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PURE SILK CHAMPIONSHIP PRESENTED BY VISIT WILLIAMSBURG

May 22, 2019

Cheyenne Woods

Williamsburg, Virginia

THE MODERATOR: All right, we are back inside the Pure Silk Championship presented by Visit Williamsburg media center here with one of the sponsor invites for this week, Cheyenne Woods. Cheyenne, how are you doing today?

CHEYENNE WOODS: I'm awesome. It's been a great week so far, and gearing up getting ready for tomorrow.

THE MODERATOR: This is your third LPGA Tour event this year. You were in Australia.

CHEYENNE WOODS: Yeah.

THE MODERATOR: But you've been busy kind of all over the world. What has been the main focus for you on the course?

CHEYENNE WOODS: You know, it's been a really weird year for me this year. This is my fifth year with LPGA status, but this is the least I've played. Like you said, this is only my third event this year on tour.

I was in Dubai playing the Moonlight Classic on the European Tour, which was an awesome experience. For me this year has really been getting my game to where I know it can be. Whenever the opportunity arises, I just want to be ready and play some really great golf.

THE MODERATOR: I know you were able to participate in the Pure Silk Championships Leadership and Empowerment Summit. At the same time LPGA has their DriveOn mantra. For you, you've said in the past that you want to inspire the next generation. What does DriveOn resonate with you and what would you claim to be your DriveOn story.

CHEYENNE WOODS: DriveOn to me means perseverance. Perseverance whether it's a situation or I guess -- yeah, the situation you're in. Overcoming obstacles no matter what you look like, who you were, where you're from. If this is something you love to do then it's for you. If it's in your heart and you have that fire in you, then you got to go and get it.

So for me, playing golf growing up it was, as most of us girls, never really a common sport for us to play. I just love that I was different. I stood out. Not many girls played golf and it was a thing I kind of stuck with and fell in love with. I love being a female athlete. I love showing up the boys, the men. I think it's something really cool that we can all get out and do.

THE MODERATOR: So when you heard of the LPGA kind of new brand campaign with DriveOn, what were some the things you thought of first? I know you say perseverance. What kind of stories maybe that you've heard from friends our fans resonated with you?

CHEYENNE WOODS: When I first saw the video it was exciting to see the girls and then some of the LPGA Tour players in the video. I think it just brings a commonality of all our stories of being the young girl on the range or in a tournament for the first time; like I said, growing up playing against the guys or the boys.

So I just think that it brings that commonality in realizing we are one really; accomplishing our goals and being strong women and working together and empowering each other.

THE MODERATOR: I know that moving back into play, this is your first domestic event for the LPGA Tour this year.

CHEYENNE WOODS: Yes.

THE MODERATOR: What's it like seeing some of the ladies you don't see across the world and that you haven't played with in a little bit?

CHEYENNE WOODS: It's been really nice. It's nice just to be on site and know that I have a spot in the tournament. I've been Monday qualifying and it is hard. Like it is hard, and it just makes you appreciate the opportunities you have.

So I am really excited to be here. It's great to see the girls and some friends and people that I haven't seen in a few months. I have a great group tomorrow with Emma Talley and Louise Ridderstom, so we're going to have a lot of fun.

I'm looking forward to it. The course is in great shape. I just can't wait to play.

THE MODERATOR: On top of that, you say you've been Monday qualifying. What do you say to yourself to kind of work on that grind and continue keeping on?

CHEYENNE WOODS: It's hard. I've done a few Monday qualifiers and I've come so close, but in those situations all you can do is your best. I go out there and I play the best that I can. You just have to mentally and physically grind it out. It's 18 holes and literally anything can happen.

So definitely is a test and a challenge, but for me, again, this is a really strange year in not having full status right now, so every day I just want to play my best golf and use it to be better for tomorrow.

THE MODERATOR: So we are here, the tournament is upon us. You've been to this place before; competed here before. What would you say is different about your game than maybe in the last couple of years?

