Carson Daly was once considered a rival to Tiger Woods in junior golf. Before becoming a TV host, Daly was a promising golfer who competed alongside Woods in junior tournaments. While Daly was talented and aspired to turn pro, Woods quickly rose to dominance with his extraordinary skills. Daly acknowledged the friendly rivalry but also recognized Woods’s unmatched talent, which propelled him to the top of the sport. As time went on, Daly shifted his focus to television, becoming known as the host of Total Request Live and later The Voice. Meanwhile, Woods solidified his legacy as one of the greatest golfers of all time. Today, when people refer to Daly as Woods’s “ex-rival,” they are recalling their time as competitive junior golfers before their paths diverged—Daly finding success in entertainment, while Woods dominated golf.

Carson Daly reflected on his early days of golf and his connection with Tiger Woods during their junior golf years in Southern California. Daly shared how the two competed against each other in various tournaments, even though there was an age gap between them. He recalls moments where, despite being a bit older, he would stand with other golfers, looking at the leaderboard, only to find Woods, who was much younger, shooting impressively low scores. Daly says, “We played SoCal junior golf together, and I was in the 17-18 PR group, so we were a little bit apart. And just every tournament where I thought I’d play well, we’d all stand around the board back in the day and look at the scores and there’d be this kid who would shoot, you know, 68 or something like that in the Little League, who just beat all of us older ones.”

He further explains a particular event they both played in, “We played a lot of the AJGA events, and it was the same thing. We played in Vegas once — I’ve told the story a bunch. It was like 120 in Vegas, and we all played, and we were just dying to get off the golf course, and he was the only one out on the range with his dad still hitting balls. And we were all just like, ‘That guy’s going to be good. He’s going to do something. That guy’s really dumb, but he’s going to be really good.'”

From Daly’s perspective, it was clear that Woods had something special that set him apart from the rest. Daly continued, “He had that extra gear, and I got to see it in junior golf.” Despite their early competition, the two formed a bond over the years.

Carson Daly and Tiger Woods spent their time together at the PNC Championship

Carson Daly shared a heartwarming moment with his son, Jackson, when they found out who they would be paired with at the PNC Championship in Florida. The excitement was palpable, and Jackson’s reaction to learning they’d be playing alongside one of golf’s greatest legends, Tiger Woods, was priceless. On the TODAY show on December 20, Carson recalled, “Christmas came early for the Daly family, that’s for sure,” as he spoke about the thrilling surprise. Jackson, still processing the news, responded, “Mr. Tiger Woods and his son Charlie,” reflecting how surreal the moment felt.

At the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club in Orlando, where the three-day tournament would take place, Carson, 51, and Jackson, 15, would get the rare opportunity to play with Tiger Woods and his son, Charlie. As Carson put it, “We’re playing with Tiger and Charlie today, guys. We get to play with the greatest of all time.” For Jackson, the chance to share the course with Tiger Woods left a lasting impression, as his reaction revealed just how special the experience was for him. The PNC Championship is an event where professional golfers team up with their loved ones, making it a heartwarming occasion for all involved. For Carson and Jackson Daly, this was a moment to remember.

It’s not every day you get to play alongside a golfing legend. What are your thoughts on this incredible moment? Share your reactions in the comments below! Carson Daly mentioned that they recently spent time together again, saying, “I just played with him and Charlie and my son Jackson at the PNC in December, and that was great. It was great to spend some time with him.” He also expressed his concern for Woods, noting, “I’m sorry to hear what just happened to him yesterday, but he was in great spirits and physically was doing great.”

Daly closed with a nostalgic reflection, “We have a lot of old history together. You can’t make that up. Old golf buddies.