Tiger Woods and 15-year-old son Charlie ran off five straight birdies on the back nine as a 13-under 59 gave them a share of the lead in the PNC Championship in Woods’ first competition since back surgery in September.

Woods said he scheduled that surgery – the sixth on his lower back in the last 10 years – to be sure he recovered in time to play with his son for the fifth straight year.

This is the first time they have shared the lead after the opening round, joined by the last two champions – Bernhard Langer and son Jason, and Vijay Singh and son Qass.

READ: Tiger Woods’ immediate goal: Keep his son from beating him in golf for 18 holes

Woods hit an array of good shots, including a wedge to inches on the short par-four seventh, but otherwise downplayed his game by suggesting he still had a lot of rust.

This was more about spending a brisk day at the Ritz-Carlton Club Orlando with his son, a sophomore at Benjamin School in North Palm Beach.

His daughter, Sam, caddied for her father for the second straight year, while their mother, Elin, was among those in the gallery in a tournament that is all about family.

“We’re trying to pull off each and every shot for each other, and to ham-and-egg,” Woods said. “And I think we did that great pretty much the entire day.

“We picked each other up, which was great, and Charlie made pretty much most of the putts today.”

It helped playing in the same group with former British Open champion Justin Leonard and his son, Luke, a senior and team-mate with Charlie at Benjamin School.

Langer extended his astonishing record on the PGA Tour Champions this year by winning for an 18th consecutive season. He and his son made eight birdies in a nine-hole stretch in the middle of the round, and they had an eagle on the 14th hole.

Singh and his son, who won this event in 2022, shot 28 on the back nine.

“There’s so many teams in the hunt,” Langer said. “It’s anybody’s game that is within three or four shots of the leaders, which is most of the field.”

Padraig Harrington and son Paddy, and Tom Lehman and son Sean, were at 12-under 60. The Lehmans looked to be leading when they were around the green on the par-five 18th, but then it took them four shots to get down in the scramble format, taking bogey.

Tiger Woods turns 49 at the end of the month and he has one pressing goal that relates to his golf. He wants to prolong that inevitable day when his son beats him over 18 holes.

They will be playing with — not against — each other this week for the fifth straight year at the PNC Championship, a 36-hole tournament so meaningful to them and everyone else in the field that Woods was determined to play for the first time since a sixth back surgery in September.

Word got out, however, that 15-year-old Charlie finally beat his 15-time major champion dad.

JUST IN: Tiger Woods walks 18 holes in PNC Championship pro-am

“He beat me for nine holes,” Woods said, an important clarification to him. “He has yet to beat me for 18 holes. That day is coming. I’m just prolonging it as long as I possibly can.”

As for the details, Woods talked about the typical banter between them and how much fun they have. It was clear he was not going to share the hole-by-hole of the loss.

Winning is a goal, but not the priority, at the PNC Championship. It’s a happy end of the year for all 20 teams at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club Orlando, an event that pairs the winners of majors or The Players Championship with a family member.

Woods played five tournaments this year and completed only one of them, making the cut at the Masters for a record 24th consecutive year. He had to play 23 holes on Friday at Augusta National in a raging wind, posting a 72 for his best round of the year. He followed that with an 82, an example of ups and downs from a player whose body has been wracked with injury.

“I’m not going to feel what I’m used to feeling,” Woods said. “The recovery has gotten to be the hardest part. But over the course of rounds, weeks, months, it gets harder.”

He missed the cut in the next three majors and then had surgery on his lower back in September to alleviate some of the spasms he had been feeling. The timing of the surgery was related to the PNC Championship.

Woods chose not to play the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas two weeks ago, saying he wasn’t competitively sharp enough to handle Scottie Scheffler, Patrick Cantlay and Justin Thomas among a 20-man field of players from the top 40 in the world.

This might as well be his fifth major because he plays with his son.

“That was one of the reasons why I had the surgery done earlier, so that hopefully I could give myself the best chance to be with Charlie and be able to play,” Woods said. “I’m not competitive right now, but I just want to be able to have the experience again. This has always been one of the bigger highlights of the year for us as a family, and now we get to have that moment together again.”

The surgery was on his back, but Woods said his right leg, which was mangled in a February 2021 car crash outside Los Angeles, remains the biggest physical obstacle.

Even so, he chose to walk the pro-am on Friday instead of riding a cart, which is allowed for players because the tournament is co-sanctioned by the PGA Tour Champions.

