Tiger Woods has always been a man of few words when it comes to the game. But his recent comments about his son Charlie after their second-place finish at the PNC Championship spoke volumes. Despite the crushing loss in a playoff to Team Langer, Woods couldn’t hide his pride for the 15-year-old, who keeps impressing on and off the course.

When asked what stood out most about Charlie’s game, Tiger Woods didn’t hesitate. “He’s gotten better at every facet of the game,” Woods said. “That’s a commitment to practicing and developing as a player. I think most of us forget he’s only 15 years old.” Well, that’s hard to argue.

It’s undoubtedly easy to forget Charlie’s still just a teenager—especially when he’s out there, competing alongside seasoned pros. Woods’ message to critics was clear: despite the media spotlight, Charlie’s just a kid with a huge future ahead of him. “The ceiling that he has is unlimited,” Woods said.

Looking at Charlie’s game, Woods also couldn’t help but think back to his own career. “I wish I hit it that far and that good. I definitely did not do that at his age,” he admitted. And when Charlie jokingly pointed out, “Dad, I didn’t win as many tournaments as you did,” Woods laughed and replied, “I made a couple putts.“

It was a great finish for Team Woods, even if they didn’t walk away with the win. With a future as bright as Charlie’s, it’s clear the best is yet to come.

Charlie is just like his dad Tiger Woods—but not in every way

Jr. Woods is already drawing comparisons to his dad, Tiger Woods, and understandably so. At 15, Woods was already making history—winning the U.S. Junior Amateur and picking up Player of the Year honors like they were no big deal. So yeah, Charlie’s got a lot to live up to.

The crowds that have always followed Tiger Woods are showing up for Charlie, as well. His coach even mentioned fans waiting in hiding at school tournaments just to catch a glimpse of him. But how do they handle the attention? That’s where they’re different.

Before the PNC Championship, Woods was asked if he was as comfortable at 15 as Charlie seemed to be. His answer? Not even close. “It’s a different time and era,” Woods said.

“I didn’t have this much attention. As you said, I met Jack that day, but also I met Byron Nelson for the first time that day, as well. That was a great day back in those days. I warmed up for Jack and I had to get back for my high school match that afternoon.”

Woods also shared how his teenage years involved playing alongside legends like Jack Nicklaus while still juggling high school golf. “That’s what Charlie is doing,” he said. “He’s playing golf with us and then playing the high school matches. The type of attention is very different than what I had. We didn’t have social media. We didn’t have camera phones. We didn’t have any of that. It was kind of hearsay amongst neighbors. It was a different time and era.”

Things are different now. Back then, media coverage was limited; today, every move Charlie makes is out there for the world to see. That’s a lot for a teenager to deal with. But Woods gets it—Charlie needs the space to be his own person and be recognized for his game, not just as Woods’s kid.

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