Amid the darkness of this never-ending pandemic, Sunday brought a beam of light: Tiger Woods and his son, both dressed in the iconic red and black, chasing victory on the golf course.
Driving the news: 10 months after a car accident nearly killed him, Tiger played 36 holes alongside his 12-year-old son, Charlie, at the PNC Championship — an event teaming golf greats with family members.
- The Woods caught fire Sunday, notching 13 birdies (including 11 in a row) and an eagle to finish alone in second behind John Daly and his son, John II, a freshman at Arkansas.
- Charlie, who burst onto the scene at last year's event, inspired awe all weekend in Orlando, hitting spectacular shots and mirroring his father in almost every way (look at the club twirl!).
"Charlie Woods hasn't smiled in like an hour. Just hit a butter cut 4 iron to 4 feet and holed it from the back tees. Did not acknowledge any of the people yelling his name as he walked to the next tee. Tunnel vision. Apple, meet tree."— Dan Rapaport, Golf Digest
The big picture: Tiger, 45, showed glimpses. But he was clearly compromised, often walking with a limp and lacking power. He said himself that he's a long way from returning to the PGA Tour — as one would expect less than a year after doctors discussed amputation.
- "But the weekend was not just about the father," writes NYT's Kurt Streeter. "For fans, it was also about the son."
- And I'll add: It was also about the father's relationship with the son, given the complex bond Tiger had with his own father, Earl.
The bottom line: Tiger's next chapter should be a fascinating one, as he navigates an uncertain golf career while raising an already-famous son who has the looks of a wunderkind — just like him.