Team Langer Win PNC Championship As Tiger And Charlie Woods Finish T5th

Welcome to our coverage

Welcome to our coverage of the opening day of the PNC Championship, a two-day 36-hole event which finishes tomorrow. The tee times for today have been brought forward due to the prospect of grotty weather later on. For the same reason, there is  a two-tee start so as to get the field of 20 teams round as quickly as possible.

Much focus will be on Team Woods. They are last off and are paired, as in the previous three years, with Team Thomas. Tiger and Charlie Woods are the pre-tournament favourites, but they have yet to win this competition. They are making their fourth appearance at the PNC Championship, having finished T8th last year, 2nd in 2021 and 7th in 2020.

Same competition, different name

The competition was launched as the Father Son Challenge in 1995 and continued to be called this until 2020, even though Fuzzy Zoeller had been partnered by his daughter Gretchen in 2005, and Bernhard Langer by his daughter Christina in 2013 and 2016, and in 2013, Arnold Palmer played alongside grandson Sam Saunders. But in 2020 the tournament changed its name to the PNC Championship. This year the family element comprises 17 sons, one daughter and two fathers.

The weather forecast

The format

It’s a scramble. Both players in the team tee off and they choose whichever of the drives they wish and both play their next shot from where that ball was. Then they chose which of the second shots they wish to play, and both play from there, and this pattern repeats itself until the ball is holed.

Who is playing and how do they get in?

The PNC Championship is an invitational event, for family pairs. The professional is supposed to have won a Major or the Players Championship and their family member cannot be a professional tour golfer. The field is limited to 20 teams.

The field

Stewart Cink and Reagan Cink (son)
John Daly and John Daly II (son)
David Duval and Brady Duval (son)
Nick Faldo and Matthew Faldo (son)
Jim Furyk and Tanner Furyk (son)
Retief Goosen and Leo Goosen (son)
Padraig Harrington and Ciaran Harrington (son)
Nelly Korda and Petr Korda (father)
Matt Kuchar and Cameron Kuchar (son)
Bernhard Langer and Jason Langer (son)
Tom Lehman and Sean Lehman (son)
Justin Leonard and Luke Leonard (son)
Mark O’Meara and Shaun O’Meara (son)
Nick Price and Greg Price (son)
Vijay Singh and Qass Singh (son)
Annika Sorenstam and Will McGee (son)
Steve Stricker and Izzi Stricker (daughter)
Justin Thomas and Mike Thomas (father)
Lee Trevino and Daniel Trevino (son)
Tiger Woods and Charlie Woods (son)

Early leader

Team Kuchar has opened up a two-shot lead having opened up with three consecutive birdies. They started on the 10th.

Tiger's Caddie today

Is his daughter Sam

Four birdies in a row now for Team Kuchar

They now come to their first par 5, the 14th hole, so odds on a fifth birdie? We'll keep you posted.

Yes, we called it right

Team Kuchar have just made their fifth consecutive birdie.

All the teams are now on the course 

The final groups have played their first hole. Team Woods made par on the 1st and currently are joint last. Plenty of time to go.

Pre tournament favourites

That was Team Woods. Followed closely by Team Thomas and Team Daly. Defending champs Team Singh were only sixth in the betting, behind also Teams Kuchar and Cink. There were also some long odds to be had – you could get 400-1 on Team Trevino, 300-1 on Teams Price and Sorenstam, 250-1 on team Faldo and 200-1 on Team O’Meara. Some of those outsiders are holding up pretty well so far.

Can Team Leonard match Team Kuchar?

They also started with four consecutive birdies and are now on the par-5 14th. 

12-year-old Will McGee makes an eagle putt for Team Sorenstam

And doesn't he look happy!

Team Leonard also open with five consecutive birdies

But remain in second spot as Team Kuchar have now made six birdies in their first seven holes.

