Foxhills Club & Resort has begun work on a major golf course modernisation project that has seen £1.5 million already invested – and has announced a new director of golf to help oversee the improvements.

Following the opening of the club’s dedicated short game area, The Practice Den, and significant driving range enhancements, the Surrey venue will be undergoing a major investment and golf course improvement project over the next five years, which will see the biggest structural changes in the Longcross and Bernard Hunt courses since they were designed by Fred Hawtree and opened for play in 1975.

As part of the significant upgrades, the best-in-class greenkeeping equipment has been purchased from leading suppliers, Toro and John Deere, which will elevate the conditioning and maintenance to even higher standards.

Work on several holes on the back nine of the Longcross – renowned as one of Surrey’s top tree-lined layouts and consistently featured in UK top 100 rankings – is already underway and will continue throughout the winter under the leadership of new director of golf, Sean Graham.

European Golf Design (EGD), which has redesigned several of Europe’s most exciting golf courses including 2023 Ryder Cup venue Golf Club Marco Simone and the West Course at Wentworth, was selected for the work following a full review of both championship courses with agronomy experts, Turfgrass. The assessment highlighted where playing conditions can be improved and how the courses can better challenge the modern style of the game.

Bunker shape and positioning; green size, shape and contouring; as well as herringbone drainage and irrigation upgrade work on holes 12, 13, 14 and 15 of the Longcross will take place over the coming months, while tee positions will also change on several holes to bring hazards more in play and encourage more strategy and creativity throughout the round.

But it is on the 16th hole where the most complex part of the renovation project will take place, with work already having begun to transform the par-three into a signature hole. A pond, which currently sits too far away from the green to influence club selection, will be extended to the putting-surface edge to create a more dramatic hole. The size of the green will also be increased to provide room for additional pin locations and a new bunker will be built on the left side of the green to remove the temptation of bailing out.

Phase two is scheduled to begin in summer 2023, with attention turning to improvements across the rest of the back nine on the Longcross before moving onto the Bernard Hunt in 2024.

Overseeing the work will be new director of golf, Sean Graham, who has been promoted after spending nearly five years working at the Ottershaw-based venue as head of golf operations and retail after returning to the UK in 2018 from three years in Saudi Arabia.

The 29-year-old’s new role caps an incredible rise in the industry for Graham – who graduated as a PGA professional in 2014 from the University of Birmingham.

Graham said: “Being given the opportunity to become director of golf here at Foxhills Club & Resort is a really proud moment for me. It’s reward for how hard I feel I’ve worked since joining Foxhills five years ago and it’s also hopefully a reflection of my relationship with the members. I feel like I have a real connection with the club, so it’s a really gratifying moment for me and I can’t wait to get started.

“This is an extremely exciting time for golfers at Foxhills. The course changes are going to make a big difference to the playing experience. It’s important to us that the courses are enjoyable for all levels of golfer, from low handicappers to mid-high and the masterplan for this project was designed with this at the front of our mind.”

Tej Walia, Foxhills’ general manager, said: “We are constantly striving to improve the member and guest experience. This golf investment plan, the largest scale of investment we have ever put into the courses, is going to raise golf at Foxhills to a new level. The work that’s being carried out is testament to our owner’s commitment to continued improvement and desire to be up there in the conversation with the best courses in the country.”

Alongside two 18-hole championship layouts and the Manor Course, a par-three nine-hole course, as well as a short game practice area and driving range, Foxhills offers an award-winning gym and Health Spa, five swimming pools, 11 tennis courts, a packed schedule of weekly fitness classes, three restaurants and a 66-bedroom hotel.

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April will be here before you know it, and coming along for the ride with it will be the start of golf’s 2023 major championship season. Beginning at Augusta National for the Masters, as it typically does, the majors will go a long way to defining the game’s best next year.

While eyes around Augusta will be drawn to Tiger Woods and the return of Phil Mickelson, world No. 1 Rory McIlroy will resume his quest for the career grand slam. The four-time major champion is still without a green jacket in his closet and will attempt to become the sixth man to collect all four majors. Scottie Scheffler will also look to defend his green jacket after spending most of 2022 ranked as the top golfer in the world.

Moving onward past Augusta, Georgia, the focus will shift to Rochester, New York, for the PGA Championship. A year removed from Justin Thomas’ memorable seven-stroke come-from-behind victory at Southern Hills, the two-time PGA Championship winner will vie for his third Wanamaker Trophy at Oak Hill Country Club. Meanwhile, good friend Jordan Spieth is seeking his first, which would help him complete his own career grand slam.

A new major championship venue will be unveiled at the U.S. Open in June. Los Angeles Country Club will host its first major, also the first that will take place in the Los Angeles area across the last three decades. Past champions Matt Fitzpatrick, Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau should expect a stern test from the relatively unknown site.

Then, as it has done since 2019, The Open Championship will put a bow on the major season. The 151st edition of the event will have big shoes to fill as it follows in the footsteps of Cameron Smith’s victory at the Old Course at St. Andrews. Royal Liverpool Golf Club at Hoylake will host The Open for the first time since McIlroy’s win in 2014 and wrap up what should be yet another fantastic major stretch.

