Tiger Woods looked happy… after the loss? 9 questions about the PNC Championship

Holes in one. Plural. Over time. A winning putt. Family hugs and handshakes. (Awwwwww!) That tiger guy in the race. On Sunday at the PNC Championship, it almost felt like a crazy holiday sprint – the Pro Relative Scramble serves as a light-hearted conclusion to the pro golf calendar, but the 2024 version also managed to squeeze in what seemed like an entire year’s worth of stories to its credit last day. In the end, Bernhard Langer and son Jason won at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club in Orlando, Florida, but there was a lot more going on.

That’s why, like on Saturday, we invited GOLF contributors Claire Rogers and Nick Piastowski to discuss the game. Claire is on site in sunny Orlando. Nick is at his home in the wintry Northeast.

Nick Piastowski (@nickpia): Hello again, Claire! Okay, where should I start? Maybe it’s a bit strange that we have a moment’s lead over second place, but we have to. What did Charlie Woods’ “Hole in One” look like up close? Where were you when it happened? What did you see? How did it sound? Give me the details!

Claire Rogers (@kclairerogers): I’m so depressed to report that I was on the 5th tee when it happened. I thought I would check out a few other groups in the morning before meeting up with Team Woods and Team Langer, but I heard the roar! And thanks to social media, the news spread immediately. Someone outside the ropes yelled, “Charlie made an ace!” and everyone, including the volunteers, cheered. Afterwards, I quickly met up with the final group and Charlie was congratulated dozens of times by the people in the gallery before the end of the round.

Nick: Okay, it’s time for full disclosure. On the final day of last year’s PGA Championship, I was assigned the role of Michael Block’s author and wanted to catch him on his final few holes – which meant I then personally missed his ace. To make a long story short: I feel your pain! Back to Sunday’s ace. From what you’ve heard, didn’t Tiger see it at all?

Claire: In his post-round interview he said he wasn’t sure if it went in until the TV people said so. It was definitely a waiting game for them, but once it was confirmed, the Woodses started celebrating.

Nick: After the first hug, the push he gave Charlie was a push. I’ve followed Tiger in some form or another throughout his entire career, and this moment perhaps made him look more genuinely happy than any other, victories excluded. I’m curious. You’ve been following Tiger for a while too. Is this the most, I’m trying to find the right word, relatable thing he’s ever seen? For example, there are the emotions we saw in him through the win. But this felt different. Am I in the right place? Please fill me out!

Claire: Agreed! He really seemed to be taking it all in. He was looking forward to meeting Charlie and he and his two children clearly had a lot of fun on the course. The great golf game was just the icing on the cake for her this week. The PNC Championship is supposed to be fun, and Tiger and Charlie (despite their extremely competitive nature) have really focused on that this year. He laughed and smiled all day.

Nick: What was the mood down there after the hole in one? The crowd wasn’t as big as the US Open, but it seemed enthusiastic. And have you heard anything funny?

Claire: It felt like any other Sunday that Tiger was in contention. Of course, the PNC Championship intentionally doesn’t sell as many tickets as other events, but the rush for Team Woods was still huge. A lot of people walked in Christmas costumes today and I wonder if that’s because the only autograph Tiger signed on the track was for a man dressed as a candy cane earlier this week. People were dressed as elves or Santa Clauses, wore ugly Christmas sweaters and of course many fans were dressed in Sunday red

Nick: After you tweeted about the candy cane guy, I was wondering how he would flaunt it. Ready, shoot, aim, I guess. OK, there are a lot of questions about Team Woods here – but Team Woods didn’t win. Perhaps to put it this way: Team Langer didn’t miss. What impressed you most about the timeless wonder and his New York City-based son? (Side note: I need to figure out where Jason is playing here and identify with what he’s drinking there.)

Claire: I had never seen Langer tee off in person before today and was consistently impressed with his approach shots. However, I was already aware of how good Langer is. What really surprised me was how much game his son Jason has. He’s 24 years old, played at UPenn and is now an investment banker. I can’t imagine he has too much time to practice despite his demanding job and living in NYC. I can’t help but wonder what his game would be like if he focused on it full time!

Nick: Hmm, sounds familiar though (I hope management is reading) I love my job! Speaking of which, I think this is the happiest I’ve ever seen Tiger after a loss. Sounds about right?

Claire: Fully. The last time I saw him was after I missed the cut at the US Open and he wasn’t happy. Tiger had fun this week and his family had an extensive support system there. Classmates and friends head out to watch them tee off this weekend and you can tell they really enjoyed it. He smiled a lot this weekend.

Nick: All right, what’s the conclusion after traveling with him for three days? Are you optimistic for 2025? Or do you still have questions that need to be answered?

Claire: I’m optimistic! I know, I know. People will try to discount this week, but here’s the reality. He ran 18 holes three days in a row. He seemed comfortable, and even though he was rusty, he played great golf. And he enjoyed it! I’m already looking forward to the Genesis and Major seasons.

Nick: Walking will definitely be the biggest benefit. We’ve seen him limp before at PNC – but not this year. But I’m still a little unsure why he didn’t star in Hero. Only he knows. OK, two more so you don’t miss your return flight. Best moment of the week, outside of the ace?

Claire: On Saturday, Team Leonard and Team Woods had some classmates behind them and they were all cheers. For Charlie’s putts, for Luke Leonard’s drives and even for Sam when she carried the bag. It was great to see their support system in action and it looked like a lot of fun for everyone involved.

Nick: As for me, I’d go for Jason Langer, who took repeated shots into the 18th green, with one vote also for Padraig Harrington’s son’s hole-in-one. The main winner said he had never felt so excited in his life and he sounded very sincere. Weirdest/weirdest moment?

Claire: Tiger probably signs the candy cane. On Friday I noticed the guy dressed as a candy cane and didn’t think much of it. Tiger thought it was hilarious. It was fun to get a glimpse into his sense of humor and he was happy to sign for the man who was willing to do something outside the box.

Nick: This is unbeatable. That’s it! Have a great Christmas!

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