(June 8, 2012) Cheyenne Woods, niece of Tiger Woods, began her pro career with a 3-over-par 75 in the opening round June 7 of the Wegmans LPGA Championship in Pittsford, N.Y.
Woods, a graduate of Wake Forest, turned pro in mid-May. At the LPGA Championship, she got off to a solid start but struggled on the back nine. She admitted that she had to calm her nerves at the beginning of the round.
“I was really excited going into today. I’ve been waiting and waiting and waiting for this day,” Woods told reporters. “I was very nervous with my first tee shot but I was so glad to be out there.”
Woods has a unique advantage over most of her competitors—in her uncle, she has one of the all-time great golfers to go to for advice. But she admitted that she’ll receive extra scrutiny because of her last name, attention she said she’s prepared for.
“It’s never been hard being Tiger’s niece, and it’s never been hard to be my own person,” she told USA Today. “The media is something that I’ve dealt with since I was about 12 years old, having the last name of Woods. So that’s also something I’m thankful for, to help me get ready for this stage, too.”