It almost felt like a Ryder Cup.
Tiger Woods and his son Charlie traded blows with Bernhard and Jason Langer all day as these two teams combined to make 26 birdies and two eagles. It was an electrifying display of golf, with no moment more significant than a hole-in-one from Charlie, who made his first-ever ace on the par-3 4th hole. His 7-iron there sent shockwaves around the golfing world.
But the Langers got the last laugh. After both teams shot a 15-under 57 and set a tournament record at 28-under overall, Team Woods and Team Langer had to play an extra hole to settle the score. The par-5 18th would seal everyone’s fate, and whichever team made an eagle would likely walk away victorious.
Well, the Langers did just that. Bernhard, who won the 1985 and 1993 Masters Tournaments, drained a 15-footer for the win, thus securing the PNC Championship title for a second consecutive year.
The 67-year-old, who ruptured his Achilles in February, has grown accustomed to making big putts as of late.
In his most recent competitive start at last month’s Charles Schwab Cup Championship, Langer made a 40-footer for birdie to capture the victory—his first win of the year. His clutch putt gave him the 47th win of his illustrious Champions Tour career and marked the 18th straight season in which Langer won on the senior circuit.
Now, he has another trophy to add to his mantle. This win at the PNC Championship is his sixth overall victory at this event and the third with his son Jason as his partner. Jason played collegiately at the University of Pennsylvania and now works in finance in New York City.
As for Team Woods, Tiger and Charlie had plenty of fun despite coming up just short.
“This is all about family,” Woods said.
“This is about bonding, and it’s about having a great time, and we did that. This is a thrill of a lifetime for us to be able to experience this all together.”
In what has been a tumultuous year in professional golf, the PNC Championship marked a thrilling conclusion to the season. Everyone involved smiled from ear to ear, especially Team Woods, who came up a tad short in defeat. That speaks volumes to what golf is really about: it’s much more about family and relationships than anything else.
Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. Follow him on X @jack_milko.
