PNC CHAMPIONSHIP

December 16, 2023

Tiger Woods

Charlie Woods

The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club

Press Conference

Q. Two-part question. One, how was Sam on the bag for you today, and Charlie how was it?

TIGER WOODS: Sam was fantastic. This is the first time she's ever done this, so it couldn't have been any more special for all of us.

For me to have both my kids inside the ropes like this and participating and playing and being part of the game of golf like this, it couldn't have been more special for me, and I know that we do this a lot at home, needle each other and have a great time. But it was more special to do it in a tournament like this.

CHARLIE WOODS: For Dad as a caddie, his reads are hook-bias, and I don't hook as much as he does. So all of my putts, I miss right. So I have to account for that.

Q. With your leg, your lower right leg, over time will there be an ability for you to strengthen and get endurance with it by walking more, or does walking more exacerbate the problem or is there a happy medium?

TIGER WOODS: I think walking does allow it to strengthen the smaller muscles. Same thing like you would do beach work and little mundane things like that. So yes, it does.

Q. Apologies for this, a lot has changed since the Bahamas. How did the Jon Rahm news change the conversation among the player directors, if at all?

TIGER WOODS: Well, nice flip here.

It's been certainly a topic of conversation. We're trying to get a deal done with all of the different entities that we have going on here. SSG has come into the mix now. But we still have until the 31st.

Q. There was a lot of, I couldn't figure out early on, playing out of turn. Did you guys have a mentality of ready golf to beat the rain?

TIGER WOODS: Yes, we all did. They told us to hit when ready and go. And the carts, just keep on moving and hopefully we got it in before the rain hit, and we're supposed to get three to four inches of rain today. It never materialized until literally just now. We got in a lot more holes than we thought.

Q. What happens tomorrow if you can't play?

TIGER WOODS: Supposed to blow through. Supposed to get a bunch of wind out of the west, between 20 and 40 miles out of the west. Completely different wind but we are supposed to get it in tomorrow.

Q. There's been some chatter about you for -- well, the last 30 years -- but the last month or so about your relationship with Nike and where that's going. Can you give any clarity to that?

TIGER WOODS: I'm still wearing their product.

Q. Is this the end of it coming up?

TIGER WOODS: I'm still wearing their product.

Q. Is December 31 firm? Can it just go beyond that? Can you guys agree to say, hey, we are going to keep going into the new year if it's not where you want it?

TIGER WOODS: As of right now, that is our time frame and our deadline. That was set forth back in early June, and that hasn't changed.

Q. When it comes to your game getting back into form, what is there to be gained in specific this week? Can you gain something this week?

TIGER WOODS: Yeah, knocking more rust off my game. I got better each and every day at the Hero and I've got better each and every day I've played out here. Granted it's only been a couple days but still it's gotten better.

Q. What you said in the Bahamas, about an objective to may once a month if that works out, which some saw as ambitious, what led you to that? What was a turning point that allowed you to set that kind of a goal?

TIGER WOODS: Well, having a better understanding of my ankle being fused. I don't have to deal with the issues that I did with my ankle but again, other parts of my body are starting to ache more just because that's now fixed.

Q. Are you still planning on doing that next year?

TIGER WOODS: That's what I started playing, yeah.

Q. As you look year over year, how much speed have you gained?

CHARLIE WOODS: A lot. I think by beginning of this year, I was averaging right around 114. Now I'm right in the 120s now.

Q. And what do you guys feel as a team today, what do you feel you did well and what maybe would you want to sharpen for tomorrow?

CHARLIE WOODS: I mean, I drove the ball really good today. Didn't miss a fairway, and still managed to shoot 8-under. We just suck at putting.

TIGER WOODS: That sums it up right there (laughter).

Q. Just talk about your experience of being on a winning state championship high school?

CHARLIE WOODS: It was cool. It was fun having my scores count both days, even though I didn't play very good. But having a win over him and having something he doesn't, is feels pretty good.

Q. And when the Jon Rahm news came, how did it hit you? What was your reaction when you first heard it?

TIGER WOODS: Well, there's been a lot of talk over the years of certain players going, and it was speculation until it happened because there's been rumours of names going and not going, and whether they materialized or not. So we assumed it was just speculation till it happened.

Q. What is your first memory of your dad winning a tournament?

CHARLIE WOODS: Which tournament?

Q. Do you have a first memory of him winning a tournament that you are fond of?

CHARLIE WOODS: I remember I went out to a tournament -- I don't remember when this was or which tournament it was, but I remember one of our security guards carried me out to him on 18 after he won, and I think I went into the press room after but I don't really remember that much.

TIGER WOODS: Bridgestone.

Q. Curious, is your dad giving you any tips on how to handle the press, how to handle these little moments?

CHARLIE WOODS: Not really. It's just practice for when someone gives me some words that I have to say. There's no tips. Just answer the questions.

Q. Does Sam ever spend time with you guys on the course at home?

TIGER WOODS: Not really, no. She does her own thing, which is soccer. She's committed to that.

As far as golf, no, she really doesn't. She'll hang out in the backyard with us every now and again to have fun, but nothing competitive or serious.

Q. You mentioned SSG. Where do they fit in this equation in trying to get this deal done?

TIGER WOODS: Well, they obviously have a lot of equity and a lot of name investors that have the same alignment that we have, and we are all heading in the right direction.

Q. You talked yesterday about how you had the time to get out with Charlie a lot this year because obviously you were off, just curious how much that's motivation for you to keep going, to be out on tour and to have success. Would it be hard to do that if you didn't have him?

TIGER WOODS: I would say yes and no. It would be hard to maybe compete and play at this level, but then again, the enjoyment, I've always loved practicing. I just have a lot more fun doing it with him. We have so much fun at home practicing and playing and having -- playing games. It's a special bonding that happens that not a lot of parents get a chance to have.

Q. I know there's a not of needling between you two, but what do you most admire about your father, and how has that changed over years, as your perspective of his career has changed?

CHARLIE WOODS: His persistence, and how he keeps coming back after his back, which I was kind of too young to see, and now with his leg, now I can experience it with him more. I've kind of learned how hard it is to come back from injury, and I thought that was pretty cool.

Q. Where did you learn to needle? Where did you learn to give it?

TIGER WOODS: Well, you grow up in a house with a military SF father and grow up playing on a military golf course, there's a lot of it.

Q. And who's needle worried you the most on tour?

TIGER WOODS: What's that?

Q. Whose needle worried you the most on tour?

TIGER WOODS: Worried me?

Q. Who gave it to you the worst on TOUR, do you think?

TIGER WOODS: Early on in my career, I would say Payne. He was one of the good ones. We happened to have lockers next to each other and we would play a lot at home. Early in my career, definitely Payne.

Q. Do you remember the worst he gave to you?

TIGER WOODS: We played different shenanigans and things that happen that obviously we have to keep behind closed doors.

JOHN BUSH: Tiger, Charlie, thank you.