Tiger Woods' niece wants to be 'recognised golfer in own right'

World No.1 Tiger Woods' niece has said that she is determined to be recognised as a golfer in her own right, adding that the 'big' surname is more a hindrance than a help for her.

According to the Guardian, Cheyenne Woods, who has been in the public eye since she was a child playing junior tournaments, has embarked on her debut season on the European Tour, having turned professional only last year.

Hoping to secure an automatic place at next week's British Open through the Ladies European Masters at Denham this weekend, the Arizona-born player insisted that she wants to be an established player on the Ladies PGA tour rather than just be known as Tiger Woods niece, although she admitted that the term came with the territory.

Stating that the media is 'second nature' for her, the No.23 ranked Woods, who has won 30 tournaments as an amateur and a first professional win last year, also said that she is just another normal person even though her uncle is a famous celebrity, with the report adding that Tiger Woods' father, Earl Woods Sr is credited with starting her career.

Although Woods' golfing prowess will always be compared with that of her champion uncle, however, she said that she has learned to resist the comparisons, adding that not many people can achieve what Tiger Woods has achieved, at his age.

According to Woods, there is no rush for her to go and win 14 Majors like her uncle, adding that she is happy with her pace, growth and her game and is also excited to see what the future will bring for her.

As gender and golf continued to be a topical issue after criticism when the Open was hosted by the men-only members club Muirfield last week, Woods felt that golf needs to be more accessible and more inclusive given that an African American woman has never won on the LPGA.

Hoping that the women's sport will grow and increase in standing, Woods called for more exposure to remove discrepancies between the men's and women's game, adding that people will embrace the women's game once they get to know the players and see the skill level and the talent.