BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Charlie Woods, the son of 15-time major champion Tiger Woods, was eliminated from the U.S. Junior Amateur golf tournament on Wednesday after a fan disrupted his backswing with the noise of an iPhone camera shutter.
Woods was competing in a 14-player playoff for two spots in the match play portion of the tournament at Saucon Valley after tying for 63rd place, The Athletic reported.
Woods had shot rounds of 76 and 70 during the first two rounds of stroke play and was at 5-over par after Tuesday’s second round. On Wednesday’s first playoff hole, Woods needed a birdie on the par-5 hole to advance to Wednesday’s match play.
Facing a chip shot from thick rough for his third shot, Woods fluffed the shot after a loud click sounded during his backswing, The Athletic reported.
“Really, dude?” Woods said after the shot. “I mean, come on.”
🚨Charlie Woods playoff hole at 2026 U.S. Junior Championship at Saucon Valley C.C. phone camera clicks in backswing and misses cut 🚨 pic.twitter.com/1T709uo94y
— Trevor Keaton (@Trevor_Keaton) July 22, 2026
The ball landed on the fringe of the green, leaving a long birdie attempt. Woods finished with a bogey at hole No. 1 and was eliminated.
Miles Russell, Woods’ future teammate at Florida State, was the stroke play co-medalist at 6-under 135, The Associated Press reported.
Two golfers from Indiana secured the last two spots -- Eli Wessel of Indianapolis and Hudson Kutchma of Westfield, according to The Athletic.
In his two previous appearances at the Junior Amateur, Woods shot 82-80 in 2024 and 80-74 in 2025, according to the sports news outlet. Tiger Woods won the junior championship three consecutive times and won the U.S. Amateur three times.
Charlie Woods is eligible to play in the Junior Amateur for one last time in 2027, according to The Athletic.
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