When professional golfer Cheyenne Woods stepped onto the competitive circuit, public fascination immediately followed her famous lineage. Being the half-niece of golf legend Tiger Woods places her under a high-profile microscope. Behind her athletic milestones, amateur championship records at Wake Forest University, and professional victories on the Ladies European Tour is the foundation built by her parents, Susan Woods and Earl Dennison Woods Jr. Understanding her upbringing requires looking closely at the family members who shaped her path long before she entered the international spotlight.
Her father, Earl Dennison Woods Jr., is the half-brother of Tiger Woods, sharing the patriarch Earl Woods Sr. as a father. Her mother, Susan Woods, raised Cheyenne alongside her father in Phoenix, Arizona, where Cheyenne was born in 1990. While the global media often focuses exclusively on her connection to Tiger Woods and her legendary grandfather, her immediate parents provided the day-to-day environment, emotional grounding, and athletic introduction that allowed her to forge her own distinct identity in competitive golf.
Early Life and Introduction to Golf
Cheyenne began playing golf at the age of five, guided heavily by her grandfather, Earl Woods Sr., who served as her very first coach and inspiration. Although her father and grandfather brought a deep understanding of the sport's technical demands into her life, her mother Susan provided stable support away from the course, ensuring she balanced her intensive athletic training with academics and normal childhood experiences.
Growing up in Phoenix, Cheyenne attended Xavier College Preparatory, where she dominated the high school circuit. She secured back-to-back Arizona 5A State Championships in 2006 and 2007, establishing herself as one of the country's top junior prospects. Her parents managed her travel to national junior tournaments, including events run by the American Junior Golf Association (AJGA), where she built an amateur resume boasting more than 30 victories.
College Success and Turning Professional
After finishing her stellar high school career, Cheyenne chose to attend Wake Forest University on a golf scholarship. During her time with the Demon Deacons, she etched her name into school history by winning the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) individual championship in 2011 and setting multiple scoring average records. Her parents were regular fixtures in the gallery during her collegiate events, offering steady encouragement through the physical and mental demands of Division I athletics.
Graduating in 2012, she officially turned professional and immediately sought her footing on various developmental and international tours. Her breakthrough major professional win came in 2014 at the Volvik RACV Ladies Masters in Australia, a co-sanctioned Ladies European Tour event. Throughout the fluctuations of qualifying school battles and tour card races, her family remained a steady anchor.
Family Life and Current Status
Today, Cheyenne continues to stay active in the golf ecosystem as a broadcast analyst with outlets like NBC Sports and the Golf Channel, bringing elite strategic insights to viewers. In her personal life, she married professional baseball player Aaron Hicks in February 2022, and the couple welcomed their son later that year, settling down in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Her identity as an African American woman in professional golf has also positioned her as an important voice for diversity and accessibility in the sport. Reflecting on her journey, she has frequently credited her parents for instilling the resilience required to navigate the pressures of a famous last name while carving out an independent athletic legacy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are Cheyenne Woods' parents?
Cheyenne Woods is the daughter of Susan Woods and Earl Dennison Woods Jr. Her father is the half-brother of Tiger Woods.
Is Cheyenne Woods related to Tiger Woods?
Yes. Tiger Woods is her paternal uncle (specifically her half-uncle), making Tiger's father, Earl Woods Sr., her grandfather.
Where did Cheyenne Woods play college golf?
She played collegiate golf for the Wake Forest University Demon Deacons, where she won the 2011 ACC individual championship before graduating in 2012.
What are Cheyenne Woods' major career achievements?
Her career highlights include winning more than 30 amateur titles, capturing the 2014 Volvik RACV Ladies Masters on the Ladies European Tour, and establishing a career as a golf broadcaster.
