Charlie Woods Joins Elite Field for Prestigious DJ World Junior Golf Championship

A loaded field for the 10th annual Dustin Johnson World Junior Golf Championship has been revealed, featuring 31 top 50 juniors—19 boys and 11 girls. The 54-hole tournament will once again be among America’s best, but expect a rising young star is likely to attract much of the attention.

Charlie Woods, son of 15-time major champion Tiger Woods, has committed to play in the event Feb. 28 – March 2 at TPC Myrtle Beach. While Woods doesn’t have the resume of his contemporaries, the sophomore has a swing reminiscent of the one that made his father one of the game’s all-time greats, and he is ascending.

Woods will join John Daly Jr. and Tristan Gretzky as juniors with famous fathers who have played in the event. If the Jupiter, Fla., resident is to break through for what would be the biggest victory of his still young career, he will have to overcome a star-studded field.

Headlining the boys’ tournament will be Tyler Watts, America’s No. 6 junior, who finished third at the DJ World Junior in 2024, one shot behind winner Ethan Paschal. Junior Asher Vargas, the nation’s eighth-ranked junior and a North Carolina commit, will be one of the pre-tournament favorites as will No. 11 Mason Howell, a junior who has verbally committed to play at the University of Georgia.

On the girls’ side, third-ranked Elizabeth Rudisill, a senior who has signed to play at Vanderbilt, will lead a high-powered field that also includes No. 11 Jude Lee and No. 13 Madison Messimer, a Tennessee signee. Messimer, who finished 12th last year, will attempt to become the first Myrtle Beach resident to win the tournament.

Lee, who has signed to play at Stanford, finished 10th in 2024.

Although the tournament is just nine years old, three past champions at the DJ World Junior have already won at the game’s highest levels. Akshay Bhatia and Nick Dunlap have won on the PGA TOUR while Alexa Pano triumphed on the LPGA Tour.

With Johnson’s support, the tournament provides players one of the premier experiences in junior golf, and the opportunity to test themselves against outstanding competition.

A significant part of the event’s appeal is TPC Myrtle Beach, one of the Grand Strand’s most decorated layouts. TPC Myrtle Beach has hosted the Senior PGA Tour Championship and been ranked among “America’s 100 Greatest Public Courses” by Golf Digest, making it an ideal venue to test golf’s rising young stars.

Johnson’s involvement with the tournament reflects his long-time commitment to junior golf, particularly in South Carolina, where he grew into one of the world’s best players. Through the Dustin Johnson Foundation, which is headquartered in Myrtle Beach, Johnson has donated more than $500,000 to junior golf, sponsoring numerous events throughout the state and helping cover entry costs for kids who need financial assistance.