How did Charlie Woods fare in Florida regional championship in West Palm Beach?
WEST PALM BEACH — Charlie Woods and his Benjamin School golf teammates are heading to Florida's Class 1A state championship with a region title trophy in hand.
Woods, son of legendary professional golfer Tiger Woods, shot 72 (1-over) as Benjamin's top seed in the Region 1-4A championship on Monday, Nov. 3 at The Park West Palm.
The Bucs finished four shots clear of rival Oxbridge Academy, the reigning Class 1A state champion, to win the region title.
Woods carded three birdies during the 18-hole round, including birdies on the first hole and the final hole, hitting a putt of nearly 20 feet to close out his day on a high note. He punctuated his round with a fist pump before he plucked his ball out of the hole.
The positive ending came after Woods appeared unhappy with his performance on the 17th hole, on which he scored par. Golfers throughout the regional championship struggled on the 17th green, where its difficulty combined with the wind — including gusts up to at least 25 miles per hour — made it tough to navigate.
"He plays very emotional and he always has," Benjamin head coach Toby Harbeck. "He felt like he didn't hit the ball very well today, and that's understandable. But still, when you can grind it out and shoot 72 and not have your best stuff, that says a lot about your No. 1."
Harbeck then happily walked into his own pun when describing Woods' game.
"He's got a heart, he's got a will, and he's got a drive like no other," Harbeck said.
Entering the state championship, Benjamin is the top ranked team in the state of Florida, according to the Florida High School Athletic Association's iWanamaker rankings.
Last year, Tiger Woods was on hand to watch Charlie and the Bucs nearly complete a miraculous comeback to win the state championship title.
This year, Harbeck hopes a comeback won't be necessary for the Bucs to reclaim their Class 1A crown.
"The comeback was great," Harbeck said. "And I told them just a few minutes ago, 'We're not waiting for a comeback this year.' I feel like we've got a good chance."
Alex Peterman is a high school sports reporter for The Palm Beach Post. He can be reached at apeterman@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Charlie Woods, Benjamin win boys golf regional championship
