Tiger Woods watches Charlie Woods win the state championship

Since Tiger Woods’ latest surgery put his return to professional golf in doubt, every sighting of the 15-time champion has been news. On Saturday, Woods was spotted for one of the first times since his last surgery.

Although Woods’ appearance took place on a golf course next to his son Charlie Woods, it was not at the PNC Championship, where the two have competed together on live TV for several years.

Instead, it was Charlie’s high school state championship, where the younger Woods matched the final round’s lowest score and helped his team to the title.

Here’s what you need to know.

Charlie Woods’ team wins states while Tiger watches

Woods, 16, is a junior at Benjamin School in Palm Beach and a rising star in junior golf.

Benjamin won the state championship title when Charlie was a freshman. This past year, Woods won the AJGA Team TaylorMade Invitational. He ranks fourth in his class in the AJGA rankings and ninth overall.

On Friday and Saturday, Benjamin played in the final of the 2025 Class 1A state championships, and Woods fired a two-under 68 in the final round to advance his team to a five-shot victory over Orlando’s First Academy.

Charlie’s 68 matched the lowest score of the round and he finished fourth in the individual tournament.

Palm Beach Post photographers spotted Tiger and Charlie’s mother Elin Nordegren as they watched Charlie’s final round at the Mission Inn Resort in Howey-in-the-Hills, Florida, on Saturday.

Coach told Elin Nordegren that he dreamed that Charlie Woods would shoot 68

Charlie Woods’ head coach at Benjamin, Toby Harbeck, shared a strange anecdote after his team’s win.

Amid the festivities at Mission Inn, Harbeck revealed to the Palm Beach Post that he dreamed that Charlie would have a great final round.

Not only that, but he also claimed that he ran into Nordegren, Charlie’s mother, at the hotel early that morning and told her about the dream.

“I had a dream. I walked out of the hotel this morning at 20 minutes before 7:00, and Elin [Nordegren] stood by the bus. I looked at her and said, “I dreamed last night that Charlie was playing today. It’s either going to be 68 or 67,’ and she looked at me and said, ‘I hope so, coach.’ And I said, ‘I’m telling you it’s going to happen,'” Harbeck told the BBC Palm Beach Post.

Harbeck landed right on the number.

Tiger Woods’ potential return, health status

On October 11, Woods announced that he had undergone intervertebral disc surgery, the latest in a long series of operations on his back.

Woods was last seen on TV during the inaugural TGL season in early 2025. But in March, Tiger announced he had ruptured his left Achilles tendon. As a result, he missed the entire 2025 PGA Tour season.

In 2024, Woods only competed in five events, withdrawing or missing the cut in all but the Masters, where he finished 60th.

Woods was first seen in public after his latest surgery in early November, when he took part in a golf video shoot at Bridgestone.