Cheyenne Woods: Three Things to Know

Tiger Woods's niece will play in the U.S. Women's Open

Photo: Michael Cohen/Getty

Move over, Tiger Woods.

There’s a new pro golfer emerging in the family – his 21-year-old niece, Cheyenne Woods.

The younger Woods qualified this week for the upcoming U.S. Women’s Open, which will be held in early July.

After four years of playing for Wake Forest University, Woods will make her professional golf debut next week at the Wegmans LPGA Championship as she gears up for the Open.

Here are three things to know about the phenom:

1. Her biggest golf influence isn’t who you would expect
According to her Wake Forest athlete profile, Woods says her mother has had the biggest impact on her game. Why? “Because she was my chauffeur every day for my golf lessons and taking me to tournaments during junior golf.” Her musical tastes are surprising, too – at least her early interests. “The first concert I ever attended was the Spice Girls when I was in about third grade,” she says. “And I actually dressed up as Scary Spice and, um, yeah.” Today, the self-described music lover says she has to listen to a great song before she tees off so it can be in her head for the whole round.

2. She set records at Wake Forest
Pairing academics and athletics as a communications major and All-American golfer at Wake Forest University, Woods graduated after setting a record for the lowest scoring average in school history. She also won the ACC Championship last spring.

3. She and Tiger had the same first coach
Tiger and Cheyenne were both introduced to golf by Earl Woods, Sr. – his father and her grandfather – who died in 2006. Cheyenne and Tiger are related because she is the daughter of Earl Woods, Jr., Tiger Woods’s half-brother.