Team Woods has yet to win since they began playing in 2020. They finished second the following year by two shots to John Daly and his college son, when Charlie was 12. He is adding inches to his height every year, filling out and pounding the golf ball. Woods plans to rely on his son’s tee shots in the scramble format.

They will play the opening round Saturday with Justin Leonard and son Luke, who goes to The Benjamin School in North Palm Beach with Charlie and is going to Villanova next year.

Charlie Woods went through U.S. Open qualifying for the first time this year and failed to advance out of the first stage. He qualified for the U.S. Junior Amateur at Oakland Hills but didn’t come close to making it to match play.

Woods appreciated that his son is under a spotlight few others his age face.

“I was always reminding him, ‘Just be you.’ Charlie is Charlie. Yes, he’s my son. He’s going to have my last name and it’s going to be part of his core. But I just want him to be just himself and be his own person. That’s what we can only do,” Woods said.

“I always encourage it, for him to carve his own name, carve his own path and have his own journey,” he said. “I think he’s doing a great job. In this day and age where everyone is basically media, with all the phones, being constantly filmed and constantly people watching, that’s just part of his generation, and that’s part of the world that he has to maneuver through.”

Tiger Woods is returning to the PNC Championship with 15-year-old son Charlie, his first competition since the British Open in July and after having a sixth surgery on his back three months ago.

Woods has played the 36-hole PNC Championship with Charlie every year since 2020. The tournament invites players who have won majors or The Players Championship with family members, typically their children.

“Playing together is something we look forward to and it’s always more special when you’re surrounded by friends and family,” Woods said.

READ: A Look Back at Tiger Woods Last World Challenge Win

The PNC Championship is Dec. 21-22 at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club in Orlando, Florida, for 20 teams. New to the tournament this year are Fred Couples and stepson Hunter Hannemann, and Trevor Immelman and son Jacob.

Because the tournament is sanctioned by the PGA Tour Champions, Woods will be able to ride in a cart, key to him playing. He chose to sit out last week at the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas, where he is the tournament host, because he said his game was not sharp enough to compete against a field of the top 40 players in the world.

Woods set a Masters record in April by making his 24th consecutive cut, but he missed the cut in the other three majors. He had a microdiscectomy in September to alleviate pain down his legs, his sixth surgery on his lower back.

The biggest one was fusion surgery in 2017, and he followed that by winning the Tour Championship a year later and capturing his 15th major with a fifth Masters title in 2019. His last victory was the Zozo Championship in Japan in the fall of 2019, tying Sam Snead for the PGA Tour’s record of 82 career titles.

But there is no indication how often he can play in 2025.

“Whether my commitment going forward is once a month, yeah, I could say that all over again,” Woods said last week. “But I truly don’t know. I’m just trying to rehab and still get stronger and better and feel better, really give myself the best chance I can going into next year.”

The PNC Championship features 13-year-old Will McGee, the son of Annika Sorenstam, and 89-year-old Gary Player. Nelly Korda returns to play with her father, former tennis Grand Slam champion Petr Korda.

“DISAPPOINTED” Tiger Woods has been forced into a schedule U-turn as he goes back on his Open promise.

The legendary golfer, 48, has not played competitively since missing the cut at the British Open in July.

At Royal Troon, Woods revealed he was looking forward to playing at December’s Hero World Challenge in The Bahamas.

READ: Tiger Woods rules himself out of Tournament

However, the 15-time major winner confirmed he will not tee off in Albany next week – although he did not give a reason.

Woods tweeted: “I am disappointed that I will not be able to compete this year at the Hero World Challenge, but always look forward to being tournament host.”

Woods was left off the initial player field list last month.

But he was expected to be given one of the three exemption spots for the unofficial event featuring 20 of the world’s biggest stars.

Now, though, Woods has declared himself out of the playing field and will instead only host the event.

Two-time major winner Justin Thomas, former PGA Championship king Jason Day and 20-year-old rising talent Nick Dunlap received the exemption places for the prestigious tournament from December 5 to 8.

World No1, Olympic gold medalist and defending champion Scottie Scheffler heads the star-studded field.

He is joined by the likes of Ludvig Aberg, Wyndham Clark, Patrick Cantlay, Bob MacIntyre and Tony Finau.

