Tiger Woods’ son hit the shot of his life for his first hole-in-one, but it was Bernhard Langer who hit the shot that mattered Sunday — an 18-foot eagle putt in a playoff to beat Woods and son Charlie in a terrific duel at the PNC Championship.
Langer and 24-year-old son Jason won for the second straight year, and the 67-year-old German now has won back-to-back at the PNC Championship with two sons as his partners.
They put on quite a show at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club Orlando, particularly when 15-year-old Charlie hit 7-iron on the par-3 fourth hole for his first ace, getting a huge hug from his father and a reminder that he would have to buy a round of drinks for everyone.
“I’m broke,” Charlie replied.
Even in defeat, Charlie said the hole-in-one, the great closing round, the playoff, everything, was the most fun he has had on the golf course.
“It’s not even close,” Charlie said.
“It was awesome having Dad there. That was so much fun. It was just a perfect 7-iron, little cut in there. Of course never got to see it go in. So that sucks. But that’s all right.”
His father concurred.
“That was the thrill of a lifetime to be able to have that moment with Charlie, make his first hole-in-one, [daughter] Sam on the bag, just our family and friends,” Tiger Woods said. “That’s what this event is about. It’s about bonding and family.
“I know we didn’t win, but it was the fact that we competed. No one really made a mistake out there. We had to earn it, and that’s what you want to have. Hats off to Langers. They played amazing.”
Padraig Harrington’s son Paddy, 21, also made his first career ace on the 214-yard, par-3 eighth shortly after Charlie’s, setting off another celebration.
Team Langer and Team Woods each closed with a 15-under 57 in the scramble format, each team making only four pars, and they set the tournament record at 28-under 116.
Woods, playing for the first time since a sixth surgery on his lower back in September, was moving well and delivering key shots. He hit driver off the deck on the par-5 14th.
Langer followed by hitting driver out of a bunker on that hole and nearly finding the green, landing in a greenside bunker.
“One of the best shots I’ve ever seen,” Woods said of Langer, who turned pro three years before Woods was born.
In the playoff, Langer had the advantage on the par 5 because of his age. He played the third set of tees, 82 yards ahead of where Woods had to play and 52 yards ahead of where the two sons were hitting.
Charlie just reached the front of the green. His 25-foot eagle putt hit the edge of the hole but had too much pace. Woods missed low. Jason Langer hit his approach to 18 feet, and he left it to his ageless father to make the winner.
For Woods, it was his first time in a playoff since Zach Johnson beat him at Sherwood in the 2013 World Challenge.
On a chilly afternoon, every seat was filled in the grandstand behind the 18th green, with fans in jackets packed down the side of the fairway. It was entertaining, along with a rare chance to see Woods on the golf course. He was playing for the first time since September surgery on his lower back. His last competition was the British Open in July.
Charlie was gearing up for a big fist pump when his eagle putt in the playoff neared the hole. Langer threw both arms in the air when his winning putt dropped.
It capped another amazing year for Langer, a two-time Masters champion. He tore his Achilles tendon playing pickleball at the start of the year, recovered in four months and extended his streak on the 50-and-older PGA Tour Champions by winning for the 18th consecutive season.
And now he has six titles in the PNC Championship — four with Jason, two with Stefan, who was caddying for his little brother.
No one else was closer than five shots, with Team Harrington among those who tied for third.
“I was too excited. You couldn’t have talked to me,” Harrington said of watching his son make a hole-in-one. “I was gone. This is a great event, and all of it is great. And we try and play well, but that was sheer joy.”
The tournament is for winners of a major on any tour or The Players Championship and a family member.
SOURCE: ESPN.COM
