Royce Renee Woods: Multi-Sport Athlete, WNBA Coach & Tiger Woods’ Half-Sister

Royce Renee Woods has built a successful career in sports, showing that achievement comes in many forms. While her half-brother Tiger Woods became a golf legend, Royce built her own career as a multi-sport athlete and coach, proving you don’t have to stick to one sport to succeed.

Despite coming from a family associated with golf dominance, Royce Renee Woods took a different path in sports, excelling in both golf and basketball. While the world closely followed Tiger Woods’s rise to stardom, Royce focused on honing her skills and making an impact in her respective fields.

Early Life and Family Background

Royce Renee Woods was born on October 18, 1961, in Abilene, Kansas, to parents Earl Woods and Barbara Gary. Her father, Earl, was a U.S. Army veteran who served two tours in Vietnam and was also a talented baseball player. Barbara Gary, her mother, collaborated with Earl on two published books before their marriage ended in divorce in 1968 in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico.

She grew up with two brothers, Earl Woods Jr. (born in 1955) and Kevin Dale Woods (born in 1957). The Woods household was shaped by military discipline and athletic competition. Her father instilled values of hard work, family loyalty, and resilience in all his children.

In 1969, Earl married Kultida Punsawad, and in 1975, Royce gained a half-brother when Tiger Woods was born. At 14 years older than Tiger, Royce took on a supportive older sister role that would prove influential during Tiger’s early development. The family eventually settled in California, where the younger generation of Woods children would pursue their athletic dreams.

Growing up, she was surrounded by athletic talent. Her father was determined to impart his passion for sports to his children. He coached Tiger, Royce, and their siblings from a young age. While Earl coached Tiger to golf stardom, Royce honed her skills in basketball and golf, laying the groundwork for a career that would defy comparisons.

Earl Woods famously believed in developing “mental toughness,” a principle that Royce Renee Woods embraced from her earliest years. Training sessions with her father were not just about technique but about building focus and composure under pressure. These values became cornerstones of Royce’s approach to athletics and coaching later in life.

Her Golf Career

While Tiger Woods dominated professional golf, his older sister Royce Renee made waves in women’s amateur golf circles. She competed in numerous international amateur tournaments for over two decades, establishing herself as an accomplished golfer in her own right.

Her golf career highlights include:

• Multiple top 10 finishes in the U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship
• Reaching the quarterfinals of the 1994 U.S. Women’s Amateur
• Winning the American Golf Association Senior Women’s Amateur Championship in 2018 at age 57

For over two decades, Royce dominated amateur golf circuits, earning top finishes in prestigious tournaments. While never quite reaching the pinnacle of professional golf, her career helped her emerge from the shadow of her superstar brother. She spent over 20 years competing in top amateur golf events around the world, proving that the Woods family athletic genes extend far beyond just one person.

She worked diligently to establish her identity beyond being “Tiger Woods’ sister.” Her dedication to golf and her competitive spirit demonstrated that athletic excellence runs deep in the Woods family, expressing itself through different paths.

Basketball Career and WNBA Coaching

Golf isn’t Royce Renee Woods’ only athletic passion. She added diversity to her sports resume by becoming a Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) coach. She played basketball at the collegiate level for the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, showcasing her multi-sport talents. After her playing days, she transitioned into coaching.

Her basketball coaching highlights include:

• Assistant coach for the WNBA’s Detroit Shock from 1998 to 2001
• Served on the coaching staff of Detroit’s 2000 WNBA Championship team
• Head coach of the Minnesota Lynx in 2002
• Assistant coach for multiple WNBA teams from 2003-2010

As a WNBA coach, Royce broke new ground as one of the few female coaches in a league often dominated by male coaches during its early years. She was also one of the few African-American women to coach in the WNBA, making her a pioneer for female representation and diversity in professional sports leadership. She used her playing experience to mentor a new generation of women basketball players, focusing on both technical skills and mental development.

Her coaching career spanned over a decade and helped pave the way for more women to take on leadership roles in professional basketball. Her work emphasized player development, team dynamics, and building confidence in female athletes.

Relationship with Tiger Woods

During Tiger Woods’s time at Stanford University in the mid-1990s, Royce Renee Woods lived in California, and he would often visit her. She provided him with a home base and emotional encouragement during his college years, allowing him to focus on golf. Her insights as a fellow elite athlete were invaluable to Tiger as he navigated the pressures of his budding career.

