Tiger Woods and son Charlie fire 59 in exciting first round of PNC Championship

Tiger Woods and his son Charlie were on hot form in the first round of the PNC Championship, shooting an impressive 59 to only trail Justin Thomas and his father Mike by two shots.

Although Charlie, 13, struggled with his left ankle throughout Saturday's round, he and his father still made 11 birdies and an eagle to reach 13-under in the scramble format, three shots better than their opening score 12 months ago.

After the pair hit their opening tee shots, they looked into a pre-prepared camera on the tee box to wish Woods' ex-wife and Charlie's mother Elin Nordegren well after she gave birth to a baby on Thursday.

Related: Tiger sends message to ex-wife Elin straight down camera at PNC Championship

Charlie, who recently had his father caddying for him in a junior golf tournament in Florida, looked in pain on hole 4 at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club in Orlando and had to stretch out his leg on the 5th tee box.

The pair battled on with Tiger riding in the cart and they began with two birdies in their opening four holes, but Tiger set fire to their round by chipping in for an eagle on the par-5 5th hole. He followed this with a fist pump and a fist bump with Charlie.

Charlie then holed a great putt for birdie on hole 7 and his father followed this with a birdie putt of his own on the 8th. Tiger drained a putt of around 30 feet on the 9th to take his side to the turn on 8-under. Oh, and another fist pump. They played their first nine holes to 28 shots.

Early fist pump for Team Woods @TigerWoods chips in for eagle @PNCChampionship. pic.twitter.com/bZIjcRHFOd

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) December 17, 2022

There’s the putter raise from Charlie.



Team Woods is feeling it @PNCChampionship pic.twitter.com/TUEsjVG3nh

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) December 17, 2022

They moved on to 9-under through 10 holes and Team Thomas was also on this mark with eight holes left. The two-time USPGA champion made an impressive eagle on 14 to take him and Mike to 13-under.

Tiger may have performed a vintage club twirl after his approach to this par-5, but their birdie couldn't match Thomas' excellence. The Woods duo added a birdie on 18 to card a great 59.

Team Thomas also found a final birdie on the 18th hole in Florida to reach 15-under. Their 57 took them to the top of the leaderboard and two shots ahead of Tiger and Charlie and Vijay Singh and his son Qass.

The timeless Bernhard Langer, who won for the 44th time on the PGA Tour Champions at the start of November, carded a score of 12-under with his son Jason and Jordan Spieth and his father Shawn are in a seven-way tie on 11-under.

"It was super fun and just being out there with the Thomas' and LaCavas, it was just a great time and the atmosphere was just amazing," Charlie said after the round.

The year is 2022.



Tiger Woods is still making birdies and club twirling. pic.twitter.com/j2VOz3gZEx

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) December 17, 2022

Charlie Woods can go low pic.twitter.com/kiDbk9LBH8

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) December 17, 2022

"This is what I see at home all the time. I'm used to it. Unfortunately, this isn't the game plan that we had originally planned out. His ankle isn't exactly feeling the best, I've had to hit a couple more drives than I normally would.

"But it was a great day. We got on a little bit in the middle part of the round. We didn't take advantage towards the end, but we're in a great position for tomorrow.

"It's perfect yin and yang. He's got the left (foot). I've got the right and we're perfectly balanced!"

"I push him as much as I possibly can," Charlie added. "Once he pushes back, I know I can push a little bit more and then I'm done. I know it's going to get heated."