Woods has played just five tournaments this year, including the Masters where he made the cut for a record 24th time in a row.

He eventually finished 60th at Augusta but missed the cut at the other three majors.

Woods went under the knife for microdecompression surgery to fix nerve impingement on his lower back in September.

And following the op, he was hopeful of a swift return to the course.

Woods said at the time: “The surgery went smoothly, and I’m hopeful this will help alleviate the back spasms and pain I was experiencing throughout most of the 2024 season.

“I look forward to tackling this rehab and preparing myself to get back to normal life activities, including golf.”

Woods could compete in the PNC Championship later in December alongside son Charlie.

But if he is still not ready for that, then the next time golf fans are likely to see him swing a club will be at the delayed launch of his new venture with Rory McIlroy, the TGL.

Tiger Woods was looking forward to participating in the PNC Championship with his son, Charlie, before his back surgery in September 2024.

During the Open in July, Woods expressed his excitement about teaming up with his son in the Father/Son tournament, affectionately referring to it as their “fifth major.” However, his plans were put on hold after he underwent microdiscectomy surgery to relieve nerve impingement in his lower back and alleviate back spasms.

“No, I’m not going to play until then. I’m going to just keep getting physically better and keep working on it. Hopefully just come back for our — what is it, our fifth major, the Father/Son, so looking forward to it”, he had said.  Woods has been focused on his recovery, with an expected timeline of 8-12 weeks. He’s not scheduled to play again until the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas on December 5-8, followed by the PNC Championship with Charlie on December 21-22 in Orlando, Florida.

READ: PGA Tour fails to listen to Tiger Woods, LIV Golf wish as rule changes announced

“It remains unclear if Tiger will play the Hero World Challenge. It’s getting late for the announcement of the 3 promised exemptions. The TaylorMade shoot appears to be this coming week in Florida so he will definitely be involved in that”, read the latest post by TW LEGION. Woods has confirmed that he won’t be playing any tournaments before the Hero World Challenge, instead choosing to prioritize his physical rehabilitation and preparation for his return to competitive golf.

The PNC Championship is still finalizing its list of competitors, and this year’s event has undergone a few notable changes, including a shift in its timing, with the tournament taking place a week later than in previous years, which is likely to create some scheduling conflicts, particularly given its proximity to the TGL dates in January, an event that is expected to feature the legendary Tiger Woods in action, setting the stage for an exciting and potentially complicated golf calendar.

Tiger Woods and his then 14-year-old son Charlie returned to the PNC Championship in 2023, competing in the golf tournament that features major champions and their family members for the fourth time. The father-son duo was spotted on the course at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club in Orlando, Florida, on a Friday for a pro-am ahead of the official start of the tournament. Charlie left his dad in awe with an impressive flop shot during warm-ups, prompting Woods to exclaim, “We’re ending on that one right there. That was nasty!”

Woods and Charlie had previously found success in the PNC Championship, finishing as high as second place in 2021, and setting a tournament record with 11 consecutive birdies that year. Charlie had recently won a state championship as a high school student, showcasing his growing skills on the course. Woods, meanwhile, was competing in just his fourth event that year after undergoing ankle surgery in April, marking a significant milestone in his recovery and return to competitive golf.

When will Tiger Woods come back?

That seems to be the question that is plaguing the minds of many golf fans around the world right now. But that question seemed to have gotten an unfortunate answer of sorts, all thanks to the field that was announced recently by the PNC Championship. Couple that with the 17-man field of the Hero World Challenge that was released back in October, and it’s almost certain that the golfer won’t be teeing up this year anymore. But no worries, the 15-time major champ, still has a chance to make it back to the field for the event in Albany.

The Hero World Challenge is set to kick off on December 5, Thursday, and will go on till December 8, Sunday. There are just two weeks left until the start of the Tiger Woods-hosted tournament. Interestingly, the event has yet to announce the three golfers who will be teeing it up with the rest of the field in the Bahamas. The chances are there that one of those three could be Woods as he staged his comeback for the HWC in the past as well.

READ: PGA Tour legend to debut at PNC Championship, not Tiger Woods

As of now, only a total of 17 golfers have been confirmed for the 20-man event. They include the likes of Scottie Scheffler, Ludvig Aberg, Wyndham Clark, Patrick Cantlay, Sahith Theegala, Keegan Bradley, Russell Henley, Robert MacIntyre, Sam Burns, Brian Harman, Sungjae Im, Tony Finau, Tom Kim, Aaron Rai, Billy Horschel, Matthieu Pavon, and Akshay Bhatia. Yes, you counted that right! Three more names are remaining for the number to reach 20!