Odds via Caesars Sportsbook

2023 major championship predictions

The Masters | Augusta National | April 6-9

Jon Rahm (12-1): If I had to bet on one player winning one major over the next 10 years, Jordan Spieth at the Open Championship and Jon Rahm at the Masters would both be at the top of the list. Rahm has been a beast at Augusta National. Among golfers with at least 24 rounds played at the Masters in the strokes-gained era, the top four in that category looks like this: Spieth (2.75 per round), Rahm (2.56), Tiger Woods (2.54), Phil Mickelson (2.25). That’s nine combined green jackets, and Rahm will eventually add to that total. — Kyle Porter

Xander Schauffele (18-1): Despite how successful Schauffele was in 2022, he disappointed in majors. I expect this to change in a massive way in 2023, and it all begins at Augusta National. His missed cut at the 2022 Masters was an anomaly as he possesses prior finishes of T3 in 2021 and T2 in 2019. With one of the higher major championship floors, chances are the 29-year-old will be in the mix come the final round and will hopefully be the one to slip on the green jacket. — Patrick McDonald

PGA Championship | Oak Hill Country Club | May 8-11

Will Zalatoris (25-1): Do I feel good about the back injury? I do not. Do I feel good about getting somebody who was three strokes from winning half the majors in 2022 at 25-1 for the second major of 2023? I do. Zalatoris is straight up nasty at major championships, and he’s possibly the best ball-striker in the world. He has finished in the top eight in six of his first 10 major starts (which is outrageous), and over the last 12 months, nobody has a better number than his 1.88 strokes gained ball-striking. Two pretty elite ball strikers duked it out last time there was a PGA at Oak Hill, and I imagine Zalatoris is going to walk in their footsteps this time around. — Kyle Porter

Collin Morikawa (20-1): The last time the PGA Championship travelled to Oak Hill Country Club, Jason Dufner edged Jim Furyk by two strokes, and to me, those two players scream pinpoint iron play and accurate driving. While the course will have lengthened significantly since, those two statistics will remain prevalent. Over the last 12 months, only one player ranks inside the top 10 in both strokes gained approach and driving accuracy. That’s right, two-time major champion Morikawa. — Patrick McDonald

U.S. Open | Los Angeles Country Club | June 15-18

Xander Schauffele (18-1): Schauffele’s U.S. Open career has been wild. He has six starts, and his worst finish is a T14 in 2022 at Brookline. His worst finish. In every other U.S. Open he’s played, Schauffele has gained at least 2.7 strokes , and all five of his other showings have been top sevens. The bottom line with Schauffele at U.S. Opens is that he contends. He’s in the mix. He’s always around the lead at the end of the event. At 18-1, that’s all you’re asking for. I do believe Schauffele will win multiple majors by the end of his career, and the U.S. Open will be one of them. — Kyle Porter

Patrick Cantlay (25-1): There are numerous names I like for this championship including Morikawa and Tony Finau, but I will land on Cantlay. The California kid hasn’t had the best track record in major championships but may have found something at the end of 2022 with finishes of T14 at the U.S. Open and T8 at The Open. His back still poses problems for him when the weather turns sour, but summertime in Los Angeles should provide the pathway for the world No. 4’s first major championship title. — Patrick McDonald

The Open | Royal Liverpool Golf Club | July 20-23

Jordan Spieth (16-1): At this point, it’s kind of an auto pick for me every year. He only has one finish outside the top 10 in his last five starts and that was a T20 at Royal Portrush when his game was held together with nothing more than hot glue and hope. There is seemingly an intangible quality when it comes to Spieth and Open Championships, something that all the strokes gained data in the world can’t quantify. I know that sounds like a justification or a reason for me to shoehorn Spieth into these picks, and perhaps that’s the case, but links golf and Open golf are more spiritual, more magical than any other version of the sport — and nobody is better suited to those whims than Spieth. — Kyle Porter

Cameron Young (50-1): If Young goes through a sophomore season resembling his freshman campaign, this number will be long gone come July. Runner up to Cameron Smith at the 150th Open at St. Andrews, Young has proven capable of competing with the best players in the world no matter the conditions. He is long off-the-tee and has all the tools in the shed. Given the success of his first links golf experience, he should contend once again. — Patrick McDonald

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Rory McIlroy became the No. 1 player in the Official World Golf Rankings for the ninth time in his career in 2022, yet many still considered his year a failure because he did not win one of the four major championships in which he played. McIlroy could have won 15 tournaments, but without moving his major total from four to five, his campaign would have been deemed a disappointment to some. 

Is this fair? I’m not here to debate that. That’s a different topic for a different article for a different day. What I want to discuss is whether this merry-go-round for McIlroy of playing great golf but coming up short in the four events that matter most will ever end.

Will Rory McIlroy, once thought to be a future seven- or eight- (or 10-time?) major winner get back on the proper side of the ledger at one of the four majors in 2023 or at any point beyond that?

Here are two things that are surprising about McIlroy’s career: 1) He hasn’t had that many great chances at major championships (we’ll discuss this in more depth in a moment), and 2) Nearly a decade and a half into his career, he says he feels like he’s searching once again for his first major win.

“My last major championship was before [wife] Erica and I started going out; it was before my ankle injury and my back injury; it was before so many things that are now a part of my life,” McIlroy told Paul Kimmage of the Independent this fall. “I’m almost a different person. And I’ve been reflecting on this for the last couple of months and I think that’s a good thing. I feel like I’m trying to win my first major again, and there’s an enthusiasm and a fire about the chase again.”