Back-to-back

Vijay Singh and his son, Qass Singh, are looking to become the first back-to-back winners of the PNC Championship since Larry Nelson won in 2007 and 2008. But Larry Nelson did not have the same partner: in 2007 it was son Josh and the following year he was partnered by son Drew (who he had won with in 2004). Bernhard Langer is another who has won with different family members. He won back-to-back titles with son Stefan in 2005 and 2006, and then in 2014 with son Jason.

Team Singh are currently T10, three under after five holes.

Team Kuchar through the turn at 7 under

They lead by two shots from six pairs. 

No LIV players

No LIV players are playing, however there is a LIV connection to the event as the course was designed by LIV Golf League CEO and Commissioner Greg Norman.

First bogeys of the day

This is a format which provides for low scoring, but we have just had two bogeys. Team Harrington made bogey on the par-3 8th and Team Faldo did so on the par-4 16th. Team Harrington lie T8 and the Faldos are tied in 18th.

Sole debutant team

Steve Stricker and his daughter Izzi are the only team to be making their debut. Steve Stricker has not won a Major, not the Players Championship, the usual criteria for the professional half of the playing pairs. But Stricker has won seven senior Majors, including three this year. “From what I understand,” Stricker has explained, “the event is trying to get more women involved. Izzi kind of fits that. I think I got invited because of her!”

All the Strickers are keen and good golfers. Steve Stricker met his wife, Nicki, through golf. He was having a lesson from Nicki’s father Dennis Tiziani at Cherokee Country Club (now TPC Wisconsin) when Nicki, who was a lifeguard at the club, went over to see her father.

Later her father told her: “You know the guy you met? He asked for your number.” After waiting for three days, and no call coming, Nicki called Steve instead and asked him out. The rest, as they say, is history.

They have two daughters, Izzi, 17 who is a collegiate golfer, and Bobbi, 25, who is on the Epson Tour, which used to be called the LPGA Futures Tour. Nicki is a good enough golfer to have played in the U.S. Women’s Amateur in 1982 and the U.S. Women’s Senior Amateur this year. She has caddied for her husbands at many tournaments, and also for Izzi.

Izzi explains: “Mom caddied for me this summer, and I really enjoyed it. She’s really positive. I like her in my ear. She doesn’t tell me what clubs to hit, I make my own decisions there. But if I get upset, she knows how to bring my spirits back up.”

Izzi caddied for her father when he won this year’s Senior PGA Championship (pictured).

Team Kuchar eagles the 3rd

It is only the second eagle of the day. The previous one was also on this hole, courtesy of a monstrous putt by Will McGee, son of Annika Sorenstam. Team Kuchar are now three strokes ahead of the field.

Tailenders make eagles!

Team Price had played each of the first eight holes in par, and then go and make eagle on their ninth hole, the 18th. This rockets them up the leaderboard from 20th to well, 19th actually. Team Trevino also eagle 18 and this sends them to T13. They had also been making pars, but had also made a birdie on 10. In 20th and last spot is now Sir Nick Faldo and his son Matthew.

Tiger and Charlie out in 32

They lie T12 after a front nine of five pars and four birdies. 

Defending champs on the charge

Having started slowly, with two opening pars, Vijay Singh and his son Qass have birdied all but one of the next 11 holes. They are now in joint second place.

200-1 outsiders tied in second

Before the tournament you could have got 200-1 on Mark O’Meara and his son Shaun.  But don't get too excited – or rueful that you did not place a bet – as they have only two holes left to play, and so other teams with more holes left to play are likely to overtake them. Even still...

We have a clubhouse leader

The first group has finished all 18 holes, and Team Kuchar is the house on 15 under after a back nine of 29, and then going on to the front nine which they played in 28. Team O'Meara have also finished and lie joint 2nd on -10.

Berhard and Jason Langer up to second

They have two holes left to play. Bernhard and Jason Langer won in 2014. Bernhard also won in 2005 and 2006 with with son Stefan. 

Why is Lee Trevino aiming for an eagle?

