Two teenagers with hopes and dreams and one sport—Golf! Charlie Woods, the young boy with a legacy to uphold, and Miles Russell — working to create one. However, both are working towards finding a place in the world of golf. While Miles Russell has had a rather robust last few months where he has been making and breaking records.

For instance, last year, Russell won the American Junior Golf Association Boys Player of the Year, leaving Tiger Woods behind and becoming the youngest golfer to do so. Charlie Woods, on the other hand, has experienced his fair share of ups and downs. Regardless, the two young guns have definitely shown a lot of promise, which has ignited the imagination of the golf community regarding whether a new iconic rivalry, like Woods vs. Mickelson, is in the making or not.

The lefty teenage golfer is, currently, the number one junior golfer in the world. Earlier this year, he got an exemption into the Korn Ferry Tour’s LECOM Suncoast Classic. Although he couldn’t win, he did well with an overall score of 14-under, finishing at T20. On the other hand, Woods Jr. hasn’t made his PGA Tour debut yet as he failed to pass the qualifiers for both the Cognizant Classic and the US Open. However, the two will soon battle it out on the greens in the month of July.

Charlie Woods had a rough start to his American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) debut last weekend at the Will Lowery Junior Championship.

Woods shot 21-over-par and finished in a three-way tie for 32^nd place with Jack Michael and Spencer Mills while the winner of the event, Patmon Malcom, finished at -7.

Woods turned in rounds of 78, 81 and 78 in the three-round event held at the Carolina Trace Country Club in Sanford, North Carolina.

Charlie made his AJGA debut on a sponsor’s exemption, according to TW Legion, and his father, Tiger, was spotted at the event, according to reports.

Earlier this week, Tiger Woods and his ex-wife Elin Nordegren attended a ceremony for the Benjamin School golf team, which featured their son Charlie, as team members received state championship rings, according to Golfweek.

Sherlon Christie is a social media editor for USA TODAY Sports. Contact Sherlon at schristie@usatoday.com or on X @sherlonchristie

Charlie Woods’ golf career might just be getting started, but Tiger Woods’ son already has some major goals.

The 15-year-old golfer told reporters this week he hopes to one day win the U.S. Open after he works his way onto the PGA Tour.

Charlie, whom Woods shares with ex-wife Elin Nordegren, qualified for his first USGA Championship tournament on Wednesday. He shot a 1-under par on a 71-par course at the Eagle Trace Golf Club in Coral Springs, Fla., earning his first amateur tournament spot.

“The USGA means a lot to me,” Charlie said. “I want to win USGA Championships and hopefully one day the U.S. Open.”

Charlie has been competing on the golf course more frequently this year as he begins to find his footing in the sport his father, 48, has dominated and defined over much of the last three decades.

Woods’ son already proved his ambition earlier this year when he attempted to qualify for the U.S. Open tournament, which took place last weekend at the Pinehurst Resort in North Carolina.

But Charlie failed to make the U.S. Open, finishing tied for 61st in an April qualifying event.

Woods’ son has been slowly getting used to professional golf, competing alongside his father in the PNC Championship each of the last four years, according to the Associated Press.

“Any time I get a chance to spend time with my son, it’s always special,” Tiger told ESPN in 2022. “And to do it in a competitive forum, the last couple of years have been magical, and to be able to do it again, we’re looking forward to it.”

Charlie, who was born in 2009, has been around his father’s golf career since almost the day he was born. Less than a week after his birth, Charlie’s mother Elin brought him to watch Woods compete at the AT&T National tournament at Pebble Beach, California.

Charlie Woods, 15, finished first among qualifiers for the U.S. Junior Amateur Championship at Eagle Trace Golf Club, which earned his way into his first United States Golf Association event.

Woods shot 1-under at the Coral Springs, Florida course, and it came after battling back from a tough start to the rounds. Woods had a bogey and double bogey in his first two holes.

Woods would regroup, though, putting five birdies on the card before finishing with the victory.

“I didn’t play great my first two holes, but I played really good for the last 16,” Woods said. “I just told myself not to make any more bogeys or doubles and I took advantage of some nice birdie looks when I had them.”

The U.S. Open just passed at Pinehurst No. 2, and while the younger Woods was there to support his father in the tournament, he tried to get in himself.

Woods shot 9-over at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club in Port St. Lucie, Florida, during a qualifying event for the U.S. Open, finishing 61st out of 71 golfers.

So, while they have competed in events as a team, Woods was unable to play against his father in Pinehurst.

However, Woods has a chance to follow in his father’s career footsteps. The U.S. Junior Amateur was won by the elder Woods at just 15 years old – the same age as his son. He did so in 1991.

