Tiger Woods debuts surprising new caddie at PNC Championship

When Tiger Woods was asked about his son Charlie’s prospects of becoming his new caddie in 2024, he was asked about the wrong Woods child.

On Saturday for the first round of the PNC Championship, Woods unveiled the best-kept secret in golf: his 16-year-old daughter Sam would be caddying for him in this week.

Woods has been in the market for a new looper since his return to competition earlier this fall. Longtime looper Joe LaCava took over the bag of Patrick Cantlay after Woods’ ankle surgery last spring.

Longtime Woods confidante Rob McNamara carried the bag at the Hero World Challenge two weeks ago and even Friday during the pro-am, but it appears Team Woods wanted to make this weekend even more of a family affair.

This isn’t the first time Sam has shared the big stage with her father. The eldest Woods child introduced her 15-time major-winning father at his World Golf Hall of Fame induction ceremony in March 2022.

However, until then, we had only caught glimpses of Sam watching her dad at PGA Tour events and majors. Just before her first birthday, Tiger introduced Sam to the world after he won the 2008 U.S. Open, carrying her around in celebration after winning his first major as a father.

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Charlie Woods also has a new caddie this week as Joe LaCava’s son, Joe LaCava Jr., had been the looper of choice for the youngest Woods in his three previous PNC Championship appearances. However, this year, Charlie’s high school teammate Luke Wise is on the bag. Charlie and Luke helped the Benjamin School to a Florida state championship last month.

Sam has made appearances at the PNC before, doing so with her mom and Tiger’s ex-wife Elin in 2020 for Team Woods’ first attempt at the parent-child event. Tiger and Charlie also sent Elin a congratulatory message from the 1st tee of the PNC last year after she had a baby just before the event.

This week, Tiger has traded in his usual staff bag for a slimmed-down, stand-bag version. However, with inclement weather expected to impact the opening round of the tournament, Sam has been somewhat relegated to a cart driver on Saturday as the entire field is using carts.

She’s also not the only sister caddying this week. Steve Stricker is playing with his youngest daughter Izzi Stricker this week, while his oldest daughter Bobbi caddies for him. Bobbi is unable to play the event as she chases a professional career on the Epson Tour.

Jack Hirsh

Golf.com Editor

Jack Hirsh is an assistant editor at GOLF. A Pennsylvania native, Jack is a 2020 graduate of Penn State University, earning degrees in broadcast journalism and political science. He was captain of his high school golf team and recently returned to the program to serve as head coach. Jack also still *tries* to remain competitive in local amateurs. Before joining GOLF, Jack spent two years working at a TV station in Bend, Oregon, primarily as a Multimedia Journalist/reporter, but also producing, anchoring and even presenting the weather. He can be reached at jack.hirsh@golf.com.

 

 

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