Charlie Woods battles to stay above Junior PGA cut line

Charlie Woods will need a stronger second round to keep his hopes alive at the Junior PGA Championship after opening with a 3-over-par 75 on Tuesday that left him narrowly above the projected cut line in Frisco, Texas.

The 17-year-old son of Tiger Woods is tied for 53rd after the opening round on Fields Ranch East Course.

With only the top 60 players and ties advancing after 36 holes, Woods remains in contention, although the projected cut currently includes 71 players heading into Wednesday’s second round on the West Course.

Woods entered the tournament looking to improve on last year’s tie for ninth, the best finish of his junior career at the event.

His round got off to a difficult start with bogeys on two of his first four holes, and further trouble came with a double bogey on the par-4 ninth.

He recovered with three birdies but finished with four bogeys overall, leaving him seven shots off the lead.

Kailer Stone of Alameda, California, set the early pace with a 4-under 68.

Maxwell Milton of Polson, Montana, Theodore Snyder of Gig Harbor, Washington, and Rory Asselta of Ramsey, New Jersey, were one stroke back after opening with 69s.

The 50th Junior PGA Championship, one of the premier events in junior golf, is being played July 28-31 at PGA Frisco’s Fields Ranch East and West courses.

The 72-hole tournament features 156 boys and 156 girls competing simultaneously.

The field is trimmed to the top 60 and ties after two rounds and then to the top 30 and ties after 54 holes before Friday’s final round on the East Course. The championship’s final two rounds will also be streamed live on the PGA of America’s YouTube channel for the first time.

Woods arrives in Texas looking to rebound from another near miss at last week’s U.S. Junior Amateur.

He finished 5 over after rounds of 76 and 70 at Saucon Valley Country Club in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, forcing his way into a 14-player playoff for the final two match-play spots.

His bid ended with a bogey on the opening playoff hole after reports said a phone camera shutter disrupted his backswing during a crucial chip shot.

Despite that disappointment, Woods continues to establish himself as one of the country’s top junior golfers.

The Florida native, who will begin his senior year at The Benjamin School, committed earlier this year to play college golf at Florida State starting in 2027.

He captured his first American Junior Golf Association title at the 2025 Team TaylorMade Invitational and recorded a career-best finish at last year’s Junior PGA Championship, where he tied for ninth after shooting 9-under 276.

Stone, meanwhile, continued his impressive season with a bogey-free 68 to take the first-round lead. The Pepperdine commit and reigning California Amateur champion will take a one-shot advantage into Wednesday’s second round.

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