Tiger Woods and his former wife, Elin Nordegren, put on a united front this past weekend, coming together to cheer on their 16-year-old son, Charlie Woods, at the prestigious Junior Orange Bowl golf tournament in Florida. The event, however, was marked by a moment of high drama that could have ended in serious injury for the teenage golfer.
A Close Call on the Course
Competing at the Biltmore Course in Miami, Charlie carded a two-over par round, but his score became a secondary concern after a frightening incident at the 11th hole. According to reports from GolfMagic, the teenager's recovery shot struck a hidden tree root, causing the ball to rebound violently back towards his face. The crowd gasped as Charlie instinctively ducked and covered his head, narrowly avoiding being struck by his own ball.
Miraculously unharmed, Charlie then displayed remarkable composure, managing to salvage a par from the perilous situation. His famous father was heard offering words of praise as he walked off the green, saying, 'Hell of a shot.' Throughout the round, Tiger Woods and Elin Nordegren were seen walking the course together, demonstrating a supportive co-parenting partnership focused entirely on their son.
From Marital Collapse to Co-Parenting Friendship
The sight of the pair together is a testament to the relationship they have rebuilt since their acrimonious and highly publicised divorce in 2010. Their marriage ended in the wake of the scandal that revealed Tiger Woods's multiple infidelities, a period Nordegren later described to PEOPLE as leaving her in 'absolute shock and disbelief.'
The unraveling began over the Thanksgiving week in 2009, following a National Enquirer report alleging an affair with Rachel Uchitel. The situation escalated when Woods crashed his car outside their Florida home. In the aftermath, numerous other women came forward, leading to a stunning fall from grace for the golf legend, costing him his marriage and several major sponsorships.
Despite the profound betrayal, both have worked diligently to forge a healthy dynamic for their children, daughter Sam, born in 2007, and Charlie, born in 2009. In a 2015 interview with TIME, Woods reflected on their progress, stating, 'Having the relationship that I have now with her is fantastic. She’s one of my best friends. We both know that the most important things in our lives are our kids.'
Tiger's Ongoing Challenges and Charlie's Rising Profile
While supporting his son, Tiger Woods continues to battle his own physical challenges. Now 50, he recently described the past year as 'tough,' having undergone an Achilles tear in March 2025 and a back procedure in October. His recovery, he admitted at December's Hero World Challenge, is 'not as fast as I'd like it to be.' The golf great is currently dating Vanessa Trump, the former daughter-in-law of Donald Trump.
Meanwhile, Charlie Woods is carving his own path in the sport, with his high school coach recently providing insights into the teenager's development and Tiger's behind-the-scenes role. The incident at the Junior Orange Bowl, while scary, ultimately highlighted not just Charlie's resilience but also the strong familial support system that now exists around him, forged from the ashes of one of sport's most notorious personal crises.
