Charlie Woods had a difficult week at the Junior Invitational at Sage Valley, finishing at the bottom of the leaderboard while fellow American Miles Russell secured the title.

The 17-year-old ended the tournament at 26 over par after four rounds. Woods closed with an 8-over 80 on the final day, which included four double bogeys, two bogeys and two birdies. His total score of 314 left him 36th in the 36-player field.

While Woods struggled, Miles Russell delivered a strong performance to make tournament history. The top-ranked junior golfer posted rounds of 64, 70, 72 and 67 to finish 15 under par, winning the event by three shots. With the victory, Russell became the first player in tournament history to defend the title at Sage Valley.

Russell has been on the radar of many in the golf world for some time. In 2024, he made headlines after becoming the youngest player ever to make the cut in a Korn Ferry Tour event.

That performance also caught the attention of Phil Mickelson, who praised the teenager on social media at the time.

“Miles Russell, a 15 year old left handed golfer made the cut in this week’s Korn Ferry event. This is an amazing accomplishment. It’s great to see a young lefty playing such incredible golf,” Mickelson wrote on X.

The Junior Invitational at Sage Valley is widely regarded as one of the strongest tournaments in junior golf, featuring many of the top amateur players from around the world. Several past champions have gone on to have successful professional careers. Scottie Scheffler won the event in 2014, while Joaquín Niemann (2017), Austin Eckroat (2016) and Akshay Bhatia (2018) are also among the winners.

Charlie Woods signs with an agency as his junior career continues to grow

Away from the tournament, Charlie Woods has also made a move off the course. He has signed with Players Group Management, marking the first time he has joined a sports agency.

The move places Woods with a different agency than the one that has represented his father for years. Tiger Woods has long worked with Excel Sports Management, joining the agency in 2011 alongside his long-time agent Mark Steinberg after leaving IMG.

Charlie Woods will be represented by Allen Hobbs, who also manages top junior golfer Miles Russell. Russell, who won the Junior Invitational at Sage Valley this week, is already associated with several brands including TaylorMade, Nike and Liberty National Golf Club.

The agency represents several well-known golfers. Its clients include Sahith Theegala, Will Zalatoris, and Caleb Surratt of LIV Golf’s Legion XIII.

At the moment, Woods does not have any NIL endorsement deals. However, his profile in junior golf has been rising quickly. The Benjamin School student is currently 20th in the Rolex AJGA rankings, a significant jump from 604th just a year ago.

Charlie Woods has also confirmed his long-term plans in the sport. He has committed to Florida State University and is expected to begin his college golf career there as part of the 2027 class.