It’s because he believes in reincarnation. He has explained: “In my last life I was a peasant. Next time around, I'd like to be an eagle. Who hasn't dreamed they could fly? They're a protected species, too.”

That wasn’t the Trevino quote you were expecting weren’t you? That was: “One of the nice things about the Senior Tour is that we can take a cart and cooler. If your game is not going well, you can always have a picnic.” No? Maybe it was: “You can make a lot of money in this game. Just ask my ex-wives. Both of them are so rich that neither of their husbands work.”

No, of course not. It was “If you are caught on a golf course during a storm and are afraid of lightning, hold up a 1-iron. Not even God can hit a 1-iron.”

Perhaps Trevino can have that picnic?

Another one of Supermex’s famous sayings is “I'm not scared of very much. I've been hit by lightning and been in the Marine Corps for four years.” Well, as a former member of the military he is entitled to complimentary snacks and drinks courtesy of 4Rivers at the Pepsi Patriot’s Pavilion which is beside the 17th green. The invitation includes one guest so he can bring his caddie, too.

Charlie Woods drives through a green 321 yards away 

The leaders

Matt Kuchar and son Cameron Kuchar on the ninth green (their final hole) after they had posted a round of 57, the second-lowest in the tournament's history.

Team Langer in clubhouse on -12

They are in second place, three strokes behind the leaders, after front and back nines of 30. Teams Singh and Goosen are a shot behind the Langers and are on the 18th hole, which is a prime birdie opportunity.

A good week already

Annika Sorenstam and Will McGee are the only mother-son combo playing this week. Whatever happens during the rest of the tournament, Will McGee has some happy memories already to take away from the week. Playing a practice round on the Wednesday, he made a hole in one on the par-3 4th with a 7-iron. Then he made that 40ft eagle putt today on the 3rd. They came into the tournament as 250-1 outsiders – only Team Price had longer odds – and they have walked off after 18 holes of their first round tied in 6th spot, having carded a 62.

Three-way tie in second at present

Team Goosen and Team Singh both birdied the 18th and so that is three teams now who have finished on -12 as they have joined Team Langer on that score. But there are teams out on the course who could still match, or even better, that score.

All first rounds now completed

So Matt and Cameron Kuchar, with a superb round of 57, have finished the day three shots clear of the field. There is a four-way tie in second now after Team Duval birdied their final hole.

Statistical curio

Only two teams made eagle on the 18th and they were the teams that finished the day in the bottom two spots: Team Trevino (20th) and Team Price (T18th). The only other hole to yield an eagle was the 3rd, which succumbed three times, all to teams who finished the day in the top 7.

Tee Times Day Two

Welcome to our coverage of the second and final day of the 36-hole PNC Championship. Here are today’s tee times in EST/GMT:

9.20am/2.20pm Team Price, Team Trevino
9.33am/2.33pm Team Harrington, Team Faldo
9.46am/2.46pm Team Thomas, Team Furyk
9:59am/2.59pm Team Leonard, Team Korda
10.12am/3.12pm Team Sörenstam, Team Lehman
10:25am/3.25pm Team Cink, Team O’Meara
10:38am/3.38pm Team Duval, Team Daly
10.51am/3.51pm Team Stricker, Team Woods
11.04am/4.04pm Team Singh, Team Goosen
11.17am/4.17pm Team Kuchar, Team Langer

The teams are going out in leaderboard order - well almost. Team Woods have had their slot bumped to later on, to a more television-friendly time!

Quick reminder about the format

It’s a scramble. Both players in the team tee off and they choose whichever drive they wish and both play their next shot from where that ball was. Then they chose which of these second shots they wish to play, and so on until the ball is holed.

This is rather fun and cleverly put together

No change on the leaderboard

All six holes that have been completed so far today, by four teams, have been made in par.

Easiest and hardest holes

These come early in the round, the par-5 3rd played the easiest yesterday and the par-3 4th played the hardest. But the second easiest hole was the par-5 18th. It yielded 14 birdies, two eagles and had only four pars scored on it in round one.

