



Tiger Woods’ son hit the shot of his life for his first hole-in-one. Bernhard Langer hit the shot that mattered Sunday, an 18-foot eagle putt in a playoff to beat Woods and son Charlie in a terrific duel at the PNC Championship in Orlando, Florida.
Langer and 24-year-old son Jason won for the second straight year, and the 67-year-old German now has won back-to-back at the PNC Championship with two sons as his partners.
They put on quite a show at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club Orlando, particularly when 15-year-old Charlie hit 7-iron on the par-3 fourth hole for his first ace, getting a huge hug from his father and a reminder that he would have to buy a round of drinks for everyone.
“I’m broke,” Charlie replied.
Even in defeat, Charlie said the hole-in-one, the great closing round, the playoff, everything, was the most fun he’s had on the golf course.
“It’s not even close,” he said.
His father concurred.
“That was the thrill of a lifetime to be able to have that moment with Charlie, make his first hole-in-one, (daughter) Sam on the bag, just our family and friends. That’s what this event is about. It’s about bonding and family,” Woods said.
“I know we didn’t win, but it was the fact that we competed,” he said. “No one really made a mistake out there. We had to earn it, and that’s what you want to have. Hats off to Langers. They played amazing.”
Team Langer and Team Woods each closed with a 15-under 57 in the scramble format, each team making only four pars, and they set the tournament record at 28-under 116.
In the playoff, Langer had the advantage on the par 5 because of his age. He played the third set of tees, 82 yards ahead of where Woods had to play and 52 yards ahead of where the two sons were hitting.
Charlie just reached the front of the green. His 25-foot eagle putt hit the edge of the hole but had too much pace. Woods missed low. Jason Langer hit his approach to 18 feet, and he left it to his ageless father to make the winner.
For Woods, it was his first time in a playoff since Zach Johnson beat him at Sherwood in the 2013 World Challenge.
On a chilly afternoon, every seat was filled in the grandstand behind the 18th green, with fans in jackets packed down the side of the fairway. It was entertaining, along with a rare chance to see Woods on the golf course. He was playing for the first time since September surgery on his lower back. His last competition was the British Open in July.
Charlie was gearing up for a big fist pump when his eagle putt in the playoff neared the hole. Langer threw both arms in the air when his winning putt dropped.
It capped another amazing year for Langer, a two-time Masters champion. He tore his Achilles tendon playing pickleball at the start of the year, recovered in four months and extended his streak on the 50-and-older PGA Tour Champions by winning for the 18th consecutive season.
And now he has six titles in the PNC Championship — four with Jason, two with Stefan, who was caddying for his little brother.
No one else was closer than five shots. Padraig Harrington and son Paddy were among those who tied for third, and they had a moment of their own when Paddy made a hole-in-one on the par-3 eighth hole.
“I was too excited. You couldn’t have talked to me,” Harrington said of watching his son make an ace. “I was gone. This is a great event, and all of it is great. And we try and play well, but that was sheer joy.”
The tournament is for winners of a major on any tour or The Players Championship and a family member. The purse is barely over $1 million. Everyone seems to leave happy.
English golfer John Parry overcame a five-stroke deficit in the final round to win the Mauritius Open and claim his second title on the European tour, 14 years after his first.
Parry made seven birdies and an eagle to shoot 8-under 64 early in the round and set the clubhouse target at 14-under 274.
BASEBALL
Third baseman Gio Urshela and the Athletics finalized a $2.15 million, one-year contract on Sunday.
Urshela can earn an additional $450,000 in performance bonuses for plate appearances: $100,000 each for 300, 350, 400 and 450, and $50,000 for 500.
Third base was a top priority as the club builds its roster to play at least the next three seasons in West Sacramento. The A’s hope to build a new ballpark and move to Las Vegas.
The 33-year-old Urshela batted .250 with nine home runs and 52 RBIs last season for Detroit and Atlanta, earning $1.5 million. A slick defensive player, he has also played for the New York Yankees, Cleveland, Toronto, Minnesota and the Los Angeles Angels during a nine-year major league career.