Why isn’t Tiger Woods in the field? Well, we can only assume it’s due to the recent microdecompression surgery that he had to undergo back in September. It was done so to relieve the nerve impingement in his lumbar spine. Back then, he had revealed through his X handle that Dr. Sheeraz Qureshi of the Hospital of Special Surgery had performed the surgery to remedy the back pain that had plagued him throughout the season.

“The surgery went smoothly,” divulged Woods back in September. “I’m hopeful this will help alleviate the back spasms and pain I was experiencing throughout most of the 2024 season.” Maybe he hasn’t recovered as much as his fans had expected him to. And that might be why he isn’t yet on the list of teams that are set to tee off at the PNC Championship in December.

The PNC Championship recently released the teams who would be teeing it up at the PGA Tour Champions event in December. Unfortunately, out of the 18 teams that were confirmed, the father-son duo of Tiger Woods and Charlie Woods were not seen anywhere. But there seems to be yet hope for the legendary golfer and his son, for two spots remain in the 2024 edition of the event, which would be confirmed soon enough. The only question is whether the 48-year-old and his son would take the same.

But in the unfortunate of cases, if the golfer fails to make a comeback in both of these events, then the fans will only be able to catch him in TGL. Yes, that’s right. The same tech-infused league created by none other than Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy will kick off in January 2025. So Tiger Woods fans, keep your hopes up for the time being!

The 2021 car accident was the most brutal one that left Tiger Woods with many injuries.

After this one particular incident, the 48-year-old pro’s career was practically on a halt. Since then, Woods has undergone many surgeries to return to golf as he has always been. However, that part has been difficult, to say the least. Following his injuries, Woods always wore a leg sleeve to hide the scar and support his right leg. In July, though, the 82-time PGA Tour winner was spotted without one as he accompanied his son, Charlie Woods, at the US Junior Amateur.

It was expected that at least for now, Woods wouldn’t undergo another procedure. However, in September the 15-time major winner went through microdiscectomy, his sixth back surgery in the past decade. And it seems he has been recovering off the course as he missed the annual TW Invitational and TGR Jr. Invitational in October. Nonetheless, Woods was seen once again with Charlie Woods as the 15-year-old golfer competed at the Florida state championships.

READ: Tiger Woods Made Bryson DeChambeau Want ‘To Throw Up’; Ryder Cup Reality Following Legend’s Cold Shoulder Gets Revealed

This time, Woods had the leg sleeves again and the fans noticed that he was looking thinner and a bit pale. But, has he recovered enough to play the PNC Championship and the Hero World Challenge? The recovery period after microdiscectomy is usually 12 weeks and it has been only 11 weeks since Woods’s surgery. But seeing Woods’s condition, and accounting that his body has gone through way more than just one procedure, it may take more time for the 48-year-old to recover. Thus, it may not be feasible for the 15-time major winner to compete in both events.

Woods played the Hero World Challenge for the first time since his accident in 2023. On the other hand, he has not missed a single edition of the PNC Championship. But as other pairs have confirmed their seats at the event and the PGA Tour star still has not, it is possible that he may not play the event this year. There are at least three weeks for the Hero World Challenge to start and nearly a month for the PNC Championship. Who knows, the 5-time Masters winner may change his plans and tee up at both tournaments.

Last year, Tiger Woods did exactly that, he played the Hero World Challenge and finished 18th in the 20 pro field and after two weeks teed up at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club. He took a break from golf and then participated in the Genesis Invitational in February where his body was following as he would have expected. If Woods takes the risk to play two events, he may injure his back more.

How so? The subtalar joint in Woods’s right ankle has to be fused because of his accident and although it isn’t responsible for up & down movement, that joint allows the side-to-side movement. Since the 48-year-old has lost that ability in his ankle, the brunt of this pressure comes to his hips and subsequently, to his back as Robert Forster, Santa Monica-based physical therapist noted.

He underwent the microdecompression because of the pinched nerves, if he continues to have an active schedule throughout the year, this may become an issue for his back again. As Woods expressed last year, “I’m always sore. There’s nothing new there!” Hopefully, he will recover soon and play more events.