Charlie Woods made his college decision public on Tuesday, ending months of speculation around his next step in golf.
Woods, 17, has committed to play college golf at Florida State University, bypassing Stanford University, where his father built a legendary amateur résumé.
Charlie Woods, son of famous golfer Tiger Woods, confirmed his commitment on Tuesday afternoon. The move ends long-running speculation around whether he would follow Tiger’s path to Stanford, a school forever tied to the Woods family name and Tiger’s rise in the mid-1990s.
Instead, Charlie opted to stay closer to home in Florida. He is currently a junior at The Benjamin School, where he helped his team win a state title this past season, shooting a team-best 68. Florida State head coach Trey Jones was in attendance during that championship and had tracked Woods closely throughout the recruiting process.
“Excited to announce my commitment to play golf at Florida State University – go Noles!
Charlie Woods joins a loaded recruiting class at Florida State
Charlie will enter a Florida State Seminoles program that is stacking talent. He joins the class of 2027 alongside Miles Russell, the No. 1-ranked player in the American Junior Golf Association Rankings. For Florida State, landing Woods represents both competitive upside and national visibility.
From a development standpoint, the choice aligns with what those around Charlie have said for months. In December 2023, The Benjamin School head coach Toby Harbeck told Golf.com that Charlie preferred to remain in the Southeast and showed little interest in relocating to the West Coast. That position has not changed.
The contrast with Tiger Woods’ college path
Tiger Woods arrived at Stanford on scholarship in 1994 and left two years later as the NCAA individual champion, National Player of the Year, and winner of eight collegiate tournaments. He remains enshrined in the school’s Hall of Fame. The expectation that Charlie might retrace those steps followed him throughout junior golf.
“Congratulations Charlie. I’m so proud of you on entering this next chapter of your life…
Tiger himself has worked to shift that narrative. Last year, he said he was enjoying being part of his son’s recruitment and emphasized that the decision would ultimately be Charlie’s. College golf analysts view the Florida State commitment as a clear signal of independence rather than a rejection of family legacy.
A program built on PGA Tour success
Florida State’s golf history carries weight of its own. The Seminoles have produced major champions and Ryder Cup players, including Brooks Koepka, Paul Azinger, and Daniel Berger. Analysts note that the program’s competitive schedule and player-development pipeline align well with Charlie’s long-term professional ambitions.
The next stage of Charlie Woods’ development
Charlie will complete his final seasons at The Benjamin School before arriving in Tallahassee as part of the 2027 recruiting class. In the meantime, he is expected to continue competing in elite junior events and select amateur tournaments, where scrutiny will only increase following his commitment.
The name will always draw attention. The environment, the teammates, and the timeline are now unmistakably his.
This article is based on Charlie Woods’ official college commitment announcement, prior interviews with coaches published by Golf.com, AJGA rankings data, and publicly available NCAA and Florida State golf records.
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