The first group out are now on the 3rd hole. 

First birdie of the day...

... goes to Team Thomas on the 1st hole. They move up to 11th place. Team Price has just birdied the 3rd hole. We can expect most scores to be under-par on that hole.

Not Father-Son

The PNC Championship is an invitational event, for family pairs. The professional is supposed to have won a Major or the Players Championship and their family member cannot be a current professional tour golfer. This competition was launched as the Father Son Challenge in 1995 and continued to be called this until 2020, even though the definition of father and son had become shall we say a loose one – Fuzzy Zoeller had paired with his daughter Gretchen in 2005 (pictured), and Bernhard Langer with daughter Christina in 2013 and 2016, and in 2013, Arnold Palmer was partnered by grandson Sam Saunders. But most teams remained father and son combos.

The only teams playing this year who are not are Nelly Korda who is playing with her father Petr; Justin Thomas who is also playing with his father, Mike – well the Thomases are still a father-son pairing just one going in the opposite direction – Steve Stricker and daughter Izzi; and Annika Sörenstam and son Will McGee.

Team Annika or Team Sörenstam?

I had a history teacher who called the boys in his class by their surname and the girls by their Christian name. Even he admitted this was odd. I was reminded of him by the official PGA Tour scoring for the event. All the teams are referred to by the surname by the PGA Tour scoring system except when it comes to the team which comprises mother and son Annika Sörenstam and Will McGee. (Annika Sörenstam is the maiden name of Mrs Mike McGee.) This is called Team Annika. Why? If my old history teacher had been let lose with the scoring system, then surely it should also be Team Nelly for consistency. Or is it thought too confusing a family team having people with different surnames on it, that a chap named McGee playing for a team called Sörenstam would confuse our poor simple minds? In which case, how is a chap named Will playing for a team called Annika any less confusing?

(Picture is of Will McGee and Annika Sorenstam with their caddies Mike McGee and Tom Sörenstam, Annika's father.)

Final preparation

They are teeing off in just under a quarter of an hour's time.

First eagles of the day

Team Leonard and Team Korda both make eagles on the par-5 3rd. Team Nelly are up to tied 2nd now.

Nelly Korda is playing with her father Peter, who won the Australian Open in 1998. In tennis. He was once ranked the number 2 tennis player in the world. Petr is from Czechoslovakia and he married another professional tennis player, Regina Rajchrtová who represented Czechoslovakia in the 1998 Olympics. They have three children, all born in Florida.

Their eldest daughter, Jessica, represented the Czech Republic in the World Amateur Team Championship in 2006 and the U.S. in the 2009 Junior Solheim Cup and the 2010 Curtis Cup and the 2019 and 2012 Solheim Cups. She plays on the LPGA tour. Nelly is Petr and Regina’s second child. Their third child is 23-year-old Sebastian Korda, a professional tennis player currently ranked 24th in the world.

The course

The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club in Orlando, Florida has been the home of the PNC Championship since 2012. It is the tournament’s fifth home, four of which have been in Florida and it was held at Vero Beach (1995–1998); Twin Eagles (1999) and Champions Gate (2003-2008). From 2000 to 2002 it was held The Ocean Club in Paradise Island, Bahamas.

Want to know more about the golf course? Well it featured in our guide to the best golf courses in Orlando. 

Team Woods start with a par

They are currently tied 14th.

Those 200-1 outsiders are continuing to do well

Team O'Meara have birdied the opening three holes and lie tied second.

In other golf news....

Team Duval Tie Team Kuchar For Lead

An eagle on the 3rd, after a birdie on the 1st, has moved them to 15 under.

Team Woods par 2nd hole

They remain in a four-way tie for 14th.

