Hello friends and happy Tuesday from the U.S. Open! I write to you all from a nice and cool media center after a 22,000 step day at Pinehurst No. 2. I took the 6:30 a.m. shuttle from the media hotel to the course this morning, partly so I could walk the course before it got too hot, but mostly to watch Max Homa and Tiger Woods play the front nine nice and early. After grabbing a quick breakfast in the media center, I headed out to the first hole where I was happy to learn that Min Woo Lee had joined the 7:29 tee time.

Tiger, Max Homa and Min Woo Lee

I’m no teaching pro, so I’m not qualified to comment on how Tiger’s swing looks. But as someone who has 29 years of walking experience, I do feel like I’m allowed to weigh in on how the 15-time major champion seemed to be moving today, and folks, he looked great. He looked comfortable getting from shot to shot and I didn’t notice any real limping.

Tiger and Charlie Woods matched in their light pink Sun Day Red shirts, and I realized that Charlie Woods is a massive exception when it comes to the matching-your-parent rule of thumb. For most kids, it’s cool to coordinate looks with a parent until you’re about 10. After that, you might get funny looks rolling into Easter mass or a beach day with a “mom and me” or “dad and me” outfit. That rule simply does not apply when the guy you are matching has 82 PGA Tour wins. It’s a massive flex that Charlie Woods can dress like his dad each day, and I hope it continues for a really long time.

This crew only played nine holes today, and my biggest takeaway wasn’t a specific conversation I heard or swing I saw, but rather a new friendship that I’m very excited about.

Charlie Woods stayed by Tiger’s side for the fist few holes, but soon he was walking and talking with Min Woo Lee. Lee is the Gen Z hero that a lot of teenagers love, so I’m not sure why I was surprised when he and Charlie Woods started hitting it off. Maybe because Lee is so different from Tiger. He leans into his stardom and is extremely active on social media while Tiger’s always been private. Either way, Min Woo Lee is the cool guy on the scene this week — kids were screaming “let him cook!” as he walked by the practice area earlier, and Charlie was beaming when Lee handed him his putter to check out.