“I want to win USGA championships and hopefully one day the U.S. Open,” Woods said.

First, he must take on a large field at the Junior Amateur – 264 young golfers gunning for glory – at Oakland Hills Country Club in Michigan.

Charlie Woods had a rough start to his American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) debut last weekend at the Will Lowery Junior Championship.

Woods shot 21-over-par and finished in a three-way tie for 32^nd place with Jack Michael and Spencer Mills while the winner of the event, Patmon Malcom, finished at -7.

Woods turned in rounds of 78, 81 and 78 in the three-round event held at the Carolina Trace Country Club in Sanford, North Carolina.

Charlie made his AJGA debut on a sponsor’s exemption, according to TW Legion, and his father, Tiger, was spotted at the event, according to reports.

Earlier this week, Tiger Woods and his ex-wife Elin Nordegren attended a ceremony for the Benjamin School golf team, which featured their son Charlie, as team members received state championship rings, according to Golfweek.

Charlie Woods earned his way into his first USGA championship on Wednesday when the 15-year-old son of Tiger Woods had the leading score among qualifiers for the US Junior Amateur next month at Oakland Hills.

Charlie Woods recovered from a bogey-double bogey start at Eagle Trace Golf Club to finish with a 1-under 71 to be medalist from his qualifier, one of four players to qualify from the site.

“I didn’t play great my first two holes, but I played really good for the last 16. I just told myself not to make any more bogeys or doubles and I took advantage of some nice birdie looks when I had them,” Woods said.

Tiger Woods was 14 when he qualified for his first US Junior, reaching the semi-finals. Woods won his first US Junior Amateur a year later at Bay Hill in 19 holes. Woods is the only player to win the US Junior three straight times.

Players have to be under 19 before the championship ends.

The US Junior Amateur is 22-28 July at Oakland Hills in the suburbs of Detroit. Woods will be among 264 players who will go through 36 holes of stroke play on the North and South courses at Oakland Hills to determine which 64 players advance to match play.

Tiger Woods is a nine-time USGA champion – three straight US Junior Amateurs, three straight US Amateurs and three US Open titles.

“The USGA means a lot to me,” Charlie Woods said. “I want to win USGA championships and hopefully one day the US Open.”

Has the student become the Master? At the U.S. Open, 15-time major champion Tiger Woods and son Charlie were spotted practicing on the range, with Charlie offering some tips to his 48-year-old father. Lately, Woods has put a lot of trust in his son for some input about his swing. The 82-time PGA Tour winner said from Pinehurst, “I trust him with my swing and my game. He’s seen it more than anybody else in the world. He’s seen me hit more golf balls than anyone. I tell him what to look for, especially with putting.” But the outcome was not perfect.

At the US Open 2024, Woods missed the cut by 2 strokes. His score of 7-over par 147 came from 74-73 over the two days. He carded four bogeys and one birdie. The latter could have been 2 had it not been for the bad luck on the 15th. Despite the heartbreak, they are back on the range in Florida.

In a picture posted by TWLegion on their official X handle, Woods can be seen standing by his, as the 15-year-old hits balls. However, the fans did not seem to be very hopeful about the merit of the father-son duo, as they thought this might be the time for Woods to step aside.

Back in 2023, the official X account of the Notah Begay III Junior Golf National Championship shared snippets of Charlie Woods’ interview with Ryan Burr after winning the 14-15 division of the tournament. Jr. Woods spoke about his relationship with his father. “We just stay in our own little world and we just take it one shot at a time,” Charlie had said.

But with rising fame, their ‘little world’ has got expanded. The teenager’s every move has been put under the scanner on social media. When the recent snippets from the practice session went viral, fans came up with their concerns about the teenager’s school life to Woods’s future.

Netizens wonder if this ‘grind’ will ever help Tiger Woods

After making a much-awaited return to the green at the 2023 Hero World Challenge, the 82-PGA Tour winner shared his plans for the 2024 season, which consisted of playing one event a month. Fast forward to June, and Woods, has stated that he would play only in the Open Championship this season. The veteran said the risk is it might take too much time for him to recover from a four-day grind on the course. At the same time, since he doesn’t get to play much often, his form in the majors had hit the skid.

It’s a paradoxical situation, and some believe this way fans will never see the Tiger Woods they want to see. One tweeted, “Unless he plays more tournaments just getting some balls in range isn’t going to help his issues much.” However, despite the poor show, some fans can not ignore his legacy as they believe, “He will figure this out. Just watch.” But not everyone is convinced.