Charlie Woods Caddies for Rival Golfer After Missing U.S. Open Qualifier

Charlie Woods spent three straight years trying to qualify for the U.S. Open, and in April he came closer than ever before falling just one stroke short of a playoff. This week, instead of competing in golf’s longest qualifying day, he took on a different role: caddie. Woods carried the bag for his future Florida State teammate and direct competitor Miles Russell during the final stage of U.S. Open qualifying at BallenIsles Country Club.

Russell, one of the most closely watched junior golfers in the field, opened with a 71 in the first round of the final qualifier. He made three birdies on the front nine and two more on the back nine, putting himself in position to move forward depending on how the second round finished. With the projected cutline around 3 under, his chances remained uncertain as play continued.

Woods’ presence on the bag added a notable twist to the day. He knows the pressure of U.S. Open qualifying firsthand. On April 28, at Eagle Trace Golf Club in Coral Springs, Florida, he shot an even-par 72 and finished one shot short of a playoff for the 2026 U.S. Open qualifier. His round included an early bogey, a birdie on the sixth hole, and a costly double bogey on the seventh. He later added birdies on the 10th, 12th and 15th holes, but a bogey on the 14th and pars coming in left him in 10th place.

That was not Woods’ first missed attempt at qualifying for the U.S. Open. In 2024, he shot 81 at the Legacy Golf & Tennis Club, and in 2025 he posted a 75 at Wellington Golf Club, finishing well outside the required score.

Outside that disappointment, Charlie Woods’ 2026 season has been modest. His best result was a tie for 19th at the Junior Orange Bowl International in January. He later finished 68th at the AJGA Simplify Boys Championship and 36th at the Junior Invitational at Sage Valley. More recently, he placed T42 at the Terracotta Invitational. Still, he did secure a spot in the U.S. Junior Amateur for the third time after shooting 3-under 68 and winning a sudden-death playoff at Heathrow Country Club.

Russell, meanwhile, has already built a strong resume. He became the youngest player to make a Korn Ferry Tour cut and broke Tiger Woods’ record as the youngest AJGA Rolex Junior Player of the Year in 2023. For him, final U.S. Open qualifying is another major step on the path toward elite-level golf.

The two players are more than rivals. Both have committed to Florida State for the 2027 season and are future teammates. They have competed against each other before, including at the Junior Invitational at Sage Valley, where Russell won by 41 shots. Woods later congratulated him on social media, calling him a friend and future teammate. The bond between them was also evident during practice sessions earlier in 2026.

Now, whether Russell advances from BallenIsles or not, Woods has turned his own near miss into an opportunity to learn from the same stage he recently tried to reach himself.