ORLANDO, Florida — Aaron Hicks spent eight seasons trying to find consistency in the Bronx. Injuries derailed his career. His bat went cold. The Yankees eventually cut him loose in May 2023 with $27.6 million still owed on his contract.
Now the 36-year-old former outfielder has found a different way to showcase his athletic gifts. And he is crushing it.
Aaron Hicks grabbed the lead Friday in the celebrity division at the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions at Lake Nona Golf & Country Club. The former MLB outfielder fired a 6-under 66 to hold a two-stroke advantage heading into the weekend rounds.
MLB power translates to the golf course
The numbers from Hicks’ Friday round turned heads. According to Golfweek’s Beth Ann Nichols, the switch-hitter averaged 129 mph clubhead speed and 192 mph ball speed. Those figures separated him from a celebrity field stacked with professional athletes from multiple sports.
“Fun to watch MLB player Aaron Hicks pound drives on the range at the TOC,” Nichols wrote on social media.
The four-day LPGA Tour event pairs past champions with celebrity athletes in a modified Stableford scoring format. The celebrity division features a $500,000 purse with $100,000 going to the winner. Hicks faces competition from Baseball Hall of Famer John Smoltz, Mets infielder Jeff McNeil, NHL veteran Joe Pavelski, NFL receiver Adam Thielen, and former pitcher Derek Lowe.
A troubled tenure in pinstripes
Hicks arrived in New York via trade from the Minnesota Twins after the 2015 season. The Yankees saw a switch-hitting outfielder with plus defense and developing power. For a time, it worked.
His 2017 breakout season produced career highs in home runs (15), RBIs (52), and batting average (.266). By early June that year, Hicks had already surpassed his entire 2016 production. The Yankees rewarded him with a seven-year, $70 million extension in February 2019.
Then came the injuries. Tommy John surgery in October 2019 cost him the entire shortened 2020 season on rehab. A torn tendon sheath in his left wrist required surgery in May 2021. His production cratered. From 2021 through his release in 2023, Hicks hit just .193 with 13 home runs in 139 games for the Yankees.
Manager Aaron Boone commented on his departure: “I hope what doesn’t get lost is a couple of really good seasons that he had here, had some good postseason moments here. Some injuries really impacted his time here and probably impacted his career.”
Life after the Yankees
The Orioles signed Hicks days after his release. He found a temporary resurgence in Baltimore, helping the team win 101 games and the AL East title. He even homered against his former team at Yankee Stadium on July 4, 2023, silencing a hostile crowd with a solo shot off Clarke Schmidt.
Hicks signed with the Angels for 2024 but was released. His MLB career totals show a .231 average, 109 home runs, and 392 RBIs across 12 seasons with four teams. He remains a free agent as MLB teams prepare for spring training.
Tiger Woods connection runs deep
Golf has always been part of Hicks’ life. He was a childhood prodigy on the links before choosing baseball. That background helps explain his serious competitive game.
Hicks is married to Cheyenne Woods, the 34-year-old niece of golf legend Tiger Woods. Cheyenne is the daughter of Earl Dennison Woods Jr., Tiger’s half-brother. She graduated from Wake Forest University in 2012 and became the sixth African American to compete on the LPGA Tour. Cheyenne won the 2014 Volvik RACV Ladies Masters and was inducted into the Wake Forest Sports Hall of Fame in March 2025.
In November 2025, Hicks and Twins infielder Royce Lewis won the MLB Open golf tournament. Hicks was asked about potentially joining the PGA Senior Tour someday.
“I think that would be fun,” Hicks said. “I think that would be a fun thing to move towards. The Senior Tour is full of past major winners, and the competition is only going to get better. I think it would be fun. If I had the opportunity to do that, be able to play with guys that I’ve seen play for a long time, I think it would be fun.”
The Tournament of Champions runs through Saturday at Lake Nona. Sunday’s final round will be broadcast on NBC and Peacock. For Hicks, a strong finish would add another chapter to a career that has taken unexpected turns since leaving the Bronx.
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