A heartfelt update from inside golf’s most famous family has caught fans’ attention. Tiger Woods’ niece, Cheyenne Woods, hinted at a hard-fought breakthrough after months of quiet strength and hospital visits. With competition heating up at a star-studded LPGA event and a new podcast shining a light on life beyond the fairways, Cheyenne Woods has shared that her daughter Maya no longer has a G-Tube.

“Cheyenne is open about their story in hopes that it might help someone else. She told me a few days ago that Maya no longer has a G-tube, came out in December,” Beth Ann Nichols from Golfweek wrote in an X post.

Maya, now around 2 years old, faced severe challenges starting as an infant. This included the failure to thrive, which required an NG tube for feeding.

“I felt like everything was on me, and in those eight weeks you’re at home, you’re in your bubble every day, all day just focusing on trying to get her all the milk she could possibly get, and it just wasn’t working. So going to the hospital definitely felt like a failure, and also, it’s scary, because you don’t know how we’re going to fix this,” Woods told Golfweek.

She used to collect her milk in bottles for Maya, who required a change of it every couple of hours. Notably, both Cheyenne Woods and her husband, former Yankees outfielder Aaron Hicks, used to take turns changing her bottle. Things improved a little when Maya was 10 months old. This was the time when she transitioned to a G-tube. Unlike an NG-tube that goes through the nostrils, a G-tube goes directly through the belly.

During the transition, Maya endured frequent vomiting and completed intensive six-week feeding therapy at Phoenix Children’s Hospital, relearning to eat orally while using the tube mainly for hydration. By May 2025, at 18 months, she was walking, engaging in golf with siblings, and showing a feisty personality. Her grandmother, Susan, predicts she’d be a “little firecracker” who loves music, dancing, and books. Thankfully, even the G-tube is removed now.

Besides the failure to thrive, Maya also faced laryngomalacia, which causes breathing difficulties.

“It’s almost like you’re breathing through a straw,” she said, “so you’re not able to fully get air like a normal person would, and that’s why it sounded like a whistle,” Cheyenne Woods said.

Woods has faced the same lung problem herself. At 3 months old, she underwent a successful surgery to ease the symptoms. However, the problem is not completely fixed. Cheyenne Woods described the surgery as a targeted fix for the floppy laryngeal tissues. It is common in infants and often self-resolving, but severe enough in Maya’s case to warrant an operation.

Maya’s doctor also identified Café au lait spots on her body. After diagnosis, it was found that she also has NF1 (neurofibromatosis type 1). While most of these spots are not that harmful, they do increase the risk of cancer. Amid all these health struggles, a positive update would certainly feel relieving.

As Maya’s physical recovery began to show small but meaningful gains, Cheyenne Woods found strength in an unexpected place. Another mother from the golf world stepped in with words that carried as much weight as any medical update. She offered comfort during moments that felt impossible to steady.

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Cheyenne Woods found support in fellow LPGA mom Jane Park

Doctors identified Maya’s breathing troubles shortly after she was born, as laryngomalacia caused a high-pitched, whistling sound. They recommended a standard procedure to ease the condition, but the outcome initially worsened it. It added another layer of worry for Cheyenne Woods and Aaron Hicks during an already overwhelming stretch.

During that period, Cheyenne connected with retired LPGA professional Jane Park. Park’s own family was dealing with a devastating medical crisis. Her daughter, Grace, had gone into what was supposed to be a routine procedure as a healthy 10-month-old, only to suffer seizures and brain swelling. This led to a diagnosis of intractable epilepsy. Park eventually stepped away from her 15-year career on tour to become Grace’s full-time caregiver.

The bond between the two mothers grew through shared fears and late-night conversations.

Park offered Cheyenne a simple but powerful reminder that stayed with her – “You’re a good parent, and you’re doing everything you can.”

Cheyenne Woods later said that it was a good reminder. While Cheyenne leaned into motherhood, Park found her own way to stay connected to the sport she loved. She began creating detailed golf artwork, capturing moments like Tiger Woods’ famous 2005 Masters chip-in, Hideki Matsuyama’s 2021 win, and Jack Nicklaus’ 1986 triumph.

With support from players such as Nelly Korda, Lydia Ko, and Meghan Khang, Park used her art to raise funds for the Epilepsy Foundation. This turned her personal hardship into a source of help for others facing similar battles.

From the quiet encouragement Cheyenne Woods found through Jane Park’s shared experience to the medical milestones Maya has reached at home, the family’s path has been shaped by both community and persistence. Together, those moments make the latest update about Maya leaving her G-tube behind feel like more than a health step. It marks a hopeful turn in a story built on patience, support, and steady progress.