The 15-time majors champion downplayed his son’s first hole-in-one, giving him the same treatment his father once gave him.
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Tiger Woods took some inspiration from his father over the weekend as he discussed his son’s latest accomplishment on the golf course.
On Sunday, Charlie Woods, Tiger’s son, was the star of the show and hit a hole-in-one at the PNC Championship, making it the first time he’s ever done so.
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The entire ordeal was a family affair, as Tiger’s 15-year-old daughter Sam, carried her father’s bag during the match.
But despite his son’s accomplishment, Tiger was still critical, saying during a press conference, “It was awesome, don’t get me wrong. But he’s 15… It’s about time. I had my first ace when I was 6.”
This particular response is reminiscent of how Tiger’s father, Earl, treated him when he was growing up.
Even though Tiger was regarded as a much more talented and once-in-a-generation talent compared to his son, his father was much more tough and demanding. But that’s because he thought so highly of him, telling Golf Digest, “I never treated Tiger like a kid. I treated Tiger as an equal.”
Earl’s tough love is what sharpened Tiger into becoming one of the greatest athletes of the 21st century.
During an interview, Tiger said of his father, “He’d pushed me over the edge. He’d take me right up to the breaking point, and he’d back off. Eventually, it would take more and then more and then more and then more. Finally, to the point where it didn’t bother him anymore.”
Earl did this for a reason, recalling a time when he told his son, “Tiger, the training is over. I’d say you got it, and I promise you that you’ll never meet another person as mentally tough as you in your entire life, and he hasn’t. He never will.”
It’s unclear if Tiger is as hard on his son as his father was on him. But it seems that since Charlie is interested in a golf career, Tiger is bound to teach him all that he knows.