Exclusive Preview by Agathe Seron at Evian Masters
Each year at the Evian Masters, one player creates the buzz.
A few years back, 13-year old Michele Wie, attracted huge crowds to the banks of Leman lake to see young golfing prodige.
This year, one of the last minute invitation went to Cheyenne Woods, Tiger’s niece whose birthday is today – Wednesday the 25th of July.
Cheyenne Woods. (Photo - KMSP/Olivier Gauthier)
Cheyenne is the daughter of Earl Dennison Woods JR, elder brother of Tiger.
Her first coach was her grand father Earl Woods.
She elected to turn pro few weeks ago after graduating from Wake Forest University.
She made her debut on LPGA courtesy of a sponsor invitation at the Wegmans LPGA Championship, one of the four majors.
Cheyenne was then successful in qualifying for the U.S. Open.
Unfortunatly, she failed to make the cut in either event.
The 22-year-old beauty says she accepts her family name but declares she’s ready to make a name for herself, and starting at this week’s Evian Masters.
(Quotes : courtesy of Journal du Golf)
“Woods as family name is a kind of oppressing but I unsderstood quite quickly that I will have to carry it my whole life, so I’d better get used to it,” she said.
“As I started playing golf as a kind, it was obvious that comparison with Tiger would be make.”
“Nobody can make me do what I don’t want. It was my decision to play golf as pro. I have always followed Tiger’s wonderful carreer and all the wins he got.
“I wanted to live the same life. But I deceided on my own to go on with my communication studies until my graduation. I finally managed to deal with the pressure and to play the way I wanted. Now, I live my own life and that’s the most important.
“Tiger and I are very close. He has paid a lot of attention to what I am doing ever since I turned pro.
He is very excited as a real fan. He played an important role as I was making choices not so long ago. He gives me some advices about my game and push me to keep on fighting. He is the best adviser ever to me”.
