The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

LAST month, Tiger Woods was in town to host his first Hero World Challenge at the Albany Golf Club. This weekend, his niece Cheyenne Woods is making her debut on a list of 120 of the world’s best competing in the fourth annual Pure Silk Bahamas LPGA Golf Classic at the Ocean Club Golf Course on Paradise Island.

The tournament, which carries a total purse of $1.4 million with $210,000 going to the winner, is on par to tee off Thursday morning.

At a practice session yesterday, Woods said it’s good to be back in the Bahamas, the first time on vacation, and she’s hoping that she can make an impression on the field and the spectators who come out to watch the four days of competition, which will be carried live on ESPN on Saturday and Sunday.

“I enjoy it so far. It’s been good weather and everybody’s been so warming. The course is beautiful and coming from Arizona where it’s been freezing, it’s nice to come here and get in some sunshine,” Woods said.

It’s just her second year on the tour. And the two-time All-American and three-time All-ACC honouree at Wake Forest said she has been learning a lot and enjoying her experience.

“This year, I’m looking forward to getting back out there and playing on some familiar courses and improving on my game every week,” said Woods, who finished tied at No.13 in the 2015 LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament to earn Priority List Category 12 status for the 2016 season.

Although this is her maiden voyage playing in the classic in the Bahamas, Woods said she is anticipating an exciting week. “I know the conditions will play a role in how the scores will go, but I’m just here to have some fun,” said Woods, who had a best finish of a tie for 24 at the JTBC Founders Cup as a rookie on the LPGA last year. “I’m looking forward to playing here. The course is looking good so I know I will do well.”

And as the niece of golf legend Tiger Woods, the 25-year-old said there’s no pressure on her to perform like he has.

“I feel like now that I’ve been playing professionally for a few years, it’s just normal now. The girls don’t treat me any differently. I have my goals that I’m trying to set,” she said. “It’s not really a thought when I’m playing. I just go out there and do my own thing.”

Is there a possibility that Woods will be back in town to support her this weekend? If he intends to, Woods said her uncle hasn’t informed her.

“Maybe he will surprise us,” she chuckled.

Woods is now one of two African-Americans currently playing on the tour. The other is Sadena Parks, another 25-year-old who is now in her second year, coming off 20 starts, eight cuts made and posting her best finish at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championships last year.

Parks, the fifth African-American to play full-time on the LPGA Tour and the first African-American to win twice on the Symetra Tour and the first to earn her LPGA Tour card through the road to the LPGA, will also be participating in the Classic this weekend.

“I think it’s just nice to see a different face on the tour,” said Woods, a beauty to behold. “It’s something like little girls can look up to because I remember when I was growing up playing golf and watching golf, there weren’t that many faces that looked like me. So I was watching Tiger Woods on TV and I said I want to be like him and here I am.”

Woods encouraged the Bahamian public to come out and learn about the sport and eventually get to know some of the players who they can follow in the future.

Turning back the hand of time is Anna Nordqvist, who is participating in the Classic for the third year.

“I’m excited to be here again and to start off the year,” said Nordqvist, a native of Sweden who now resides in Orlando, Florida. “I’ve been working hard in the offseason, but I don’t know what to expect. I’ve been working hard and hopefully through the work that I put in, it will all pay off.”

Nordqvist, whose biggest career victory was at the 2009 McDonald’s LPGA Championships presented by Coca-Cola on the same year that she made her pro debut, said she’s looking forward to competing in the tournament because of the talented field of competitors.

“I wish I could tell you, but I really don’t know,” said Nordqvist on what to expect for the Classic. “I’ve had a great offseason. It’s tournament play, so you just have to go out there and put the ball in place and see what happens. Hopefully it will be a great tournament for me this year.”

Another player who is returning for the third year is Beatriz Recari, a native of Pamplona, Spain, who also resides in Orlando.

“It’s always great to start the season with this event,” said Recari, who has posted three career wins, inclusive of the 2010 CVS/Pharmacy LPGA Challenge, 2013 Kia Classic and the 2013 Marathon Classic. “It’s an event where you have to test your whole game because it gets pretty windy here. You have to really shift the ball and keep it in place.

“I think the course is in great shape and I’m really excited to be playing here again. It’s a regular event. We play each other just about every week. It’s just who shoots the lowest score and have a good time playing.”

Recari, whose rookie year was in 2010, said despite the inclement weather that was here in the past, she’s excited to see how well the golf course is in shape this year and she admitted that it should lend to the players all coming out and performing well in the big event.