This undoubtedly is true. McIlroy is extrinsically motivated, and while an external goal as big as this might be an albatross for some, for McIlroy it lights a flame. The carrot in front of him, it seems, is clearer than it’s been in several years. There is a world in which, perhaps, McIlroy wins multiple batches of major championships.

What’s also true, at least statistically, is that McIlroy is playing the best golf of his entire career. His last 50 rounds have represented, in terms of strokes gained, his best 50-round stretch of all time, including the periods of time in which he won his first four majors.

This leads us back to the first point, which is that McIlroy hasn’t had as many amazing performances at majors as you might have expected. As an aside, he has not had that many close calls, either, and those are categorically different than amazing performances. Before 2022, McIlroy had had a 25% chance to win a major going into the final round just five times in his career. He converted four of those.

In terms of great performances at majors, McIlroy had gained between 4-5 strokes — which is a lot but not an absurd amount — on major fields four times prior to 2022. He won all four majors. Statistically speaking, things had mostly gone his way at the majors when he played good golf (remember, Phil Mickelson once gained 6.6 strokes on a major field and lost). If his four major wins were 50-50 balls, McIlroy had come down with all of them.

This year’s second at the Masters and third at The Open were the two best performances McIlroy has ever had without converting them into wins (4.22 and 3.98 SG respectively).

To go deeper on this, we turn to Data Golf’s expected majors statistic, which shows how many majors you were expected to win based on your major performance in a given year. For example: If you gain 4.5 strokes per round on the field at a major, you are expected to win that major 50% of the time, so your expected major wins number would be 0.5. Add those up based on major performance in a given year, and you get an expected major wins total for that year.

Let’s take a look at McIlroy’s.

This is fascinating. For the first time in his career, McIlroy played well enough to potentially win a major or more and did not do so. Contrast his expected outcome this year with 2022 PGA Champion winner Justin Thomas’, which was 0.11.

In other words, 2022 was the first year of McIlroy’s career in which he’s had an expected win total of greater than 0.1 at the majors and not won one of them. It was — both statistically and anecdotally — the most heartbreaking year of his career when it comes to major championships.

If a great player produces enough expected wins over time, it is, well, expected that he’s going to eventually win. And if you want a glass-half-full view of McIlroy’s year, it comes from his caddie, Harry Diamond. McIlroy said in the Kimmage interview that Diamond is the person who has reminded him of the fact that he’s going to win majors if he continues to play at the clip.

“And it’s obviously a tough loss for him too but he can see the good in it: ‘Rory, you keep doing this and you’re gonna win your majors.’ That was it,” said McIlroy. “‘We’re gonna do this.’ And it was probably something I needed to hear because you can get sucked into that spiral of, ‘It’s been so long … I’ve just had a great opportunity … Am I ever going to do this?'”

Whether McIlroy continues to play at this current clip remains to be seen. But what is nearly definitive is the following: If he does, then he’ll win a fifth major and perhaps more after that. Of the 19 players to put up an expected major total of 0.5 or more in a single year since 2015, 14 of them won major championships. The odds are overwhelmingly in your favor.

Yes, you often still have to close out final rounds, which McIlroy failed to do at The Open in July, but if you’re posting a 0.5 expected major total a year, it’s also possible that one of those is going to be a major where everybody else fades away (think about J.T. at the PGA Championship) and you walk away with a fifth. As always in golf, you can only control what you can control. If McIlroy does next year what he did this year, there might not be a Scottie Scheffler who puts up 4.96 strokes gained per round at Augusta. Hell, there might not be a Cam Smith who posts 4.47 at The Open. Four could become six in an instant.

So while McIlroy’s major drought is about to hit nine years, his renewed desire has some numbers around it, and they’re pointing toward an optimistic 2023. Sure, the famine may never end, but Diamond is right, this kind of play — regardless of what anyone else does — almost certainly means that at some point it will.

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A second-round 59 from Vijay Singh and son Qass saw the duo clinch the PNC Championship by two shots at the Grande Lakes course at The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club in Florida.

Trailing son and father team of Justin and Mike Thomas by two shots overnight, and level with Team Woods, Team Singh’s biggest challengers on day two proved last year’s winners Team Daly, who also registered a round of 59.

The Singh’s struck for 11 birdies and an eagle, to match their efforts from the opening round in Florida and post a final score of 26-under to take the title.

Singh Snr said: “We went out there really hard. I think we birdied the first seven holes and today Qass hit two of the best 2-irons I’ve ever seen in my career. The one on 14 was just incredible. So he played really well. I’m really proud of him and you know we putted well as well.”

Singh Jnr added: “I’m so thrilled. This is already the best week, but winning with dad is going to be a memory I’m going to have forever.”

Woods and son Charlie found things tougher going on Sunday after the previous days’ 59, with the pair finishing tied for eighth in the end on 7-under after a round of 65.

“It was an incredible week just to be able to play with Charlie and to be able to experience it, again with the Thomases,” said Woods Snr. “Charlie and I played great yesterday, but today we were both like walking penguins out there. It was all good, though. It was neat to be able to roll back the clock for Charlie to show him what I used to be capable of.”

Charlie Woods added: “It was great being with dad, after working so hard to get here. For me, with school as well and him just the injury, being out there with a great atmosphere and everyone being out there it was awesome.”