After he became a professional golfer and gained wealth, he purchased a home for her in San Jose, California, as a gesture of gratitude for her support. Their shared love for golf and commitment to excellence reflect the values their father instilled in them.

However, in more recent years, there have been reports that the Woods siblings, including Royce, became less involved in each other’s lives, especially after Earl Woods Sr. died in 2006. Despite any personal ups and downs, Royce has consistently expressed pride in her brother’s phenomenal achievements.

Personal Life and Family

Royce Renee Woods married Mack Mims in 1983, a long-lasting partnership built on stability and shared values. Together, they have a son, Marcus Mims, who followed in the family’s athletic footsteps. Marcus became a collegiate golfer at Santa Clara University and later competed professionally on mini-tours, continuing the Woods family tradition of sports excellence.

Just like Royce once supported her younger brother Tiger in his early years, she has been a guiding figure for her son’s journey in golf—passing on not only skills but also values of discipline and persistence. Despite her achievements in golf and basketball coaching, Royce has always preferred to keep a low public profile.

Those close to the family describe Royce Renee as compassionate and strong, someone who values relationships over fame. Her decision to remain mostly private has allowed her to maintain a sense of normalcy that is often difficult for those connected to celebrities.

Royce is also the aunt of Cheyenne Woods, a professional golfer on the LPGA Tour and the daughter of Earl Woods Jr. The Woods family’s athletic legacy extends across multiple generations and sports.

Net Worth and Financial Success

Royce has earned a $4 million net worth through her long sports career, showing that success isn’t just about fame or titles. Her financial achievement comes from multiple sources:

• Career earnings from 20+ years as an amateur golfer
• Salary from coaching positions in the WNBA from 1998 to 2010
• Endorsements and sponsorships with sports brands
• Sports management consulting work
• Public speaking engagements

Unlike her brother Tiger, whose career earnings top $1 billion, Royce Renee Woods built her fortune through coaching salaries, endorsements, and investments over many years. Her success proves there are multiple paths to financial achievement in sports.

Today, Royce Renee continues to stay involved in sports, though she maintains a relatively low profile. She resides in San Jose, California, where she enjoys a quieter life away from the public eye.

Advocacy and Mentorship Work

Royce has not only built her legacy in sports but has also become an inspiration for young athletes. She participates in mentorship programs, offering guidance to aspiring golfers and basketball players. Her knowledge of the sports industry and personal experiences make her a valuable mentor for those looking to make a mark in athletics.

She continues to advocate for women in sports, promoting opportunities and encouraging young female athletes to chase their dreams. Her advocacy work focuses on gender equality, equal pay, increased media coverage for women’s sports, and more women in sports leadership positions.

Beyond her athletic and coaching careers, Royce Renee Woods has explored opportunities in sports management and player development. She has worked as a consultant for various sports organizations, providing valuable insights based on her extensive experience in both golf and basketball.

Additionally, she has participated in public speaking engagements, discussing her journey and the challenges faced by women in the sports industry. Her speeches focus on leadership, overcoming adversity, and breaking barriers in male-dominated fields.

Conclusion

Royce Renee Woods has established herself as a strong and versatile athlete, excelling in both golf and basketball. She has not only demonstrated her skills on the field but has also broken barriers as a WNBA coach, proving that hard work and perseverance pave the way for success.

Her influence extends beyond her accomplishments, as she continues to mentor young athletes, advocate for women in sports, and contribute to sports management and development. While her half-brother, Tiger Woods, has dominated the golf world, Royce has carved out her unique legacy in the sports industry.

Her journey serves as an inspiration to anyone who has ever felt overshadowed by a more famous family member or struggled to establish their own identity. Royce proves that with hard work, perseverance, and a willingness to forge your own path, it’s possible to step out of even the largest shadows and shine brightly on your own terms.

The Woods family story is not just about one prodigy, but about a family that has collectively made significant contributions to the world of sports. Earl Woods’ vision and coaching laid the foundation for both Tiger and Royce’s success. Through Royce’s achievements in golf and basketball, we see the Woods family’s talent expressed in diverse and inspiring ways.

Royce Renee Woods didn’t chase fame—she built her legacy through sports and mentoring. From amateur golf courses to WNBA sidelines, she’s paved the way for women in sports while staying true to her vision of success.