The Phillies acquired left-hander Jesús Luzardo from the Miami Marlins on Sunday, the team announced.
Miami received two prospects, outfielder Emaarion Boyd and infielder Starlyn Caba.
Philadelphia also acquired catcher Paul McIntosh in the trade.
Luzardo, who has battled various injuries throughout his career, recorded a 5.00 ERA over 12 starts for Miami in 2024 before a lumbar stress reaction ended his season. When the Marlins made the playoffs in 2023, Luzardo made 32 starts and went 10-10 with a 3.58 ERA. He had 208 strikeouts that year with a 30% strikeout rate.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Tamin Lipsey scored a season-high 20 points and No. 3 Iowa State extended its winning streak to seven games with a 99-72 win over visiting Morgan State on Sunday.
Lipsey scored 12 out of his points in the first half as the Cyclones (10-1) raced to a 50-34 lead.
Curtis Jones added 19 points off the bench after scoring just four points in Iowa State’s last game, an 83-51 win over Omaha.
Kameron Hobbs led the Bears (6-9) with 23 points, and Amahrie Simpkins scored 18 points.
NO. 6 ALABAMA 81, KENT ST. 54: The Crimson Tide shot 26% from 3-point range, 51% from the free throw line, committed 19 turnovers and still managed to beat the visiting Golden Flashes.
Mark Sears led Alabama with 16 points but also committed five turnovers; six of his 16 points came from the free throw line. The Crimson Tide (10-2) also got 13 points and three steals from Aden Holloway.
Kent State (8-3) was led by nine points each from VonCameron Davis, Marquis Barnett and Delrecco Gillespie.
WYOMING 73, CAL STATE FULLERTON 69: Kobe Newton’s 20 points helped the visiting Cowboys defeat the Titans.
Newton shot 6 of 9 from the field, including 5 for 8 from 3-point range, and went 3 for 3 from the line for Wyoming (7-5). Obi Agbim scored 16 points while shooting 6 for 13 (2 for 9 from 3-point range) and 2 of 3 from the free-throw line.
Fullerton (4-9) was led in scoring by Donovan Oday, who finished with 18 points. Kaleb Brown and Zach Visentin both had 11 points.
LONG BEACH STATE 83, LA SIERRA 57: Kam Martin had 18 points in the host Beach’s win over the NAIA-member Golden Eagles.
Martin also had three steals for the Beach (6-8). Christian Richardson scored 17 points while going 5 of 6 and 7 of 7 from the free-throw line. TJ Wainwright shot 5 for 10, including 2 for 6 from beyond the arc to finish with 12 points.
Noel Camejo finished with 14 points and four assists for the Golden Eagles.
In women’s action:
All-American point guard Hannah Hidalgo scored 33 points and graduate guard Olivia Miles posted the fifth triple-double of her career as No. 3 Notre Dame beat visiting Loyola Maryland 97-54.
Hidalgo’s 33 points is two short of her career high. She also had five steals to spark a 20-0 advantage for Notre Dame in fast-break points.
Miles scored 18 points, grabbed 11 rebounds and kicked out 10 assists. She is the only player in the nation averaging at least 17 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists a game.
Liatu King scored 18 points and had 10 rebounds for her seventh double-double of the season.
Laura Salmeron scored 23 points to lead Loyola Maryland.
SKIING
Lindsey Vonn’s second World Cup race back Sunday after nearly six years of retirement was canceled due to strong winds and poor visibility in St. Moritz, Switzerland.
On Saturday, the 40-year-old Vonn placed 14th in a super-G on the Corviglia course in St. Moritz to mark her return to the circuit.
Another super-G had been scheduled for Sunday.
Vonn now won’t race again until the next speed weekend in St. Anton, Austria on Jan. 11-12, which features a downhill and a super-G.
There was no immediate announcement if Sunday’s race would be made up later in the season.