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Don’t look now, but Tiger Woods is back in action this weekend as he and his son, Charlie, will headline the action at the 2022 PNC Championship. Playing in this two-person scramble for the third consecutive year, the Woods duo is joined by previous winners in Justin Thomas and his father, John Daly and his son, John Daly Jr. Also competing are Hall of Famers, including Annika Sorenstam, Nick Faldo, Lee Trevino and Bernhard Langer, alongside their respective family members.

LPGA superstar and former world No. 1 Nelly Korda is set to compete for the second straight year with her father, and making his PNC Championship debut is another former world No. 1 in Jordan Spieth. Playing for the first time with his father, Spieth will look to carry the momentum from his victory with Thomas at The Match 7 into a successful showing at the Ritz Carlton Golf Club. 

Major champions Stewart Cink, Vijay Singh, Justin Leonard, Padraig Harrington and many more round out the action in what should be a fun-filled weekend in Florida. While a laidback family outing at its very core, the PNC Championship is still an opportunity to watch some of the best players in the world — past, present and possibly future — hone in on their craft before the calendar flips to the new year.

Here’s how you can watch this weekend.

All times are Eastern

Round 2 — Sunday

Round starts: 10:05 a.m.

Early coverage: 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. on Peacock

Early TV coverage: 12:30 – 1:30 p.m. on Golf Channel & Peacock

Live TV coverage: 1:30 – 4:30 p.m. on NBC & Peacock

Event information

Event: PNC Championship | Dates: Dec. 17-18
Location: Ritz-Carlton Golf Club — Orlando, Florida
Par: 72 | Yardage: 7,106 | Purse: $1.09 million
Format: Two-person scramble

What is this event?

Formerly known as the Father/Son Challenge, this tournament has since rebranded to the PNC Championship. Having been played for nearly three decades, it has often been a way for major championship and Players Championship winners to team up with a family member of his choosing.

Only recently expanding on the field criteria, it has been a solid modification as Sorenstam and Korda have since joined in on the fun. With the influx of young talent like Daly Jr., who plays on the Arkansas men’s golf team, and Charlie Woods, who impresses in each appearance, the quality of golf, laughs and overall competition has ramped up.

What is the format?

Only 36 holes will be played as teams join forces in the scramble format. Like the format played in charity tournaments, each member of the team will tee off — from varying tees based on age — and select the best drive. This process is repeated with every shot until the ball is holed. There has been a story circulating of a team shooting 46 (!!!) at a scramble event, but I wouldn’t expect scores to be that low; instead, they should be in the neighborhood of low 60s of high 50s.

Has Tiger won this tournament before?

In short, no. However, last year he and Charlie came awfully close to chasing down the Dalys on the final day. At one point, the pair rattled off 11 straight birdies. Signing for rounds of 62-57, the Woods family came up two strokes short of claiming victory at 25 under. That will surely be on Charlie’s mind. Now 13, he is beginning to hit his growth spurt and will serve as a key component for Team Woods.

Who is in the field?

• Stewart Cink and Connor Cink
• John Daly and John Daly II
• David Duval and Brady Duval
• Nick Faldo and Matthew Faldo
• Jim Furyk and Tanner Furyk
• Padraig Harrington and Patrick Harrington
• Nelly Korda and Petr Korda
• Matt Kuchar and Carson Kuchar
• Bernhard Langer and Jason Langer
• Tom Lehman and Sean Lehman
• Justin Leonard and Luke Leonard
• Mark O’Meara and Shaun O’Meara
• Gary Player and Jordan Player
• Nick Price and Greg Price
• Vijay Singh and Qass Singh
• Annika Sorenstam and Will McGee
• Jordan Spieth and Shawn Spieth
• Justin Thomas and Mike Thomas
• Lee Trevino and Daniel Trevino
• Tiger Woods and Charlie Woods

What should we expect from Tiger?

This very well could be the last time we see Tiger in competition until February — if not April — for the 2023 Masters. With 36 holes guaranteed and utilizing a golf cart due to his leg and plantar fasciitis in his right foot, I expect to see some moments of vintage Tiger. Carving irons and hitting delicate pitches and chips — those are the moments to soak in as gone are the days of lashing at the driver and running in putts.

He showed some rust last week in The Match 7, but also signs that his game is close with a few filthy iron shots. Still, it remains a family-oriented event and Tiger will be insistent on using most of Charlie’s shots from tee to green while he looks on and takes in the sights and the sounds of a couple rounds with his son.

Picks and prediction

Team Thomas is the favorite at +275 and rightfully so. Justin looked terrific in The Match 7, carrying his team to victory, and his father Mike has been a PGA Professional for nearly 40 years. They won this event two years ago and came close to defending despite Mike experiencing some health issues at the time.

They are followed by Team Spieth at +450 and Team Woods at +500. In an event that could go a number of ways, I am unsure if I am comfortable backing Spieth and his father — whose game I have the faintest clue about — but Team Woods is intriguing. Their price is half of what it was a year ago and Charlie looks to have only gotten better. 

I’ll go with the homer pick at the top of the odds board with the Woods and Team Harrington a bit lower at +3300 as a sleeper. Padraig has been playing some fantastic golf on the PGA Tour Champions circuit and signed for a 10-under 62 alongside his son in the final round last year, so I wouldn’t be surprised if they find themselves in the mix.

