Tiger Woods was unhappy with his attempted chip (Image: ESPN)
‘ debut at TGL could have been smoother, particularly with his family in the audience. On Tuesday, Woods’ Jupiter Links Golf Club (JLGC) went head-to-head with the Los Angeles Golf Club (LAGC), both teams boasting some of golf’s biggest names.
Alongside the 49-year-old were Max Homa, Kevin Kisner and Tom Kim, while LAGC fielded Collin Morikawa, Justin Rose, Sahith Theegala and Tommy Fleetwood. With such a star-studded line-up, Woods was keen to make an early impression.
However, the golfing icon had a shaky start against LAGC, much to the amusement of his son Charlie. With 101 yards left on a Par-5 hole 2, Woods calculated how hard he needed to chip the ball onto the green to give his team an early lead.
Instead of landing neatly on the green, Woods’ attempt completely missed the mark, ending up in the water on the other side. Immediately after watching his ball fly over the target and splash into the water, the golfing icon showed clear frustration as the crowd reacted to his disappointment.
Cameras then caught Charlie grinning from ear to ear, seemingly finding humour in his father’s subpar effort.
In an electrifying moment on the golf course, LAGC stole the second hole from JLGC thanks to Morikawa’s cool two-putt finish. With a buzzing crowd witnessing the action, some attributed Woods’ misguided swing to him having elevated adrenaline levels – something he hinted at post-round.
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Charlie Woods was caught laughing at his father’s shot (Image: ESPN)
Once settled, Woods humorously recounted his disbelief at the shot’s outcome: “I don’t know what the hell happened,” he confessed with a chuckle, questioning his surprisingly powerful strike: “I don’t hit it that far. With my old body, I don’t know how it went that far.”
Woods also thrilled fans with his hammer drop, which, once accepted by the opposition, means the hole is then worth two points rather than one.
The TGL’s rules have enticed viewers, with there being a total of 15 holes per match, players contending with a ticking 40-second clock and a referee.
A gleeful Woods commented on his strategic move: “That was awesome. Seriously man, that was the best. We get this place hopping with a little hammer. Let’s go.”
Aside from Woods’ headline-making hammer drop and the consequential drive, LAGC’s fight back captured significant attention, especially as Theegala expertly holed a 9-foot putt to give his team the chance to level the score against Woods on Hole 7. Post-putt, Theegala expressed its vital role in gaining the upper hand when up against a golfer of Woods’ calibre.
“That was huge honestly. That was really big,” he commented on his shot. “You never want to let these guys in. Against the GOAT, you don’t want to give any breathing room.”