Cheyenne Woods wins Australian Ladies Masters

Cheyenne Woods (Matt Roberts/ Getty Images)

GOLD COAST, Australia – Cheyenne Woods won the Australian Ladies Masters on Sunday for her first major professional tour victory, holding off 17-year-old Australian amateur Minjee Lee by two strokes.

The 23-year-old Woods, Tiger Woods’ niece, closed with a 4-under 69 at Royal Pines to finish at 16-under 276. Lee also shot 69 in the event sanctioned by the European and Australian tours.

Woods birdied the par-5 15th to open a two-stroke lead, hitting a wedge from about 120 yards to 4 feet. On the par-5 18th, she matched Lee with a birdie, holing out from 1 1/2 feet.

From Phoenix, Woods is the daughter of Earl Dennison Woods Jr., Tiger Woods’ half brother.

Woods turned professional in 2012 after an All-America career at Wake Forest and her only previous pro victory came in 2012 in a SunCoast mini-tour event. In December, she missed the cut in the LPGA Tour’s qualifying tournament in a failed bid to earn a spot on the circuit.

Woods will play next week in the LPGA Tour-sanctioned Women’s Australian Open in Victoria.

South Africa’s Stacy Lee Bregman and Sweden’s Camilla Lennarth tied for third at 12 under. Bergman closed with a 72, and Lenmarth had a 70.

Canada’s Lorie Kane finished 50th after putting together rounds of 69-75-74-75 to finish 1-over.