Charlie Woods eliminated in U.S. Junior Amateur playoff after bogey on first hole
Seventeen-year-old Charlie Woods was knocked out of the U.S. Junior Amateur after a bogey on the opening hole of a 14-player, two-spot playoff at Saucon Valley Country Club.
Charlie Woods' bid to reach the match-play stage of the U.S. Junior Amateur ended on Wednesday morning at Saucon Valley Country Club in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Competing in the third of four groups in a 14-player, two-spot playoff, Woods attempted to reach the green in two on the par-5 first hole but his drive landed in the left rough, about 25 yards short of the green.
During his third shot, a camera shutter was heard in his backswing and the ball was struck poorly, leaving a short pitch that rolled onto the fringe. Video captured the noise, and Woods responded, "Really, dude?". He was unable to hole a 35-foot chip for birdie and ultimately recorded a bogey, allowing other competitors to advance.
Despite the early exit, Woods, a Florida State commit and ranked 174th in the AJGA, posted improved scores of 76 and 70 over the final 33 holes of stroke play, a marked improvement over earlier rounds this year and last. The playoff saw only three of the 14 participants birdie the first hole. Incoming Cincinnati freshman Eli Wessel and Hudson Kutchma advanced, while China’s Zilin Gao was eliminated. Wessel earned a matchup against top junior Miles Russell in the Round of 64, which is already underway on the Old Course.