Tiger Woods’ surprise caddie makes PNC Championship even more of a family affair

ORLANDO — We’re accustomed to seeing Tiger and Charlie Woods at the PNC Championship over the past few years, and it’s been a common occurrence to see Tiger’s daughter Sam outside the ropes following her father and brother at the Ritz Carlton Golf Club.

On Saturday, during the first round of this year’s event, Sam, 16, moved inside the ropes to handle the caddie duties for her dad, the first time she’s held the job.

Tiger’s longtime business partner Rob McNamara caddied for Woods two weeks ago at the Hero World Challenge and again on Friday here during the pro-am. Charlie’s caddie is a high school teammate.

"Sam was fantastic," Woods said after shooting eight-under 64. "This is the first time she's ever done this, so it couldn't have been any more special for all of us.

"For me to have both my kids inside the ropes like this and participating and playing and being part of the game of golf like this, it couldn't have been more special for me, and I know that we do this a lot at home, needle each other and have a great time. But it was more special to do it in a tournament like this."

Caddie duties this weekend aren’t as strenuous as in most other events. With impending nasty weather, all players and caddies are riding in golf carts in hopes of playing as quickly as possible. The Woods' are paired with Justin Thomas and his father Mike.

The last time Sam Woods was in the spotlight came last year when she inducted her father into the World Golf Hall of Fame prior to the Players Championship.

“My dad found himself in a position to make an 18-foot putt to force a [2007] U.S. Open playoff, which he missed by a foot,” Sam said during that speech. “He then had to rush to the airport, fly from Pittsburgh to Orlando, and drive to the Winnie Palmer Hospital. Within five minutes of walking into the hospital room, still wearing his red golf shirt, on June 18, I was born. He may have lost that day, but he won the greatest gift of all.”