Tiger Woods and his son Charlie Woods went on a birdie barrage but couldn’t quite catch John Daly and his son John II.
Both teams closed with 15-under-par 57 in the scramble format, but Team Daly claimed a two-stroke victory over Team Woods, which made 11 straight birdies, in the 24th PNC Championship at Ritz Carlton Golf Club in Orlando, Fla.
“We knew ahead of time that we had to have 18 good looks at birdie to have a chance,” said Tiger Woods, who was playing for the first time in a year after being injured in a serious SUV crash last February. “Then we knew we had to make birdies on every hole on the back nine to have a chance just for a playoff, but we couldn’t quite do it.
“We’re both good putters and we got on a run. It was just unbelievable. Charlie is such a great player and partner. Last year we made two bogeys (in this tournament and finished seventh), but this year we didn’t make any. I’m just happy and thankful to be able to do this. I would just like to have that last hole back.”
Team Woods started birdie-birdie-eagle and after three straight pars ran off their 11 birdies before Tiger lipped out a nine-foot birdie putt on the last hole. The 12-year-old Charlie always went first and made nine of the 14 birdie or eagle putts.
Team Daly also started birdie-birdie-eagle and added 13 birdies, including six in a row through No. 14 on their way to a winning score of 27-under 117.
“I putted terribly yesterday, but he carried us,” said Big John Daly after he and John II received the championship belts that go to the winners. “We both played well today and that’s why we won. This is one of the highlights of my life, to play and win with my son.
“The PNC is all about family.”
Added John II, who plays college golf at Arkansas: “I played really well, maybe the best of my life. It was big to be able to it some big shots, to make putts under pressure. It was so much fun.”
Defending champions Justin Thomas and his father Mike carded a second straight 60 to tie for third with first-round leaders Stewart Cink, who won this title with his son Connor in 2013 and this time was playing alongside his son Reagan, and they shot 61 with five straight birdies on the front nine.
Tom Lehman and his son Sean posted a 61 with an eagle on the 14th hole to finish six shots back in a tie for fifth with Vijay Singh of Fiji and his son Qass, who had a 62, while Matt Kuchar and his son Cameron eagled No. 3 in their 62 and were one more own in solo seventh.
Mark O’Meara and his son Shaun also had a 62 and wound up eight strokes behind in a tie for eighth with Henrik Stenson of Sweden and his son Karl, youngest player in the field at 11, after a 63 with an eagle at No. 3, while Rich Beem and his son Michael eagled the third and last holes in a 61 to come in nine shots back in a tie for 10th with Gary Player of South Africa and his grandson, Jordan, who had a 64.
Jessica Korda, the only woman in the field, and her father Petr, the former tennis champion, were 12th after a 64, while David Duval and his son Brady shot 63 to tie for 13th with Bubba Watson and his father-in-law Wayne Ball, who had a 65, and Padraig Harrinton of Ireland and his son Paddy were 15th after a 62.
Tom Watson and his son Michael, Jim Furyk and his son Tanner, and Nick Price of Zimbabwe and his son Greg all totaled 65 to finish in a tie for 16th with Nick Faldo of England and his son Matthew, who had a 68, while Lee Trevino and his son Daniel were 20th following a 67.
For complete results, visit https://www.pgatour.com/leaderboard.html