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Don’t look now, but Tiger Woods is back in action this weekend as he and his son, Charlie, will headline the action at the 2022 PNC Championship. Playing in this two-person scramble for the third consecutive year, the Woods duo is joined by previous winners in Justin Thomas and his father, John Daly and his son, John Daly Jr. Also competing are Hall of Famers, including Annika Sorenstam, Nick Faldo, Lee Trevino and Bernhard Langer, alongside their respective family members.

LPGA superstar and former world No. 1 Nelly Korda is set to compete for the second straight year with her father, and making his PNC Championship debut is another former world No. 1 in Jordan Spieth. Playing for the first time with his father, Spieth will look to carry the momentum from his victory with Thomas at The Match 7 into a successful showing at the Ritz Carlton Golf Club. 

Major champions Stewart Cink, Vijay Singh, Justin Leonard, Padraig Harrington and many more round out the action in what should be a fun-filled weekend in Florida. While a laidback family outing at its very core, the PNC Championship is still an opportunity to watch some of the best players in the world — past, present and possibly future — hone in on their craft before the calendar flips to the new year.

Here’s how you can watch this weekend.

All times are Eastern

Round 1 — Saturday

Round starts: 10:05 a.m.

Early coverage: 1-2 p.m. on Peacock

Live TV coverage: 2-6 p.m. on NBC & Peacock

Round 2 — Sunday

Round starts: 10:05 a.m.

Early coverage: 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. on Peacock

Early TV coverage: 12:30 – 1:30 p.m. on Golf Channel & Peacock

Live TV coverage: 1:30 – 4:30 p.m. on NBC & Peacock

Event information

Event: PNC Championship | Dates: Dec. 17-18
Location: Ritz-Carlton Golf Club — Orlando, Florida
Par: 72 | Yardage: 7,106 | Purse: $1.09 million
Format: Two-person scramble

What is this event?

Formerly known as the Father/Son Challenge, this tournament has since rebranded to the PNC Championship. Having been played for nearly three decades, it has often been a way for major championship and Players Championship winners to team up with a family member of his choosing.

Only recently expanding on the field criteria, it has been a solid modification as Sorenstam and Korda have since joined in on the fun. With the influx of young talent like Daly Jr., who plays on the Arkansas men’s golf team, and Charlie Woods, who impresses in each appearance, the quality of golf, laughs and overall competition has ramped up.

What is the format?

Only 36 holes will be played as teams join forces in the scramble format. Like the format played in charity tournaments, each member of the team will tee off — from varying tees based on age — and select the best drive. This process is repeated with every shot until the ball is holed. There has been a story circulating of a team shooting 46 (!!!) at a scramble event, but I wouldn’t expect scores to be that low; instead, they should be in the neighborhood of low 60s of high 50s.

Has Tiger won this tournament before?

In short, no. However, last year he and Charlie came awfully close to chasing down the Dalys on the final day. At one point, the pair rattled off 11 straight birdies. Signing for rounds of 62-57, the Woods family came up two strokes short of claiming victory at 25 under. That will surely be on Charlie’s mind. Now 13, he is beginning to hit his growth spurt and will serve as a key component for Team Woods.

Who is in the field?

• Stewart Cink and Connor Cink
• John Daly and John Daly II
• David Duval and Brady Duval
• Nick Faldo and Matthew Faldo
• Jim Furyk and Tanner Furyk
• Padraig Harrington and Patrick Harrington
• Nelly Korda and Petr Korda
• Matt Kuchar and Carson Kuchar
• Bernhard Langer and Jason Langer
• Tom Lehman and Sean Lehman
• Justin Leonard and Luke Leonard
• Mark O’Meara and Shaun O’Meara
• Gary Player and Jordan Player
• Nick Price and Greg Price
• Vijay Singh and Qass Singh
• Annika Sorenstam and Will McGee
• Jordan Spieth and Shawn Spieth
• Justin Thomas and Mike Thomas
• Lee Trevino and Daniel Trevino
• Tiger Woods and Charlie Woods

What should we expect from Tiger?

This very well could be the last time we see Tiger in competition until February — if not April — for the 2023 Masters. With 36 holes guaranteed and utilizing a golf cart due to his leg and plantar fasciitis in his right foot, I expect to see some moments of vintage Tiger. Carving irons and hitting delicate pitches and chips — those are the moments to soak in as gone are the days of lashing at the driver and running in putts.

He showed some rust last week in The Match 7, but also signs that his game is close with a few filthy iron shots. Still, it remains a family-oriented event and Tiger will be insistent on using most of Charlie’s shots from tee to green while he looks on and takes in the sights and the sounds of a couple rounds with his son.

Picks and prediction

Team Thomas is the favorite at +275 and rightfully so. Justin looked terrific in The Match 7, carrying his team to victory, and his father Mike has been a PGA Professional for nearly 40 years. They won this event two years ago and came close to defending despite Mike experiencing some health issues at the time.

They are followed by Team Spieth at +450 and Team Woods at +500. In an event that could go a number of ways, I am unsure if I am comfortable backing Spieth and his father — whose game I have the faintest clue about — but Team Woods is intriguing. Their price is half of what it was a year ago and Charlie looks to have only gotten better. 

I’ll go with the homer pick at the top of the odds board with the Woods and Team Harrington a bit lower at +3300 as a sleeper. Padraig has been playing some fantastic golf on the PGA Tour Champions circuit and signed for a 10-under 62 alongside his son in the final round last year, so I wouldn’t be surprised if they find themselves in the mix.

