Royal women are dominating the LPGA Tour. For the first time in its 66-year history, four black women are members of the tourney. They are: Cheyenne Woods, Mariah Stackhouse, Sadena Parks and Ginger Howard. All four women participated in the 45th Portland Classic this past weekend. Its the longest-running non-major tournament on the tour. If you’re not one to keep up on golf, don’t worry we have you covered below with a few brief profiles.
Stackhouse has been on the greens since she was two-years old. She won her first tournament at the age of six, playing against nine-year olds. As a teenager she made history in 2011, by becoming the youngest black woman to earn a spot at the U.S Open when she was 17. And more #blackgirlmagic, in 2014, when she became the first black woman to make the prestigious Curtis Cup team. And did we mention she’s fresh out college? Stackhouse is a graduate of Stanford University, where she was a four-year All American and helped her team win an NCAA title in 2015.
You can’t think of golf without thinking of the name Woods, Cheyenne Woods that is. The 25 year-old is the niece of fellow professional golfer, Tiger Woods. But don’t think she’s living under his shadow. Woods is building an outstanding career that can stand on its own. Like Stackhouse, Woods swung her first club at the age of 2. The Wake Forest graduate went pro in 2012. That same year, she competed in her first LPGA tournament. Two years later in 2014, she came back with another victory at the Volvik RACV Ladies Masters. Woods is the sixth African-American woman to be a member of the tour.
Parks was introduced to golf at the age of 9 by her father. She became the fifth African-American to receive a LPGA tour card by winning the Symetra Tour twice in 2014, making her the first African-American woman to do so. The following year, she graced the cover of ESPN’s Body Issue magazine. While attending Washington State, Parks posted 17 top 25 finishes and three top 10 results and won the SEFCU championship at Capital Hills and the New England Charity Classic within three weeks. She’s also an former contestant of the reality TV show, Big Break Florida. Did we miss anything? Oh yes, Parks and Woods are besties.
At 17, Howard became the youngest African-American woman to go pro. She’s also the first African-American to earn a spot in the U.S. Junior Ryder Cup. Since going professional, the 22 year-old has won over 72 first-place spots in tournaments. Howard received the tour card through qualifying school. We’re hoping she can add to her track record in the tour!
There hasn’t been that much black girl magic in golf since 1964 when Althea Gibson become the first black woman to play on the LPGA Tour. No black woman has won the LPGA tour. Gibson came close in 1970 when she tied for second in the playoff. Let’s hope one of these Royal Woman can change that! We’re proud of them all and wish them the best of luck in the tour!