Playground Battle

There is a competition-within-a-competition for the best finish by a Benjamin School pupil. The Benjamin School is an independent, coeducational, college preparatory, day school in Palm Beach County, Florida. Charlie Woods is at this school, but he is not the only Major champion’s son on the school golf team. Justin Leonard’s son Luke, who is also playing at the PNC Championship, is also part of it.

Charlie Woods or Luke Leonard would not be the first to have gone to the school to win the PNC Championship – Gary Nicklaus won in 1999 with father Jack, albeit Gary was no longer a schoolboy when he won. Greg Norman’s son, also Greg, also went to The Benjamin School.

The Trophy

The trophy is based on the original Open Championship one, and named after the first winner of that, Willie Park. It is a red leather belt with sterling silver embellishments. The original Open trophy was superseded by the Claret Jug when Young Tom Morris won three consecutive Opens, in 1868, 1869 and 1870, which entitled him to keep the trophy. This is also the reason why the Open was not held in 1871 – there was no trophy to award! So a claret jug was commissioned, although it was not ready in time, so the winner of 1872 was instead given a gold medal. (That winner, by the way was also Young Tom Morris.) Now the winner of The Open gets a gold medal as well as the Claret Jug. The leading amateur gets a silver medal, and any amateur who makes the cut gets a bronze one.

Willie Park Senior won The Open four times – getting the belt in 1860, 1863, 1866 and the Claret Jug in 1875. He and his wife, Susanna, had ten children and one of them, Willie Park Junior also won The Open Championship, in 1887 and 1889. Which is why the name Willie Park was deemed appropriate for a trophy for a competitions that was originally called the Father Son Challenge. Willie Park Senior’s brother, Mungo, won the Open in 1874.

Three-way tie now for the lead

A birdie for Team Langer on the 3rd and they join Team Kuchar and Team Duval on 15 under. Team Kuchar have not got their round going yet. They have started with three pars in a format in which you need a lot of birdies and so they have gone from having the largest first-round lead in this competition's history to, a mere three holes later, being in a three-way tie for the lead.

Two shots cover nine teams at top of leaderboard

This really is a wide open tournament now and very hard to call who the likely winner will be. I'll stick my neck out and say Team Langer.

Team Langer now in outright lead

They have opened up with four straight birdies. What is Bernhard Langer's secret? He is 66 for goodness sake, but he just keeps on winning.

Team Woods card an eagle

It is on the par-5 5th, the first eagle on this hole.

Team Duval now tied in lead

They birdied the 7th. Meanwhile the Langers are making heavy work of their approaches to the 5th green. Jason drowned his ball, and his Dad missed the green.

First birdie for Team Kuchar

Finally! It comes on the 5th hole. But Bernhard Langer plays a lovely chip from light rough and Team Langer have a short putt for birdie which Jason pops in. Team Langer now have the lead by a shot.

Gusty winds making things tricky

Wind strength is about 20mph, but with gusts of up to 35mph. Jason Langer had a putt for a sixth consecutive birdie for Team Langer and a leaf got blown into the path of the ball and collided with it, but the putt had enough momentum to flop into the hole. Team Langer now ahead by two shots.

Team Kuchar recover well from the undergrowth

They have to play their approaches from the fringes of some nasty-looking undergrowth on the 7th and avoiding branches to thread a narrow route to the green. Matt plays a splendid recovery shot which ends on the green about 6ft away so that leaves them with a birdie putt. But they miss it. 

Charlie Woods chips in for birdie on the 9th

We'll be seeing that shot again and again. Charlie walks away with right arm aloft in triumph, trigger finger pointing upwards. Dad is grinning from ear to ear. 

That chip

Graeme McDowell is among the spectators

The LIV golfer and Florida resident is taking in some PGA Tour action.

That recovery on 7 by Matt Kuchar

Langers go out in 28

Twenty-three year old Jason Langer has been in deadly form on the green. Bernhard has had to play one putt so far.

Team Trevino in the clubhouse

Lee finishes the round off with a birdie putt for a round of 66. He is the oldest man in the field, aged 84. He is 72 years older than the youngest competitor, Will McGee. Trevino has played in all 26 editions of the event.

