Tiger Woods will return to the PNC Championship this week to compete in the two-day team event with his son Charlie. Here's everything you need to know about the 15-time major champion's latest comeback appearance…
What activity is this?
The PNC Championship is an annual 36-hole team event held at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club in Florida that pits 20 professionals against one family member in a unique format.
Only former Grand Slam or Players champions are eligible for the team if their chosen playing partner – traditionally a son or daughter, but occasionally a different relative – is unable to maintain any matches on the professional tour identity.
How does the tournament work?
Both rounds of 36 holes use a scramble format, with two players from each team hitting the ball and then continuing the game from the best position.
Each player then takes a second shot from the location of the selected tee shot and selects the best shot, repeating the process until the hole is completed and the lowest score is calculated.
Why are tigers involved?
It has become an annual tradition for Woods to play in the team event, which he previously described as his “fifth major,” having partnered with his son in every tournament since his debut in 2020.
The tournament allows players to use golf carts, a benefit for Woods and his injury-plagued body and a chance to play with his son in a tournament he enjoys every year.
During the Hero World Challenge, when asked if he would play at the PNC Championship, he said “we'll see” as he had yet to be included in the official lineup, with Woods being the last pair to join.
Where is Woods playing this year?
Woods skipped the Hero World Challenge earlier this month, saying he “didn't play well in the tournament” and was unable to compete in the event he hosted, but the 48-year-old was competing for the first time since the Open in July.
The former world number one withdrew from the Genesis Invitational in February due to illness, finished last at the Masters, and then crashed out of the next three majors.
Woods underwent surgery in September to relieve “back spasms and pain,” which hampered his limited playing schedule, with Woods playing in just 11 events since a career-threatening crash in February 2021.
How has Team Woods performed before?
Woods and his then-11-year-old son finished seventh in their 2020 debut, Justin Thomas and his father, Mike, won, and a year later Woods and his son, also named John, finished runner-up.
They had their lowest finish in the 2022 competition, finishing tied for eighth, won by Vijay Singh and his son Qass, while Team Woods finished tied for eighth last year. Five, six shots behind Bernhard Langer.
What can we expect from tigers?
The fact that Woods wasn't physically ready to compete in the 20-man field in the Bahamas was indicative of the condition of his body and game, having previously used the Hero World Challenge as a tune-up event as he returned from injury.
Before that game, he told reporters that he was feeling stronger and more limber since undergoing recent surgery, and Woods was focused on avoiding any further setbacks and trying to be ready to compete next season.
The format played to Woods' advantage, using Charlie's shots as a backup if things didn't go as planned, while Florida's warm winter sun took less of a toll on his body.
How good is Charlie?
The younger Woods, now 15, has impressed in past PNC Championship performances and has shown signs of improvement over the past few years under his father's watchful eye.
He failed to qualify for the PGA Tour at the Kochi Classic earlier this year, but he followed in his father's footsteps and qualified for the U.S. Junior Amateur over the summer but failed to make the cut.
The demeanor and talent both show on the court is evident, but we'll have to wait a while to find out if he's good enough – or willing – to pursue a professional career.
Who else is playing?
Three-time major champion Padraig Harrington partners with son Paddy, and Lee Trevino partners with son Daniel, former Ryder Cup captain Steve Stricker is paired with his daughter Izzi.
Masters champions Fred Couples and Trevor Immelman make their debuts, golf legend Gary Player will make his eighth appearance, and Nick Fo Sir Nick Faldo will also return, as will women's world number one Nelly Korda and legend Annika Sorenstam.
There are five past champions in the field, including the previous four, and 20 professionals have won 69 majors, 40 senior major titles and more than 1,000 international titles.
How do I watch Sky Sports live?
There will be five hours of live coverage across both rounds of the two-day event, with the action broadcast live sky sports golf Saturday starts at 6pm and the Sunday final starts at 4.30pm.
The event is one of two matches being broadcast live on Sky Sports this week, with all four rounds of the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open, the final DP World Tour event of 2024, being broadcast live on Sky Sports. Coverage starts at 8.30am on Thursday and Friday, 9am on Saturday and 6am on Sunday.
Can Team Woods get its first win at the PNC Championship? Watch Sky Sports Golf live this weekend! Coverage begins at 6 p.m. Saturday. Stream PGA Tour events and more with NOW.