2022 PNC Championship scores: Tiger, Charlie Woods stall in final round as Team Singh gets long-awaited win

Team Singh became the first duo in PNC Championship history to card two sub-60 rounds

Finally. In their 16th appearances together, Vijay Singh and his son, Qass, have claimed victory at the 2022 PNC Championship. First playing together in this tournament in 2003, it has been a long time coming for Team Singh, which has finished runner up in this event three times prior, including two years ago when the duo fell one stroke short of Justin and Mike Thomas.

Team Thomas was the pair which Team Singh had to go through this year as well as they began the day two strokes off the lead of the 2020 champions. Playing in the penultimate group, the Singhs sent a message early and often to their playing competitors behind them. Carding seven consecutive birdies out of the gates, they hit a lull in the middle portion of their round when they were unable to make a par breaker of any sort for four straight holes.

In the end, it wouldn't matter. Two birdies and an eagle, courtesy of a laser approach shot from Qass, quickly put them into a share of the lead. With defending champions, Team Daly, in the clubhouse at 24 under, the Singhs were able to summon a pair of clutch shots down the stretch to not only pull ahead from the Dalys, but more importantly, away from the Thomases, who attempted to make a late push.

A birdie on the gettable par-4 16th gave them some much-needed breathing room, and a hairy two-putt birdie on the par-5 18th was more than enough to secure their first title together. Signing for rounds of 59-59, Team Singh finished the tournament at 26 under -- two strokes ahead of Team Daly and Team Thomas -- and became the first duo in PNC Championship history to card two sub-60 rounds in the same tournament.

"Every year we came here, since the very first time, I wanted to win this. We wanted to win this together," said Vijay. "It got harder and harder because each time we came out either first loser or second loser, we never won. We talk about it a lot, 'Next year, we are going to come back and win it' and finally doing it means a lot. This is one of the highlights of my career and doing it with him [Qass] and seeing him hit so many great shots when we needed to, it's a great feeling and I'll keep this forever."

Tiger, Charlie Woods bond despite stalling

Like most golf tournaments for most golfers, this week's PNC Championship was not the outcome Tiger and Charlie Woods were hoping for. Following a 13-under 59 on Saturday in the first of two rounds, Team Woods stalled to a 7-under 65 in the final round and finished six back of Vijay and Qass Singh, who won the event at 26 under.

Both Tiger and Charlie limped their way around the event, the former for obvious reasons and the latter for less obvious ones. The Woods family didn't have much of a chance without a completely healthy Charlie (who carried the day this time a year ago), but it was still a delight to watch the best to ever do it tee it up for a couple of days at this event. And that goes not just for those of us watching at home.

"I feel like I already knew what he was capable of and then yesterday, that's the best he's ever played in a while, and that kind of shocked me a little bit," said Charlie of his dad's performance. "That's really it."

"I used to be good," laughed Tiger. "Again, it was neat to be able to roll back the clock for him to see what I used to be capable of. ... Anyone that knows what I used to be able to do was Bones. Bones got a big kick out of that yesterday."

What is more enjoyable? Watching a father enjoy the ability and desire of his son, or watching a son admire (and remember) the unique and historic achievement of his father? They are both delightful elements perhaps unique only to golf, a sport in which an 11-year-old and an 87-year-old can compete in the same event -- as they did this week at the PNC.

This event is bound to itself. Nothing about this week discloses how Tiger is going to play at the Masters in April. Nothing about this week lets us know what kind of 2023 amateur year Charlie is going to have. That's a good thing. Not every moment, not every round needs to be a link to something else. Some events need to just ... exist.

The takeaway here is perhaps not as obvious as it was a year ago when Charlie put together a "wow, he's actually really good" performance that nearly ended in Team Woods winning this event. This year, there was none of that. It was merely a fun two days of a very famous dad and his consequentially famous son enjoying 36 holes of competitive (or semi-competitive) golf.

"The bonding, by far," said Tiger when he was asked about what stands out about the week. "Just to be able to be out there and share this with Charlie and for [caddie] Joey {LaCava], to share it with his son, as well. Joey has been out here for what, 35, 40 years, and to be able to show his son what it feels like to be inside the ropes, he was -- you know, he was fantastic with Charlie the three years that we've been able to play last year and for us, sharing it with our own family. It just means so much to all of us."

Golf is important for a million reasons, but Tiger highlighted the preeminent one of all. Coincidentally, it's the one that Tiger has likely experienced less than almost anyone over the course of his very strange life.

Golf, as a connectivity point, is undefeated. Tiger has rarely partaken in that because he has almost never had anyone in his orbit who was considered an equal. The power dynamic between Tiger and, well, everyone else was never equivalent. Charlie -- in the way that only someone who shares a surname with a very famous person can accomplish -- levels the playing field. And now the dad gets to drink in what it may seem to the rest of us like only the son would: A relational experience that transcends the vehicle for its existence.

Something that means so much to all of us. What Tiger didn't add but is almost certainly true is that it means more to him than anyone else in that circle because what the PNC provides is the very thing that his career has deprived him of so often over the last 25 years: True, genuine relationship that extends beyond the scorecard and the end of a tournament. That, in so many ways, is the beauty of this event and nowhere is it more true than with Team Woods.

[Dec 18, 2022 at 3:51 pm ET · Kyle Porter]

Closing kick at PNC

Here's how we stand after 17 holes.

Team Singh: -25
Team Daly: -24
Team Thomas: -23

Both the Singhs and the Thomases are on the final hole, and Team Thomas needs a three to make it interesting. The problem? Team Singh also has a look for three and almost certainly won't make worse than four.

[Dec 18, 2022 at 3:50 pm ET · Patrick McDonald]

Team Singh on the cusp of victory

On the dance floor in two on the par-5 18th, Team Singh (-25) will have an outside look for eagle to get to 27 under. That would be more than enough as a birdie should be all they need to grab the title. Team Thomas (-23) finally broke through for a birdie on the 17th and will need an eagle and some help to force a playoff.

[Dec 18, 2022 at 3:19 pm ET · Kyle Porter]

Team Woods in neutral

Tiger and Charlie just haven't gotten it going today, as symbolized by a missed birdie opportunity on the 15th. They're out of the running to win because of a stalled out Sunday, but it's still been a delight to watch them this weekend.

[Dec 18, 2022 at 3:18 pm ET · Patrick McDonald]

Team Singh in the driver seat

With only one birdie in their last six holes, Team Thomas remains at 22 under and has fallen off the pace of the leaders. Defending champions, Team Daly, is in the clubhouse at 24 under which is good for a tie with Team Singh who are on the 16th hole and with a tap-in birdie chance to reach 25 under.