Bernhard Langer putts in from off the green

That's Team Langer's ninth birdie in 10 holes.

Only the respectable need apply

The Willie Park Trophy for the PNC Championship is modelled on the original Open Championship trophy (see earlier post) and named after its first winner. That tournament came about because Allan Robertson was considered the best golfer of his time, but when he died in 1859, aged 44, from jaundice, there was no agreement as to who was now the best golfer. The members of Prestwick decided to hold a competition to determine who this was. So a notice was published:

“It is proposed by the PRESTWICK GOLF CLUB to give a CHALLENGE BELT, to be played for by PROFESSIONAL GOLFERS; and the various Golf Clubs in Scotland and England are requested to name and send the best players on their Links, not exceeding three from any one Club, to compete for it"

“The game to be 36 holes, or three rounds of Prestwick Links, the player who succeeds in holing his ball in the fewest number of strokes to be the winner.”

The belt was bought by the members of Prestwick and cost £25. there was nervousness about letting a professional golfer – a class of person that was not necessarily held in great esteem at the time – walk away with such a valuable item to be returned the following year. So it was decided that the winner would have to leave a £25 deposit on the trophy. 

I imagine the idea was that the player’s sponsoring club would probably provide the deposit. To this end, all participants had “to produce a certificate of respectability from the Treasurer of the Golf Club to which they are attached.”

Jason Langer drains another birdie putt

I wonder how many more times I can cut and paste that. That is 10 birdies in the first 11 holes for Team Langer who are now four shots ahead.

Prize money

The winners of the PNC Championship get a belt, and unlike the first winners of The Open, also get prize money, $200,000 of it. Second place gets $80,000 and third place $57,250, down to $40,000 for last place.

Record to be broken?

When John Daly and John II Daly won this tournament in 2021 they did so in a record 27 under par total. Team Langer are on 22 under with six holes to go.

Team O'Meara stalled

Having started the round with three birdies every hole since then has been a par. They are on the  16th hole.

Jason Langer misses his birdie putt on 13

But his father holes it instead. Matt Kuchar also holes for a birdie, only the second Team Kuchar have made today. Yesterday they made 13 of them, as well as an eagle.

Record to be equalled?

Looks like it. Raymond Floyd has won this event a record five times. He won the first three editions, in 1995-1997 and then again in 2000 and 2001. The first three wins were with Raymond Junior, and the last two with Robert Floyd. Bernhard Langer has won it four times, He won with son Stefan in 2005 and 2006, and then in 2014 and 2019 with Jason.

First eagle today on 18

Fourth consecutive birdie for Team Woods

Too little, too late, but they are having fun, Lots of smiles. They are up to T6.

"The best week of my year"

Will McGee is being interviewed, his eyes full of happy tears. His mother is also being interviewed. Annika Sorenstam says that he told her to slow down walking down 18 as "I want to enjoy this moment."

Will McGee interviewed with his mum

"Mum, I want to enjoy this moment"

Then he played this shot

Clubhouse leaders

Team Duval have posted a 23 under par total after their round of 61 today. They are a shot behind Team Langer, and two ahead of Team Singh who have a hole to play.

JASON LANGER DRAINS ANOTHER BIRDIE PUTT

Knew I'd get to cut and paste that. Team Langer are 13 under for the round with two to play.

Charlie Woods rolls in a birdie putt on 18

Team Woods are round in 61, matching the lowest round in the clubhouse, which was by Team Duval. Team Wood currently lie T5.

Scoring record looks out of reach

Team Langer are going to have to chip in if they are to get an eagle on 18 to tie the 27 under total tournament record. 

Langers par final hole

It is only their fifth par of the round and only the fourth on this par-5 hole all day. They are winners by two shots after shooting the day's low round of  59. It is a record-equalling fifth win in this competition for Bernhard Langer.

The winning moment