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LAKE BUENA VISTA, Florida – Cheyenne Woods stood off the 18th green on Tuesday holding a towel and a club. If fans had been on property at the Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions, they’d have been doing a double take at the caddie in this late-afternoon group.
Woods, a longtime playing professional and niece of Tiger Woods, is working for boyfriend Aaron Hicks at Tranquilo Golf Club as he competes in the celebrity division.
Woods first met the Yankees center fielder while interviewing him last January for her podcast, “Birdies Not BS.” The pair began dating last spring.
“We just play a lot when we’re home,” said Woods, “and we take everybody’s money.”
Just last week Woods documented Hicks’ impressive ace at Silverleaf Club in Scottsdale, Arizona – on a 303-yard par 4, with 3-wood.
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The couple are both on roll, actually. It was Hicks who caddied for Woods in the final round on Jan. 17 when she dominated a Cactus Tour event, winning by 16 shots. She was the only player in the field who finished under par on the desert mini-tour, winning $2,000 for her 67-65-68 showing in Sun City.
“Just nice to win,” said Woods. “I hadn’t won since Australia a few years ago.”
The Wake Forest grad last won the 2014 Volvik RACV Ladies Masters on the Ladies European Tour and is currently working to regain her full status on the LPGA. She’ll be teeing it up in Monday qualifiers in 2021 and competing on the Symetra Tour.
Hicks, who grew up playing golf from ages 5 to 13 until switching to baseball, credits Woods for vastly improving his short game.
“Apparently I sliced the ball every time I putted,” he said.
Woods said her main role this week will be helping Hicks with course management and keeping him loose. It will be Hicks’ first time playing in a televised golf tournament, but he’s keeping it all in good perspective.
“This isn’t what I do for a living,” he said, “so I’m not going to take it personal if don’t play well.”
And anyway, it certainly won’t be the caddie’s fault.