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A fun, family-filled weekend kicks off at the 2022 PNC Championship with Tiger Woods and his son, Charlie, capturing most of the headlines. While younger Woods’ swing has taken social media by storm, it is the status and health of the elder one — the one who has taken social media by storm since its inception — that remains on the minds of most.

“I can practice. I just can’t walk,” Woods said, echoing his comments from the Hero World Challenge. “So when you’re dealing with the plantar [fasciitis] like this, it’s one of these things where I need rest, and I haven’t exactly been doing that.”

Developing plantar fasciitis in his right foot, Woods was forced to withdraw from the Hero World Challenge — the event he hosts annually — at the beginning of December. Despite this foot injury accompanying a recovering leg and five prior back surgeries, the 82-time winner competed in The Match 7 with Rory McIlroy against Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth, and will hit the course again at this week’s PNC Championship. 

“It’s been a lot harder than people probably imagine,” Woods said of his road to recovery. “There’s some of the players who are very close to me know what I’ve kind of gone through, and they’re the ones that keep encouraging me to back off a little bit. But that’s not really in my nature. My nature is trying to get better. And I have. And through work ethic, I was able to, as I said, play and compete in three major championships this year. 

“And this offseason hasn’t really been an off season. I’ve kind of ramped things up. But after this, come Monday, we shut it all down and take care of this foot so that I can ramp up properly. As you’ve seen, I can hit golf balls. I can do all that. I can practice at home. I can hit shots around the green. I can do all that. I just can’t get from point A to point B.”

With plans to get off his feet following the conclusion of the PNC Championship, one can’t help but wonder what Woods’ future playing schedule may look like. Playing only nine competitive rounds during the 2021-22 PGA Tour season — four at The Masters, three at the PGA Championship and two at The Open — the 15-time major champion was rarely seen, an oddity golf fans will have to get used to.

Conventional wisdom suggests Woods potentially teeing it up in February at the Genesis Invitational, and maybe even The Players Championship in early March if the body is up for it. If not, all sights remain on Augusta National for The Masters in April in what would be the first of four major championship appearances in 2023. 

Perhaps that’ll be it for Woods and five tournaments will be the max. Perhaps not. There are other events, including The Memorial, squarely between the PGA Championship and U.S. Open, which make sense but only time will tell as more information about his health, stamina and endurance come to light.

What is for certain is the recently developed plantar fasciitis is doing Woods no favors. Stripping him of an opportunity to play alongside 19 of the best players in the world in The Bahamas, it has also brought a sense of precariousness to his recovery timeline.

“No, not yet,” Woods said of knowing his future schedule. “Because if I didn’t have the plantar feeling like this, then, yes, I could tell you that and I’d have a better idea. But I’m supposed to be resting this thing and stretching and letting it heal. But I’m not doing that at the moment.”

Instead, Woods is playing alongside his son as the two attempt to improve on their runner-up performance from a year ago. With the potential for new injuries or aggravation of old ones lingering, the soon-to-be 47-year-old Woods sees the bigger picture, and if some additional soreness is the price he has to pay for a couple rounds with his son, then so be it.

“I don’t really care about that [a potential setback],” said Woods. “I think being there with and alongside my son is far more important, and get to have a chance to have this experience with him is far better than my foot being a little creaky.”

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This weekend’s PNC Championship has a main event, and I’m not sure his name is Tiger, Jordan or Justin. No, the person everyone is clamoring to see play golf in Orlando in the pro-am is Charlie Woods. Tiger’s son won the day last year when he nearly birdied his way to chasing down John Daly and his son for the victory. After a year of improvement and a golf swing that is about as good as it gets for a teenager, he’ll be the main event in 2022.

Humorously, there is some controversy (if you want to call it that) over what tee boxes Charlie will play. In an event that features an 11-year-old and an 87-year-old, there are a wide variety of tee boxes to be played. Charlie was reportedly going to play the second-longest tee boxes originally, but the tournament committee bumped him to the third-longest, according to Golf Channel. The course is expected to play around 6,400 yards from where he will tee off.

Tiger admitted last week that Charlie recently out-drove him, so I’m not sure the second-longest tees (around 6,700 yards) would have been an issue. The younger Woods will likely dominate from 6,400 yards.

Despite Tiger playing in just his fifth event of 2022, his son is the talk of the tournament even among other competitors.

“Anybody we play with will be a treat and will be a thrill,” said Jordan Spieth’s dad, Shawn, on Thursday. “Is Charlie carrying it 260 or 290? Everybody wants to know which one it is, so that will be fun, or more, after the last two weeks.”

“Charlie,” responded Padraig Harrington when asked which Woods he was more interested in seeing swing. From PNC transcripts: 

 “Actually, to be honest, definitely Charlie, Charlie, Charlie. But kind of just strange enough, after watching Tiger in The Match, to me, with a bit more speed and a bit more of that, like,  you never doubt Tiger’s mental ability, and it’s always one where is he able to come back, and you don’t want to give up — like he looked better physically at that match and the speed.

“And you know me, obviously, I’m interested in that stuff. You know, you’d never run Tiger off, but I actually think he might be even better than that — in a better place than I had thought. So I will take a little sneaky look at Tiger, no doubt. But Charlie, to be honest, I’m more interested in Charlie.

