When going by the name Woods in sports, Tiger Woods is the first thing that will come to mind. But there is one more Woods who made her own way in sports, Royce Renee Woods, an older half-sister of Tiger.
Although she might not have reached the worldwide fame of her legendary brother, her career as an athlete, coach, and trailblazer is worth being noted.
Childhood and Family History
In 1961, Royce Renee Woods was born in Abilene, Kansas to Earl Woods and Barbara Gary. She is 14 years senior to Tiger Woods and therefore a substantial figure in his early years of life.
On May 18, 1954, Earl Woods got married to Barbara Gary, and they had three children; Earl Dennison Jr. (1955), Kevin Dale (1957), and Royce Renee (1961).
In 1968 when Royce was only seven years old, the couple divorced. Later on, Earl married Kultida Punsawad in 1969 and they had a son Eldrick “Tiger” Woods in 1975.
Royce was brought up in a military family and thus he was brought up in a structured manner. Her father Earl was good at baseball and was an infantry officer in the U.S Army. This discipline atmosphere gave a shape to the sporting activities of all the Woods children.
Sports Career: More Than Just Sister of Tiger
Golf Accomplishments
Royce was a successful golfer on her own, having played international golf during a 20-year period. As Tiger had dominated professional golf, Royce was establishing her name in the amateur golf circles of women.
Her significant accomplishments are:
- Several top 10 finishes in the U.S. Women Mid-Amateur Championship
- Quarter finals in the 1994 U.S. Women Amateur
- Victory in the American Golf Association Senior Women Amateur in 2018
Royce is 57 years old, and according to the American Golf Association Senior Women Amateur Championship she won in 2018, she could prove her long life and her ability to play.
WNBA Coaching and Basketball Career
Golf was not the only thing that Royce loved. She was a basketball player at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff at the collegiate level. She led a life as a coach after the closure of her playing career.
Royce created history as a WNBA coach since she was among a few coaches who were women in a sport dominated by male coaches.
She worked as an assistant coach with Detroit Shock where she assisted them to the 2003 WNBA Championship. Her contribution to basketball coaching as a woman led to her being a pioneer of women in sport leadership.
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Association with Tiger Woods
Royce apparently hosted Tiger in her house in nearby Palo Alto during his college golf career at Stanford in the mid-1990s.
In her younger brother, especially in their early years, Royce played a large role of support and encouragement to Tiger to allow him to invest his time on golf.
Tiger was grateful and presented Royce with a house. She was purchased by Tiger in San Jose, California.
The Woods brothers have however indicated that their relationship with Tiger now is not good, with Woods allegedly getting hurt at how her famous half brother has neglected her in spite of the fact they had a good relationship before.
Kevin Woods, the M.S. A patient who has been on a wheelchair since 2009, has tried to contact Tiger to assist him, but his overtures are said to have been met with deafening silence by the latter.
Net Worth and Financial Success
As of 2022, Royce Renee Woods has acquired an estimated net worth of $4 million owing to her activities as an athlete and a coach.
This might not be much in comparison to her career earnings that exceed 1 billion dollars, but the success of Royce in her finances is a measure of her efforts and hard work in sport.
Her sources of income are:
- Her long-term career in professional sports golf and basketball
- Salary as a coach in WNBA
- Possible sponsorship and investments that she must have earned throughout her decades-long career
Personal Life and Privacy
Royce Renee Woods has preferred to lead a low profile life and does not have a verified Instagram account. Little confirmed public data exists regarding her career or personal success, however, it cannot be confused with unaccomplishment.
Royce is a symbol of people who would find meaning and fulfillment beyond the attention of the media and celebrities and her refusal to make a statement on the scandals of Tiger points to a high level of integrity and tact.
Legacy Beyond the Woods Name
Royce was a pioneer and one of the few African-American women to coach in the WNBA especially in its initial years, which led to more portals of women representation and diversity in the leadership of professional sports.
Earl Woods was insistent about playing sports to his children and he used to coach Tiger and Royce Renee along with their siblings at a very tender age.
Although the relationship between Earl and Tiger is well recorded in history, his impact on the athletic development of Royce was also very effective.
Earl Jr. also has a daughter Cheyenne Woods who is also a professional golfer and received some training by Earl Sr. meaning Royce is the aunt to another successful golfer in the family.
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Getting Out of Tiger in the Grass
Since childhood, Royce was determined to forge her own path out of the rising stardom of her younger half-brother, Tiger and was trying hard to prove herself as an independent personality rather than being mentioned as a sister of Tiger Woods.
It is one of the challenges that many siblings of famous people have to deal with: it is difficult to step out of the gigantic shadow cast by a world superstar to make their own story. In the case of Royce, the solution was in her personal sporting activities in various sports.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Royce Renee Woods?
Royce Renee Woods is an older half-sister of golf star Tiger Woods. She was born in 1961 and is a very successful athlete and a former WNBA coach who has achieved a successful career in both golf and basketball in a span of over twenty years.
Who is Royce Renee Woods, who is the relationship of Tiger Woods?
Royce and Tiger are two half-siblings who have one father, Earl Woods. Royce was the product of the first marriage of Earl to Barbara Gary and Tiger the product of the second marriage between Earl and Kultida Punsawad. Royce is 14 years younger than Tiger.
What were the sports Royce Renee Woods played?
Royce has spent more than 20 years of her life as an amateur golfer competing internationally and winning several championships such as the 2018 American Golf Association Senior Women Amateur Championship. She also played basketball at college and subsequently became a coach in WNBA in the Detroit Shock.
What is the net worth of Royce Renee Woods?
The net worth of Royce Renee Woods is approximated to be 4 million dollars; out of which she earned as an athlete and coach of basketball and golf.
Is Royce Renee Woods close to Tiger Woods?
Although Royce was accommodating when Tiger was young and he actually purchased her a home in San Jose, it has been alleged that they have a poor relationship in recent years and Tiger has hardly interacted with his half-siblings.
Were there any championships that Royce Renee Woods won?
Yes, Royce had a series of top 10s in the U.S. Women Mid-Amateur Championship, made a quarterfinal in the 1994 U.S Women Amateur, and won the American Golf Association Senior Women Amateur in 2018 at 57.
Does Royce Renee Woods use social media?
No, Royce Renee Woods lives a low profile life, she lacks proven social media accounts and prefers to keep to herself despite being a famous family member.
