Charlie Woods eliminated in playoff at U.S. Junior Amateur

Charlie Woods, the 17-year-old son of golf legend Tiger Woods, saw his run at the 2026 U.S. Junior Amateur Championship end in a playoff on Wednesday, July 22, at Saucon Valley Country Club in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Woods was one of 14 golfers competing for the final two spots in the match play bracket but was eliminated after a bogey on the first extra hole.

The championship began with 264 players competing over 36 holes of stroke play on Monday and Tuesday. The top 64 would advance to the knockout stage. After opening with a 5-over-par 76 on the Old Course on Monday, Woods rallied with an even-par 70 on the Grace Course on Tuesday. That performance, his lowest round in three U.S. Junior Amateur appearances, left him in a 14-way tie for the final qualifying positions at 5-over par overall, forcing the large playoff.

The playoff commenced early Wednesday morning on the par-5 first hole of the Grace Course. With two players ahead of him having already made birdie, Woods attempted to reach the green in two shots but found thick rough. His subsequent pitch landed on the fringe, and his birdie chip attempt slid past the hole, resulting in a bogey six. Eli Wessel, Hudson Kutchma,...