“It’s very interesting for a 13-year-old. And he did it when he was 11. It’s hard to support the angles in a golf swing when you don’t have — at 11, he could hold the club at the right position. Like most kids who are good at 11, 12, 13 years of age, their swing hasn’t even come close to developing.

“Like I bet you if you went back and looked at Rory at 12 years of age, he was hitting a big loopy, you know, drop kicking. Because that’s what they do, kids. But Charlie has always managed to pressure the golf ball, which is exceptional at that age. It really is. So, yeah, I’d be looking at and looking at the swing to see how it is.”

Just a three-time major champion looking forward to seeing the swing. No pressure or anything.

Regardless, the Charlie-Tiger pairing — which is among the favorites to win the PNC at 5-1 — will be a fascinating watch on both accounts. Charlie, because he’s Tiger’s son and obviously gifted at golf, and Tiger, because he’s the best to ever do it and any chance to see him in the twilight of his extraordinary career is always quite a gift.

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Don’t look now, but Tiger Woods is back in action this weekend as he and his son, Charlie, will headline the action at the 2022 PNC Championship. Playing in this two-person scramble for the third consecutive year, the Woods duo is joined by previous winners in Justin Thomas and his father, John Daly and his son, John Daly Jr. Also competing are Hall of Famers, including Annika Sorenstam, Nick Faldo, Lee Trevino and Bernhard Langer, alongside their respective family members.

LPGA superstar and former world No. 1 Nelly Korda is set to compete for the second straight year with her father, and making his PNC Championship debut is another former world No. 1 in Jordan Spieth. Playing for the first time with his father, Spieth will look to carry the momentum from his victory with Thomas at The Match 7 into a successful showing at the Ritz Carlton Golf Club. 

Major champions Stewart Cink, Vijay Singh, Justin Leonard, Padraig Harrington and many more round out the action in what should be a fun-filled weekend in Florida. While a laidback family outing at its very core, the PNC Championship is still an opportunity to watch some of the best players in the world — past, present and possibly future — hone in on their craft before the calendar flips to the new year.

Event information

Event: PNC Championship | Dates: Dec. 17-18
Location: Ritz-Carlton Golf Club — Orlando, Florida
Par: 72 | Yardage: 7,106 | Purse: $1.09 million
Format: Two-person scramble

What is this event?

Formerly known as the Father/Son Challenge, this tournament has since rebranded to the PNC Championship. Having been played for nearly three decades, it has often been a way for major championship and Players Championship winners to team up with a family member of his choosing.

Only recently expanding on the field criteria, it has been a solid modification as Sorenstam and Korda have since joined in on the fun. With the influx of young talent like Daly Jr., who plays on the Arkansas men’s golf team, and Charlie Woods, who impresses in each appearance, the quality of golf, laughs and overall competition has ramped up.

What is the format?

Only 36 holes will be played as teams join forces in the scramble format. Like the format played in charity tournaments, each member of the team will tee off — from varying tees based on age — and select the best drive. This process is repeated with every shot until the ball is holed. There has been a story circulating of a team shooting 46 (!!!) at a scramble event, but I wouldn’t expect scores to be that low; instead, they should be in the neighborhood of low 60s of high 50s.

Has Tiger won this tournament before?

In short, no. However, last year he and Charlie came awfully close to chasing down the Dalys on the final day. At one point, the pair rattled off 11 straight birdies. Signing for rounds of 62-57, the Woods family came up two strokes short of claiming victory at 25 under. That will surely be on Charlie’s mind. Now 13, he is beginning to hit his growth spurt and will serve as a key component for Team Woods.

Who is in the field?

• Stewart Cink and Connor Cink
• John Daly and John Daly II
• David Duval and Brady Duval
• Nick Faldo and Matthew Faldo
• Jim Furyk and Tanner Furyk
• Padraig Harrington and Patrick Harrington
• Nelly Korda and Petr Korda
• Matt Kuchar and Carson Kuchar
• Bernhard Langer and Jason Langer
• Tom Lehman and Sean Lehman
• Justin Leonard and Luke Leonard
• Mark O’Meara and Shaun O’Meara
• Gary Player and Jordan Player
• Nick Price and Greg Price
• Vijay Singh and Qass Singh
• Annika Sorenstam and Will McGee
• Jordan Spieth and Shawn Spieth
• Justin Thomas and Mike Thomas
• Lee Trevino and Daniel Trevino
• Tiger Woods and Charlie Woods

What should we expect from Tiger?

This very well could be the last time we see Tiger in competition until February — if not April — for the 2023 Masters. With 36 holes guaranteed and utilizing a golf cart due to his leg and plantar fasciitis in his right foot, I expect to see some moments of vintage Tiger. Carving irons and hitting delicate pitches and chips — those are the moments to soak in as gone are the days of lashing at the driver and running in putts.

He showed some rust last week in The Match 7, but also signs that his game is close with a few filthy iron shots. Still, it remains a family-oriented event and Tiger will be insistent on using most of Charlie’s shots from tee to green while he looks on and takes in the sights and the sounds of a couple rounds with his son.

Picks and prediction

Team Thomas is the favorite at +275 and rightfully so. Justin looked terrific in The Match 7, carrying his team to victory, and his father Mike has been a PGA Professional for nearly 40 years. They won this event two years ago and came close to defending despite Mike experiencing some health issues at the time.

