The 16-year-old son of the legendary Tiger Woods rattled in an incredible nine birdies, including six on the front nine alone.
He highlighted why he is a serious collegiate prospect, firing at Purdue University’s Kampen-Cosler course – a brutal Pete Dye design.
Woods’ dominant performance saw him rocket up the leaderboard in the second round and into contention for the Championship as well as a coveted spot on the USA Junior Ryder Cup team.
The 72-hole PGA Championship is the pinnacle of junior amateur golf, attracting 156 of the best young male and female players in the country.
The stakes are colossal, and his emphatic 66 proved he’s most definitely up to the test of elite standard golf.
Charlie Woods instantly found his mojo in the second round on a 7400-yard gauntlet assembled by Pete Dye, stepping up to the first tee and knocking in three birdies in his first four holes.
And he didn’t stop there.
He replicated his 15-time major-winning father’s ability to put together a hot streak, birdying holes six, seven and eight to make the turn at five under par.
Woods then added birdies at holes 12, 14 and 15 before a blemish in the form of a pair of bogies to reach the clubhouse with a remarkable round of 66.
Scoring low at Kampen-Cosler is no fluke with the tough course littered with imposing bunkers and thick grasslands; it’s considered one of the toughest in Indiana.
Pete Dye designs Major hosting golf courses that are set up to expose flaws, and Charlie exposed very few.
His display of power, precision and calculation was as clinical as it was captivating.
Woods sits at T7 and seven under par on the leaderboard, critically, within striking distance of leader Lunden Esterline (-14) with 36 holes to play.
Finishing strong is in his family DNA, but proving he can produce the goods when they matter most will garner incredible excitement with the golfing world placing enormous pressure on the teenager’s shoulders.
His second round 66 had the feeling of a breakout moment, but to those following his journey, it was more of a continuation.
A state champion with his Florida High School teammates, an AJGA winner and son of arguably the greatest of all time, Woods has long shown the hype could well be real.
Wednesday’s performance wasn’t about potential; it was about producing a performance he needed and delivering it – Woods did.
What will excite the passengers on Charlie Woods’ hype train is his attitude to not just survive a demanding track, but attack it, with birdies and conviction.
With two rounds to play, the Junior PGA Championship and the battle for Junior USA Ryder Cup places are wide open.
