A 21-year-old Englishwoman has emerged as the bookmakers’ choice to claim victory at the AIG Women’s British Open, marking an extraordinary ascent in professional golf.
Lottie Woad enters Royal Porthcawl as the tournament favourite merely seven days after capturing her maiden professional title at the Scottish Open.
The young golfer’s triumph in Scotland established her as just the third competitor in the LPGA’s 75-year existence to secure victory during her inaugural appearance as a tour member.
She joins an exclusive group alongside former world number one Jin Young Ko, who achieved the feat in 2018, and Beverly Hanson from 1951.
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Lottie Woad has emerged as a serious contender over the last few months
Her meteoric progression over the past fifteen months has transformed her from relative obscurity into women’s golf’s most compelling story.
Woad’s Scottish Open victory came with remarkable authority, finishing two strokes clear of the field at Dundonald Links.
The Surrey native competed alongside world number one Nelly Korda and England’s Charley Hull during the opening rounds, displaying remarkable poise amongst such elite company.
Her professional debut success guaranteed her LPGA playing privileges through 2027 and elevated her to 24th in the global rankings.
The triumph represented the culmination of an astonishing month during which she recorded a scoring average of 67.3 across twelve rounds on the LPGA and Ladies European Tour.
“I don’t really know how to describe it,” Woad said of her exceptional form. “Just been shooting low scores, which is always nice.”
Most British golf enthusiasts first encountered Woad’s name during the 2024 Augusta National Women’s Amateur, where she delivered an unforgettable finale.
The Florida State University student produced three birdies across the final four holes to overtake USC’s Bailey Shoemaker, who had established the clubhouse target at seven under par with a course-record 66.
The tournament’s unique format required Woad to maintain her composure as overnight leader for two consecutive evenings. She embraced the challenge with quiet confidence, ultimately claiming the prestigious title.
Her amateur credentials extended beyond Augusta. In June 2024, she ascended to the summit of the World Amateur Golf Rankings.
Earlier, she had become the first amateur in three years to triumph on the Ladies European Tour, dominating the Women’s Irish Open by six strokes.
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Lottie Woad has become a global star in no time at all
Woad’s collegiate achievements at Florida State University established numerous programme records.
Her career scoring average of 70.42 surpassed all previous marks, whilst her 27 top-10 finishes across three seasons demonstrated remarkable consistency.
Her dedication proved extraordinary. Without a driving licence, she would arrange transport to the practice facility at 7:30am on Saturday mornings whilst her peers slept.
“You think you work hard, and she works 10 times harder,” former teammate Charlotte Heath observed. “We have pros at our club, and Lottie outworks them all.”
The LPGA’s new Elite Amateur Pathway programme provided her route to professional status.
She secured the necessary points with a third-place finish at the Amundi Evian Championship, where her final-round 64 nearly earned a major championship playoff berth.
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Lottie Woad won her first professional title last week after winning the Scottish Open
Professional colleagues have expressed profound admiration for Woad’s abilities. Nelly Korda, who partnered her during the Scottish Open’s initial rounds, praised her composure and consistency.
“She’s absolutely amazing,” declared the 27-year-old American star, noting how Woad maintained her routine whilst others might adjust their approach under pressure.
Jin Young Ko, the LPGA Hall of Fame’s newest inductee and defending British Open champion, revealed she studies Woad’s technique.
“Just because you’re a higher-ranked player doesn’t mean that there’s something that I can’t learn from somebody else,” Ko stated.
“She’s obviously playing great golf. I’ve seen her swing, and my coach has sent me a video of her swing as well because there’s aspects that I’m kind of going for that she has.”
Former British Open winner Catriona Matthew, who captained Woad at last year’s Curtis Cup, drew comparisons with a young Karrie Webb. “She’s not out there for the glitz and the glam,” Matthew explained, “she just wants to be as good a golfer as she can be and go out and beat everyone.”