TIGER Woods is back in the United States following The Open and has been watching his son Charlie compete in his first US Junior Amateur event.
Woods played in the last men’s major of the year at Royal Troon in Scotland but he missed the cut and by Monday he was a spectator at Oakland Hills Country Club in Michigan.
The American sporting icon was with around 100 people waiting at the first tee to watch Charlie play, according to the Associated Press.
Woods was prohibited by US Golf Association rules from serving as Charlie’s caddie for the tournament.
Guidelines state a player cannot use a parent, step-parent or guardian as a caddie during the event.
Charlie had teammate Luke Wise on bag duties, with dad doing the watching instead.
Despite the notable support, it was far from the happiest of days for Charlie.
He could never really get going at any stage and had to settle for a 12-over 82.
The pressures and toils of the day were clearly apparent when Charlie covered his face with his hat at the end of his round.
It’s obvious that the presence of 15-time major winner Tiger has meant a lot to many of those young players in action.
“It’s so special,” Baylor sophomore Davis Ovard told The Detroit News
“It was so much fun [on Sunday]. Today he was a little more off to the side, so I didn’t see him as much.
“But yesterday he was walking down the middle of the fairway with us and was on the greens with us and we were talking about the course.
“It was like, is this real? It was crazy. Playing with Charlie is super fun. The crowd and everything is a lot of fun.”
The older Tiger had a difficult couple of days himself on the Ayrshire coast of Scotland.
Rounds of 79 and 77 left him at 14 over, and he departed before the weekend, which culminated in victory at Troon for another American, Xander Schauffele.
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It’s the third missed cut in men’s majors for Tiger this year.
He also failed to make the cut at the US PGA and US Open, after he did make the weekend’s play in April’s Masters at his beloved Augusta.
Despite the disappointment, 48-year-old Woods assured fans he would be at next year’s Open Championship at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland.
He also produced a memorable barb before the tournament, when talking to reporters.
Colin Montgomerie suggested it might be time Woods retired, to which Tiger pointed out he was exempt to play at The Open until he was 60 as he was a former champion, unlikely the Scottish golfer.
Woods is widely considered to be one of the greatest sportspeople of all time. Only Jack Nicklaus, with 18, has won more men’s majors.