CHEYENNE WOODS: I'm hitting the ball really well. I feel like my swing is in a really good place. I feel confident on the greens here. The greens are rolling really well and the speed is awesome.

For me, the difference obviously I feel really confident in my game and I just feel really comfortable being here. I've been really working on that, just being comfortable in this world and owning my game.

So that's something that I'm really excited to get out and play and see if it makes a difference in the results.

THE MODERATOR: You're from Phoenix.

CHEYENNE WOODS: Yes.

THE MODERATOR: Supposed to get very, very hot here in the next couple of days.

CHEYENNE WOODS: Yeah.

THE MODERATOR: Does the weather or anything get into your mind whatsoever? Add any extra pressure?

CHEYENNE WOODS: No, I feel like the hotter the better. I love playing in the heat. I love when the sun comes out and you start to sweat. Growing up in Phoenix, I mean, I was playing junior golf in 120 degrees. I love the heat and I feel like, like I said, the hotter the better. I feel like I'm used to it.

Just drink a lot of water and eating out on the golf course and just grind it out.

THE MODERATOR: For you, what are kind of your expectations for this week? What do you want to take away from this tournament?

CHEYENNE WOODS: I would say like I said earlier, just owning my game and going out every day playing my best golf. Not going to be looking at a lot of leaderboards. I just want to compete and see where my game stands and all the hard work that I've been putting in.

I know that I can pull it together and hopefully put up a good number.

THE MODERATOR: All right. We do have a question in the front.

Q. What specifically have you been working on with your game this year?
CHEYENNE WOODS: So I've been working on just relaxing on the greens, being more athletic, putting what I see versus -- as a golfer you try to be so perfect and have the perfect line and the perfect setup.

At the end of the day, I've been playing golf for 20 something years, and when you're out there you just have to play free and putt to what you see. Be athletic, like I said. That's what I've been working on, loosening up my game and feeling more natural.

Q. You also mentioned being more comfortable. How difficult is it to maintain that, especially when you're not out here necessarily every week?
CHEYENNE WOODS: For me, actually I feel the most comfortable this year, which is weird. But I think it's just relieving a little bit of pressure on myself. Coming in, this is any fifth year on the LPGA, but I did struggle in finding -- being comfortable out here on tour with obviously like the last name is tough.

But I own it, and so now I just have this sense of confidence and just owning myself and my game and just going out and doing what I do.

THE MODERATOR: You mentioned the last name. How inspiring was it to see Tiger's win at Masters a few weeks ago?

CHEYENNE WOODS: It was awesome. I missed it. I feel like I'm the only person in the world that missed it. I was doing the Monday qualifier in Hawaii. I was teeing off as he was on 18 tee.

It was tough. I had a lot of emotions in playing and knowing that he won, and then I watched it as soon as I finished and it was just like goosebumps and emotions and tears. We've all seen what he's gone through and his ability to bounce back and still be an elite player, so it's been really exciting to see.

I couldn't help but think of my grandpa and how proud he would've been. So for me, it was really inspirational, and I think for all of us it was just something that proves that you're never done.

THE MODERATOR: Have you gotten in any advice from him this year that's boosted your confidence after seeing what's he's been able to produce on the golf course?

CHEYENNE WOODS: I think mainly just from watching him and seeing firsthand and just through watching him compete on TV, the hard work that he puts in, the ability for him to fight through what everybody else says.

There is so many commentators and people who criticize especially him, so it's just very inspiring to see what he's been able to come through and persevere through and succeed through.

THE MODERATOR: In a way have you been able to learn the resiliency that he's been able to show as well?

CHEYENNE WOODS: Yeah, 100%. Even in years prior when he was playing on a broken leg he's shown us that he does what nobody thinks a person is capable of doing.

So it's just really cool to have that relationship with him and to watch it unfold on TV in front of the world knowing all the hard work he puts in behind the scenes.

THE MODERATOR: All right, I think that's it. Thank you for coming in and best of luck this week.

CHEYENNE WOODS: Thank you, I appreciate it.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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