You know you’re doing something right when a seasoned pro takes notice. That’s exactly what happened with Blades Brown, the 17-year-old golf prodigy who is making waves at The American Express. While the field is stacked with big names like Justin Thomas and Rickie Fowler, it was Brown’s performance that stole the show.

After two rounds, he sits at T40 on the leaderboard—not exactly at the top, but let’s talk about how he got there. In Round 2, he delivered an incredible 8-under-par 64. His back nine was impeccable, with an eagle on the par-5 11th and three birdies, finishing with a 5-under 31. On the front nine, he had four birdies and just one bogey, closing with a solid 3-under 33. For a teenager playing amongst golf’s finest? That’s nothing short of remarkable.

While Brown’s golf game is turning heads, it’s his work ethic that has a certain PGA Tour veteran seriously impressed. Charley Hoffman, currently leading the tournament, shared his thoughts on Brown during a post-round interview, and it’s safe to say he’s a fan. “He’s very polished,” Hoffman said. But what really impressed him about Brown was his dedication.

Hoffman shared an incident about Brown that stuck with him. “I got up before the team, before the team played at, we’ll say 5:00 in the morning, I would go and work out because I had to get some work because I’m still playing, and he was in the gym, and he was in the gym working out.”

Think about that for a second. At 17, Brown’s already putting in the kind of effort that many pros didn’t start until their college years—or later. Hoffman even admitted, “I don’t know if I had that work ethic at 17 — I promise you I didn’t. I didn’t know what the gym was. I didn’t learn about that until probably my college.”

Coming from a four-time PGA Tour winner, that’s no small compliment. But Hoffman knows how brutal the Tour can be, and he sees a bright future for Brown. “It’s a tough training ground out here,” he said. “Hopefully he gets some success early on.”

While Brown is busy earning respect from the game’s elite, another young name that keeps coming up is Charlie Woods. Unlike Brown, Charlie is still waiting for his shot at the PGA Tour. And to be honest, being Tiger Woods’s son isn’t exactly the easiest thing, it rather comes with immense pressure. He is always under scrutiny for every move he makes. The expectations are sky-high, and the pressure? Off the charts!

That’s not to say Charlie isn’t talented. He had a great chance to show his brilliance at the 2024 PNC Championship, where he and his father were the runner-ups. But while Brown is out there posting 8-under rounds and impressing veterans, Charlie is yet to show his prowess to the world.

But the bigger question is when will Jr. Woods be able to join the PGA tour rooster?

When will Charlie Woods be able to play in the PGA Tour?

The new season has already begun, and while Charlie Woods hasn’t made his professional debut yet, he’s shown his skills time and again. Last year was a challenging one for the young Woods, but by the season’s end, he proved why greatness runs in his veins. At the 2024 PNC Championship, his hole-in-one on the 4th with a 7-iron had everyone buzzing, and his near-eagle during the playoffs only added to the excitement. So, with skills like that, is Charlie eligible to play on the PGA Tour yet? Not really. Charlie’s still competing as a junior with the Benjamin Buccaneers and has a little more time before he can officially make the leap. The PGA Tour rules are pretty clear—you have to be at least 18 to play. For Charlie, that means we’ll have to wait until February 8, 2027, when he celebrates his 18th birthday.

But wait, what about Blades Brown? He’s only 17 yet he is already out there competing. How, you ask? Brown is playing on the PGA Tour thanks to a sponsor exemption, which gave him the chance to tee it up at The American Express. These exemptions are essentially golden tickets handed out to promising young talents or fan favorites, giving them a chance to compete in select tournaments before they meet all the usual requirements. So, if Charlie wants to fast-track his way onto the Tour before turning 18, he’d need to secure a similar exemption—or just wait until he’s old enough.