Tiger Woods opens up on son on Charlie’s ‘very different’ college recruitment process

Tiger Woods has shared that his son Charlie’s college recruitment process is “very different” from his own experience as the 16-year-old gears up for the next phase of his golfing journey.

Charlie is currently a student at the Benjamin School in Palm Beach, Florida, where he studies alongside fellow budding golfer Kai Trump. He is expected to graduate in 2027, but several colleges are already courting him, hoping to persuade him to join their program.

READ: Snitch blows the lid on Tiger Woods and Vanessa Trump… and reve

Kai Trump, whose mother Vanessa is Tiger’s girlfriend, recently committed to the University of Miami on a golf scholarship, following her grandfather Donald’s clear preference for her college selection.

Charlie enhances his profile

In addition to being the son of arguably the greatest golfer of all time, the young athlete also boosted his profile by aiding the Benjamin boys golf team in securing the Florida Class 1A State Championship in November. He shot a four-under 68 in the final round, clinching the program’s fifth state title.

His impressive individual performances this year have also earned him the No. 9 spot in the American Junior Golf Association rankings, reports the Irish Star.

However, Charlie is the only player currently in the Top 10 who has not yet committed to a university. According to his father, the situation isn’t as straightforward as it was when he was Charlie’s age, although the 15-time major champion confesses to finding the process enjoyable.

“It’s been very different, the recruiting process. Now you have cell phones. We didn’t have cell phones. We would have written letters that would show up in the mailbox. ‘Oh, my God, I got a letter,'” Woods said at his annual Hero World Challenge press conference in the Bahamas on Tuesday.

“It’s just very different how fast coaches can communicate with the family members and the player that they’re trying to recruit. It’s just a different world. Not saying it’s good or bad, it’s just different.

“It’s fun to be a part of the process with Charlie and go through it and see where the opportunities that he has created for himself by playing better, places that he could play, wants to play and ultimately we’ll decide where he wants to go play.”

Charlie has experienced a remarkable 2025, marked by his inaugural AJGA tournament victory, a tie for ninth at the Boys’ Junior PGA Championship, and notably, the high school state championship. He also mirrored his father’s achievement by securing a position on the Rolex Junior All-American First Team 35 years later.

Kai Trump has refused to disclose whether or not she is a better golfer than her grandfather, Donald Trump

If he desires guidance from someone closer to his own age about his college choices, he could always consult fellow golf prodigy Trump, considering the 18 year old has already navigated the process herself. The U.S. President’s granddaughter announced her verbal pledge to the University of Miami back in August 2024, expressing gratitude to the 79 year old for giving her access to his nationwide network of golf courses, and he has continued to track her progress.

However, just last month, Trump officially became part of the Hurricanes golf roster, set to join the 2026 class next year. This came mere months after she reaffirmed her Miami commitment by starting her senior year of high school with a subtle tribute to the university.