Carrying the weight of the Woods surname is not easy, especially when you are out there in the green. And who can know it better than Charlie Woods? The kind of pressure Charlie has to shoulder as a mere 16-year-old is unprecedented. Take the US Junior Amateur Open 2024, for instance. Charlie struggled, finishing the opening round 12 over-par with a round of 82 at the Oakland Hills Country Club course. That, too, in the presence of his legendary father. Some of the teen’s fellow golfers believed that the presence did no good to Charlie.

Charlie’s playing partner, Davis Ovard, had said: “The amount of pressure he has on him is unbelievable. I can’t imagine being in his shoes.” Indeed. Just think what Charlie was up against at that Junior Amateur Open. It is the tournament that Tiger had won three times in a row in the mid-1990s when he was exactly Charlie’s age! No wonder flocks of enthusiasts might have gathered to find out where exactly the junior Woods stood in comparison to the golfing legend. Charlie’s second playing partner, Chase Kyes, was on point when he talked about the pressure of having Tiger Woods around.

“I looked over at him [Tiger Woods] a couple of times, but I really tried not to. There’s a lot of pressure with his name,” Kyes had said. Tiger himself is not unaware of this. And in the past, he has publicly come out to address that. “He’s in 8th grade, but still, he’s a kid. Let him go out there and be a kid, enjoy it. You don’t nitpick kids. And don’t compare him to me, because he’s not me, he’s Charlie, OK?” Tiger had said back in 2022. But who is listening? The more Charlie comes out to play, the more the comparisons get going. But Charlie is not alone in this, he has by his side tiger’s niece, who also had to move with the same load on her shoulders.

“It was difficult,” Cheyenne Woods revealed candidly during an appearance on the “Welcome to the Par-Tee with Tisha Alyn” podcast. “Even to this day, I am still referred to as his niece, which is totally fine because I get it.” The constant shadow of her uncle’s greatness followed Cheyenne Woods throughout her career. Despite earning her own accomplishments—including two professional victories on the Ladies European Tour and LPGA Tour—the comparisons never faded.

“When you are young and trying to not only prove yourself to the world but prove yourself to yourself, it can be difficult when you’re constantly reminded of the other person rather than yourself,” she explained. Cheyenne Woods was referring to her early professional career when media interviews often focused more on her famous uncle than her own tournaments. Even after winning the 2014 Volvik RACV Ladies Masters in Australia, headlines frequently mentioned her relationship with Tiger Woods before acknowledging her victory.

This mental struggle often overshadowed her own achievements. Following college, she didn’t immediately qualify for the LPGA Tour; instead, she went through the Symetra Tour and Ladies European Tour before finally earning her LPGA card in 2016. Throughout this journey, the Woods surname brought both opportunities and burdens.

Cheyenne Woods found strength through self-affirmation. “I really had to learn how to have that self-love, that self-worth of ‘I worked to get here, I deserve to be here despite what my name is.'” Her resilience carried her through a decade-long professional career.

After stepping away from professional competition in 2022 following the birth of her son Cameron, she embraced new roles in golf media while continuing to earn recognition for her contributions to the sport. “I think it made me a stronger person and a stronger player,” Cheyenne reflected. “I had to just embrace it because it’s not something that was ever going to leave.”

Cheyenne was recently inducted to Wake Forest University’s Sports Hall of Fame for her outstanding collegiate achievements from 2008 to 2012, during which time she set the school record for scoring average. This recognition celebrates her exceptional collegiate career that included two All-American selections and three All-ACC Championship victories. During her time at Wake Forest, Woods claimed 30 amateur titles while establishing herself as one of the program’s most decorated athletes. 

Cheyenne’s hard-earned wisdom now seems particularly relevant as another Charlie Woods member faces remarkably similar challenges in the junior golf world. The parallels between their journeys highlight how the weight of expectations can transcend generations.

Charlie Woods faces similar expectations

Charlie’s recent tournament results highlight his ongoing development. At the 2025 Junior Invitational at Sage Valley, he finished tied for 25th out of 36 golfers. Earlier at the Dustin Johnson World Junior Championship, he struggled with rounds of 82 and 77, finishing tied for 52nd.

These performances contrast with those of top juniors like Miles Russell, who dominated at Sage Valley with a 9-under-par victory. Charlie’s comparison to his more successful peers echoes the challenges Cheyenne once faced.

Despite these challenges, Charlie showed promise by jumping 235 spots in the AJGA rankings after Sage Valley, climbing to No. 603. Golf analysts believe he remains “absolutely on track to be a D1 recruit” as college approaches.

Cheyenne’s experience offers valuable insight for Charlie’s development. Her ability to build identity beyond comparison provides a roadmap for navigating the unique pressure of the Woods family name. As Charlie develops his game, the mental strength Cheyenne cultivated may prove just as valuable as any technical guidance.

Will Charlie follow a similar path to Cheyenne in finding his own identity? The journey continues, but with family members who have walked this path before, he has guides who truly understand the unique challenge of creating individual success under the Woods family name.