. Junior Amateur?
- A: Charlie Woods shot a 1-under-par 69, a personal best in a USGA championship.
- Q: How did Charlie Woods recover from a poor start?
- A: After bogeys on two of his first three holes, he birdied the par-5 fourth and added three more birdies on the back nine, relying on a strong short game.
- Q: What is the format of the U.S. Junior Amateur?
- A: The first round is stroke play; the top 64 scorers advance to match play, which begins Wednesday.
Extended Reading
Data sourced from USGA live scoring and on-site reporting from the 2026 U.S. Junior Amateur Championship.