Gaining recognition, Diné golfer making a name for himself in junior golf world

WINDOW ROCK – Kirtland Central High senior Skyler Woods has developed a national presence in the junior golfing world.

The Nenahnezad, New Mexico native competed in two national tournaments over the summer. In July he hit the links at the IMG Academy Junior World Championships at Torrey Pines in San Diego.

Last week he golfed at the Junior America’s Cup at Red Hawk Golf Club in Sparks, Nevada finishing 42nd out of 72 golfers.

“It’s awesome to be playing in these out-of-state tournaments,” Woods said. “I was the only Native player there and I would like to encourage more Natives to join golf because we need to grow the game and represent our tribes.”

At the IMG Academy Junior World outing, Woods competed with Colorado Diné golfer Talon Gover at the San Diego event.

“We were the only Natives in a field of 200 golfers,” the 17-year-old said.

At the Nevada tournament, Woods competed on the Sun Country Team in a four-team scramble with the team players being from New Mexico and West Texas.

As a team, they finished 13th place out of 18 teams with most of the other teams coming from the western U.S. and a pair of teams from both Canada and Mexico.

To play at those tournaments, Woods earned his ticket by winning a qualifier at the New Mexico Tech Golf Course in Socorro earlier this year in May. At that qualifier he shot a 72 for even par on the first day and the following day he shot a 73.

“I played really solid, and I ended up winning the tournament,” he said.

Woods is Tó’aheedlíinii and born for Táchii’nii. His cheii is Tł’ááshchí’í and his nálí is Lók’aa dine’é. His parents are Shawn and Erna Woods.

“We just want to say that we’re really proud of him, and we’ll always support him,” his mom said.

Woods gained an interest in golf as a five-year-old when he followed his dad to the local golf courses in San Juan County.

“It’s just a hobby for me, and at a young age he would tag along with me,” Shawn said. “When I played a hole, and we’d be on the green I would throw the ball out there and he would just putt it and make into a hole. That is how it got started.”

After seeing a knack to play the game, Skyler’s parents entered him in the First Tee Four Corners program under Tom Yost, a PGA golf professional who is a member of the Sun Country PGA Section.

“My dad got me into golf and when I joined the First Tee program I was coached by Tom Yost,” Skyler said. “He’s been my personal coach since then.”

The KC golfer said he took golf more seriously at the onset of the global pandemic as he gave up playing basketball fulltime. He last played hoops his freshman season at KC when he made the JV squad.

“That is when I started to get a lot better,” Woods said. “I stopped playing basketball and I decided to do golf all year and that is when I started to travel more.”

As a member of the NB3 Youth Golf Team, Woods has played on several golf courses around the state, and they work under program director Clint Begay.

“We’re just a group of Native golfers,” Woods said of the NT3 team. “We work and practice together, and Clint Begay is the one that gives us our practice schedules, yardage books and bags.”

Skyler said the nonprofit group helps them with travel expenses as well as provide golfing apparel for them to wear at tournaments.

“They help us in a lot of ways,” he said. “They’re just giving us opportunities to play because golf is an expensive sport.”

His parents understand the cost of sending Skyler to all these golfing events, but they are seeing it as an investment.

“We definitely know that in the Native community basketball is big across the reservation,” Shawn said. “Golf is really not too highlighted, but for Skyer we see how talented he is. His coaches have seen that talent too, so basically, we’re just supporting his endeavors.”

“It is an expensive sport, so we do have to put a bit into our savings, so that we can manage all the traveling,” Erna said, “But overall it’s an investment in his future.

“We want him to get into a good quality college so that he can get his education with the hopes of him playing college golf,” she added. “And when he’s done with college, hopefully, a professional career will be in his future.”

Skyler said he’s unsure where he’ll go to college, but like his parents he wants to earn an athletic scholarship.

“I’ve been reaching out to a lot of college coaches,” he said. “I’m looking to play college golf and get a degree, and if it’s possible I want to try and make it onto the professional tour.”
Before that happens, Skyler wants to make his last year in high school a memorable one. As the District 1-4A champion in 2021 and 2022, he placed sixth at the Class 4A state golf tournament both years.

Last season, he placed third overall, helping the Broncos to a state runner-up finish in the team standings.

“It’s been always a goal to win a state championship,” Skyler said. “I just need to keep working hard and keep my grades up. I have to make sure that I keep practicing, have discipline, and just make healthy choices because I know that I have the game to do it.”

Like her son, Erna said she believes that he can win a state title.

“He has the skills, and his work ethic is there,” she said. “He’s always looking at ways to improve his game. He’s talking to his coaches and he’s analyzing stuff, but the biggest improvement that I’ve seen him make is his mental game.

“I think that’s propelled him to another level,” she added.

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