Tiger Woods and son Charlie lose the PNC Championship in a sudden-death playoff to Bernhard and Jason Langer

Tiger Woods’ future in golf is still very much up in the air, but as long as he can have days like Sunday’s, he’ll be around the game for a long time to come.

The Woods team, which included son Charlie as a playing partner and daughter Sam as a caddy, lost a sudden playoff to Bernhard Langer and his son Jason for the PNC Championship, a no-stakes champion family tournament that has nonetheless become one of the most popular Events developed by Woods.

Bernhard and Jason Langer shot a 57 to capture the playoff hole, the par-5 18th, and won the tournament for the second year in a row. Team Langer also won the PNC in 2019 and 2014. Team Woods took second place for the second year in a row after neither Tiger nor Charlie were able to convert a 20-foot eagle.

Team Woods and Team Langer were tied at 18 holes and again at 36 holes. Both teams finished regulation time at 28 under, breaking the PNC record previously set by John Daly and John Daly II in 2021.

The 36-hole tournament, which pits former major champions against family members, marks Woods’ first appearance since back surgery in September. He last played tournament-level golf at the Open Championship in July. Woods only competed in five tournaments all year and only made it to one of them, the Masters. He missed the cut at the season’s other three majors and withdrew early from the Genesis Invitational in February.

Woods indicated earlier this week that he timed his September back surgery so that he could compete in the PNC Championship with Charlie.

“That was one of the reasons I had the surgery done sooner so I could hopefully give myself the best chance to be with Charlie and be able to play,” Woods said. “I’m not competitive at the moment, 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 can experience this moment together again.”

And what a moment it was, especially on the par-3 4th hole, where Charlie Woods landed his first ever ace:

Woods’ joy at his son’s triumph was evident, even as he told 15-year-old Charlie that he would buy everyone drinks, as is customary at any hole-in-one. “I’m broke,” Charlie replied.

Team Woods dueled with the defending champions, Team Langer, until the final nine rounds, with both fathers and sons meeting each other hole for hole.

Woods has given few hints about his professional future. “Recovery has become the hardest part,” he said earlier this week. “But as the rounds, weeks, months go by, it becomes more and more difficult.”

Early next year, Woods will likely compete in the TGL indoor golf league, but has not yet indicated when he will return to competitive tournament golf. At the moment, his main concern is to make sure that Charlie doesn’t beat him up yet.

“He beat me for nine holes,” Woods said. “He hasn’t beaten me over 18 holes yet. That day is coming. I’ll just extend it as long as possible.”