Junior PGA Championship winner makes Charlie Woods feelings clear after meltdown
Lunden Esterline remained gracious in victory after beating Tiger Woods' son, Charlie, to the Junior PGA Championship with a commanding six-shot victory. After pulling clear of the pack and maintaining his advantage throughout the final round, many have compared this win to Scottie Scheffler's victory at The Open Championship.
Esterline wrapped up a masterful display at 19-under par, securing the trophy and an automatic spot on the Junior Ryder Cup squad. He certainly fared better than Tiger Woods' 16-year-old son, who had entered Friday's final round sharing second place.
Three consecutive rounds of 70, 66, and 66 had positioned the younger Woods favourably with ground to make up. But rather than channelling his father's legendary clutch instincts in the trademark black and red outfit - as he had done during U.S. Junior Amateur Championship qualifying - Woods carded his poorest round of the tournament with a 74.
The meltdown knocked him out of the running, coming just after he missed the cut at the U.S. Junior Amateur Championship the previous week. Woods completed the 18th hole at level par, but a bogey at the 14th and a double bogey at the 15th scuppered any hopes of a fightback.
Esterline, who was paired with him, remained gracious and measured in his post-round remarks.
"I had fun playing with him and Pennson [Badgett]," Esterline said. "They were both good guys."
Esterline will continue his golfing journey at Auburn as part of the Class of 2027. Woods kicked off the week with a 70 at the Birck Boilermaker Golf Complex, followed by consecutive 66s that hinted at a comeback.
On Wednesday, he set the front nine alight with a 31, featuring birdies on six of the first nine holes. On Thursday, he replicated that performance with another 66, ruling the roost on holes 6 and 12 throughout the competition - entering Friday at 12 under, just one stroke behind the leader.
Charlie started strong, but missed chances began to accumulate from the back 9 onwards. He recorded three bogeys and one double in a round, including hole 15, which he had mastered the previous two days.
Following the result, Charlie remains the No. 20-ranked golfer in the American Junior Golf Association. Esterline is ranked as the No. 46 golfer by the same standards.
To qualify for the Junior Ryder Cup, Charlie needed to finish in the top two during the event, win the 2023 U.S. Junior Amateur, or be ranked among the top two on the U.S. Junior Ryder Cup list.
At present, the top two spots are occupied by boys Miles Russell and Tyler Mawhinney, and girls Asterisk Talley and Gianna Clemente. Charlie still has a chance to qualify for the team if he ends up being the sole captain's pick for Team USA.
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