Being the niece of one of golf’s most prolific players can hold a lot of pressure. However, 23 year-old Cheyenne Woods is proving her own abilities and creating her own history. Woods will become the 6th African American woman to compete in the LPGA tour-sanctioned women’s Australian Open. Woods recently won her first major professional tour victory against Mingee Lee last Sunday [February 14, 2016]. Woods was rewarded $51,000 in prize money and so much more.
In an interview with eurweb.com, Woods opened up about what comes with a famous last name. “Growing up with the last name of Woods, there’s a lot of expectations and pressure and spotlight on you but I always knew that I was able to win. I always knew I’d be able to compete with these ladies so now it’s kind of a weight off my shoulders because now everybody knows, not just me.” Woods closed the tournament with a 4-under 69 at Royal Pines to finish 16-under 276. The Phoenix-born star’s first golf coach was Earl Woods, Tiger Wood’s father.
Cheyenne turned professional in 2012. That year, she won the Suncoast minitour. In 2012 Woods also graduated from Wake Forest University, where she made history for having the first, fourth and sixth-best single-season scoring averages in school-history. While at Wake Forest University she also graduated with a degree in Communications. Now, Woods is showing the world what it means to make strides in golf on a global scale.
The Women’s Australian Open will take place today in Victoria. Last year, Sadena Parks of North Carolina became the fifth African American women to compete. The two athletes join the ranks of four other Black women to take part in the prestigious tournament. For more on Cheyenne you can follow her on Twitter here.
There have only been 6 African American women to ever play on the LPGA tour. We had 4 of the 6 together today. pic.twitter.com/SMi6qRCDqG
— Cheyenne Woods (@Cheyenne_Woods) June 15, 2015