They are followed by Team Spieth at +450 and Team Woods at +500. In an event that could go a number of ways, I am unsure if I am comfortable backing Spieth and his father — whose game I have the faintest clue about — but Team Woods is intriguing. Their price is half of what it was a year ago and Charlie looks to have only gotten better. 

I’ll go with the homer pick at the top of the odds board with the Woods and Team Harrington a bit lower at +3300 as a sleeper. Padraig has been playing some fantastic golf on the PGA Tour Champions circuit and signed for a 10-under 62 alongside his son in the final round last year, so I wouldn’t be surprised if they find themselves in the mix.

Here’s how you can watch this weekend.

All times are Eastern

Round 1 — Saturday

Round starts: 10:05 a.m.

Early coverage: 1-2 p.m. on Peacock

Live TV coverage: 2-6 p.m. on NBC & Peacock

Round 2 — Sunday

Round starts: 10:05 a.m.

Early coverage: 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. on Peacock

Early TV coverage: 12:30 – 1:30 p.m. on Golf Channel & Peacock

Live TV coverage: 1:30 – 4:30 p.m. on NBC & Peacock

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When looking back at the wild world of golf in 2022, you will be hard pressed to tell the tale without Cameron Smith. Adding to what has already been a career-defining year both on and off the golf course, Smith claimed the 2022 Australian PGA Championship — the third of his career — at Royal Queensland Golf Club in Brisbane, Australia. 

Playing in his home country’s PGA Championship for the first time in three years, the world No. 3 was able overcome weather, nerves and his fellow countrymen en route to his fifth win of the year. Getting the better of Jason Scrivener and Japan’s Ryo Hisatsune, Smith finished with a 72-hole total of 14-under 270 to win by three shots.

“It’s awesome, mate,” Smith said. “I really didn’t think I had it in me this week me to be honest. The start of the week was a little bit scratchy. The game just got better and better as the week went on other than the front nine today.”

Smith’s game has gotten “better and better” not only throughout this week but throughout this year as a whole. Entering 2022 with three worldwide victories to his name and only one of which resided on the PGA Tour, the Australian shattered what many believed his ceiling to be and continues to do so.

A duel with Jon Rahm kicked off Smith’s 2022 at the Tournament of Champions in Kapalua. Needing to set the PGA Tour scoring record, a scorching Smith reached 34 under for the week to eek by the then-world No. 1 by a single stroke. Finishing atop a limited field of only 38 competitors, it really wasn’t until the spring when the conversation around Smith began to move from “He’s a pretty good player” to “He’s one of the best in the world.”

A weather-riddled Players Championship saw many of the world’s finest curl up as a brutal system rolled through the Jacksonville area the week of the “fifth major.” With a bit of tee time luck on his side at the onset of the tournament, Smith converted this golden opportunity into a golden moment with 10 birdies in the final round at TPC Sawgrass. 

Highlighted by his wedge shot on the famed island green par-3 17th, Smith’s bold action on the 71st hole of the championship gave him his biggest victory to date. Similar words would be uttered just four months later when a comeback for the ages transpired at the oldest major championship in the game.

Five birdies in a row and a back-nine 30 saw Smith leapfrog crowd-favorite Rory McIlroy the final day of the 150th Open. Taking on water throughout the third round, Smith reset on Sunday and leaned on his trusty putter for his last stroll around the Old Course at St. Andrews.

Boasting 25 one putts on the week, it was an unlikely up-and-down from behind the road hole bunker on the 71st hole that secured Smith’s first major championship and the title “Champion Golfer of the Year.” Celebrations, beers from the Claret Jug and praise ensued, but not before an eyebrow-raising moment occurred at his winner’s press conference.

“I just won the British Open, and you’re asking about that? I think that’s pretty not that good,” said Smith when asked about a potential move to LIV Golf.

With rumors swirling, intensifying and seemingly coming to life in real time, Smith was again bombarded with questions ahead of the FedEx Cup Playoffs. Brushing off the interrogation in a way only a man with a mullet can, the 29-year-old ultimately chose to join the PGA Tour rival after completion of the Tour Championship.

“It felt like I didn’t sleep for a few months,” he told the Sydney Morning Herald. “I was constantly thinking, ‘what will other people think?’ That was a really big factor for me. I feel like I do most things by the book and to be one to step away … was really tough for me.”

Smith’s decision paid dividends almost immediately. Falling one stroke short of a playoff in his debut at LIV Golf Boston, Smith made amends two weeks later with a victory at LIV Golf Chicago. Rounding out his inaugural LIV campaign with a 7-under 65 at Trump National Doral, Smith single-handedly carried his team Punch GC to within one of the LIV Golf Team Championship.

Fast forward to present day, and Smith should have no issues sleeping after his win at the 2022 Australian PGA Championship. Adding to what was already a memorable year, yet in the same sense equally bizarre, Smith has now captured five victories in five different time zones on three different continents on three different tours. 

While McIlroy will head into the new year as world No. 1 and winner of the season-long races on both the PGA Tour and DP World Tour, it may actually be Smith who was the most eye-catching, head-scratching, thought-provoking player of 2022. 

Winner of two of the biggest prizes in golf, the subject of controversy and again a champion in his home country, Smith will continue to saunter on. While the path may be one less traveled moving forward, it is a path no less, and one which helped shape Smith’s world class year.

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