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Every time Charlie Woods tees up, the cameras move in his direction. Comparison with dad, Tiger Woods was inevitable, but as time passed, Charlie proved he deserved the attention in his own right. For instance, he won the AJGA’s Team TaylorMade event in May this year, finished T9 at the Junior PGA Championship. The ‘Tiger’ in Charlie was already evident, and once more the 16-year-old proved that.

On November 5, the AJGA named Charlie Woods to its Rolex Junior All-America first team. He is one of just 12 boys across the country to earn this distinction. This ranking was finalized on October 14 and is built entirely on performance in Rolex-ranked events. Players are required to have at least six starts in AJGA tournaments, and Charlie had exactly that many. He finished ninth overall in the ranking with 46.715 points.

For the Woods household, this is a full-circle moment. Tiger Woods earned the AJGA Player of the Year honors in both 1991 and 1992. He, too, was 16 years old at the time of receiving this award. Now, his son might not have become the Player of the Year, but he has earned the All-America selection like his dad. Other notable honorees include Miles Russell, who was named the Rolex Junior Boys Player of the Year for the second time, and Aphrodite Deng, who was named the Rolex Junior Girls Player of the Year.

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Charlie wasn’t going to forget this season, and understandably so, but now he has one more reason not to.

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He captured his first AJGA title in May at the Team TaylorMade Invitational with a 15-under-par 201. This 3-stroke victory turned the spotlight on him as he shot 26 birdies—a record at an AJGA Invitational. Moreover, he was competing as the 606th-ranked player against names like Miles Russell, who was placed as one of the top five-ranked junior players. The rest of the year showed similar grit.

Charlie had a strong showing at the Junior PGA Championship, finishing T9. A closing 74 cost him a top-3 finish, but it was his best performance at a national event yet. He then also qualified for the U.S. Junior Amateur for the second consecutive year and competed in the Junior PLAYERS Championship, where he made a hole-in-one in the final round. And just a few days back, he helped his team, The Benjamin Buccaneers, capture the Florida High School Regional title. Along with good days, the young golfer had some setbacks, too.

He missed the cut for the second year at the U.S. Junior Amateur. This is a dramatic contrast with his father, who won this event three straight times, from 1991 to 1993. He also could not make it to the Junior Ryder Cup team. His coach says that he plays rather emotionally, and that could be a double-edged sword.

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Charlie’s hardest opponent is his father

Tiger Woods’ AJGA career was one of the most dominant. He was just 15 when he went on to win 8 of his 13 starts. Woods was the recipient of the Rolex Junior of the Year titles back-to-back. Then, between 1990 and 1993, he had a record-setting mark of 11-3-2 at the Wyndham Cup. Finally, he placed a cherry on top by winning six straight USGA titles. He had three U.S. Junior Amateurs, which were followed by three U.S. Amateurs. That is a streak that no one has come close to replicating and may not even be matched in the near future.

So, it’s rather unfair to expect Charlie Woods to do the same, just because he shares the same surname. Nevertheless, for Tiger Woods, his son’s growth is what impresses him the most. He has been watching him closely, even though he might not attend his events at times.

“He has gotten better at every facet of the game. That’s a commitment to practicing and developing as a player. Most of us forget he’s only 15. Being only 15, I think it’s incredible what he’s been able to accomplish so far, and the ceiling that he has is unlimited,” said Woods of Charlie last year.

In all honesty, that comparison will never stop chasing him. For as long as he plays, he will be compared to his dad. But through all that scrutiny, he’s still able to carve a distinct name for himself, and that’s what makes him actually stand out. Not as Tiger Woods‘s son. But as Charlie Woods.

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