Charlie Woods battled to a 1-under-par 71 on Sunday at TPC Sawgrass to finish in a tie for eighth at The Junior Players Championship in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.
Woods went 1-under 215 over the course of the three-day event, finishing seven shots behind winner JP Lynch of Austin, Texas. Lynch shot up the leaderboard with a 6-under 66 on Sunday to finish 8 under for the weekend and beat Brady Barnum (final-round 68) by one stroke.
The 17-year-old son of Tiger Woods improved greatly on his 2025 placement at the major junior event. He tied for 31st last year.
The junior golfers play the same Stadium Course that the pros do each March at The Players Championship. Charlie Woods had a busy front nine in his final round with four bogeys and three birdies, but his birdie at the 596-yard, par-5 ninth hole began a stretch of three in a row. His birdies at Nos. 10 and 11 got him back under par for the round and the championship, but he made all pars the rest of the way, including the par-3 17th and its famed island green.
Woods is entering his senior year of high school and is committed to play golf at Florida State starting in the fall semester of 2027. His top-10 at The Junior Players is sure to boost his American Junior Golf Association ranking, which was No. 306 entering the week.
As for Lynch, he made the turn in 2-under 34 and then made his move with birdies at Nos. 10, 11, 12 and 14. He clung to a one-stroke edge over Barnum when a weather delay interrupted the proceedings late in the afternoon.
Lynch parred Nos. 17 and 18, and Barnum could not manage to tie Lynch, settling for pars on his last two holes as well.
Ronin Banerjee (69) and Canadian Alexis Rouleau (70) tied for third at 4 under. Sam Carraher (73) placed fifth at 3 under.