Cheyenne Knight learned to play golf in The Woodlands, Texas.
Now she could win a major there, too.
Knight fired a 3-under 69 Friday at The Club at Carlton Woods’ Nicklaus Course to move into contention at the Chevron Championship, the LPGA’s first major of the year. The 26-year-old Alabama alum, at 4 under overall, was three shots back of leader Lilia Vu halfway through the second round, which was delayed a few hours because of inclement weather.
“Just being in the mix and having a chance the next two days is my goal,” Knight said. “… I’ve never really contended in a major before, and that’s what I’ve been working toward.”
Her sizable gallery would love that.
Knight was born and raised in The Woodlands, just north of Houston. She took her first golf lessons from Donnie Massengale, Carlton Woods’ current director of instruction, when she was 9 years old at nearby Augusta Pines Golf Club. She attended The Woodlands High her freshman year, too, before moving to Aledo, just outside of Fort Worth, for her remaining three years of high school.
Because of her connection with the city, Knight requested more than 25 tickets for this week’s major. More than 15 family members and friends followed Friday’s soggy round, where Knight took advantage of soft conditions by birdieing three of her first seven holes before finishing with 11 consecutive pars.
“My type of game, I kind of have to bounce it in,” Knight explained. “I don’t spin the ball that well, so I got to be a little bit more aggressive.”
This is Knight’s 17th career major start. She doesn’t own a top-10 finish in a major yet, but last year she made the cut in all five, including at the U.S. Women’s Open, where she finished a career-best T-15.
Full-field scores from The Chevron Championship
Knight doesn’t feel any added pressure at what she considers to now be her hometown event.
“They’re going to love and support me no matter what,” Knight said. “I think it’s just being comfortable, just seeing familiar faces and trying to give them some water on the golf course so they don’t pass out. No, it’s just good to see people. I don’t get to see them a lot. … It’s really special that their free time they come out and watch me.”
The support from fans whom she doesn’t know has been encouraging, too.
“I grew up in the Woodlands and learned how to play golf here, so just playing out here and seeing girls that were my age growing up is really cool,” Knight said. “Just full circle.”
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