Lottie Woad under no extra pressure at Women's Open after first professional win
The 21-year-old from Surrey picked up a 300,000 dollars (£223,000) cheque after being prevented from profiting financially from her victory at the Irish Open and tied-third finish in The Evian Championship earlier this month because of her amateur status.
United States-based Woad revealed at her pre-Open press conference how she would spend some of her first career earnings – saying, 'I need to get a car in America' – and the bookmakers are expecting another windfall to come her way on the Harry Colt links layout.
'I don't know how they do it, but I feel like I'm playing well,' Woad said in response to being priced as the pre-tournament favourite.
'So I guess I was going to be one of the favourites. Obviously everyone's so good, so I feel like anyone can win really.
'You've seen it this year, so many – I think every winner has been different. So there's many people it could be.
She's here… 👀
Fresh off her first professional win, Lottie Woad has arrived at Royal Porthcawl 🏴 pic.twitter.com/MhLbWdhfRW
— AIG Women's Open (@AIGWomensOpen) July 28, 2025
'There's always pressure obviously, but I don't think there's any more than there was, like from my perspective, before any of the last fewweeks.
'Kind of still was wanting to contend there and that's still the aim.'
Woad's last appearance at a major – the Evian Championship in France three weeks ago – saw her narrowly missing out on becoming the first amateur to win one in 58 years.
She finished one shot off making the play-off with eventual champion Grace Kim and Atthaya Thitikul after posting a final round 64.
Woad said: 'I think it gave me a lot (of confidence).
'Some of the majors I made the cut, I didn't really have the best weekend on. So I was hoping to capitalise a bit more on that one.
'The final round was also very good. Yeah, it definitely gives me confidence in that and knowing that I can chase it down on Sunday.
'I don't feel too different. I've got a lot of confidence from the last month really and I'm just trying to continue to ride that.'
World number one Nelly Korda, Open runner-up to Lydia Ko at St Andrews 12 months ago, praised Woad's composure and maturity, with the American saying she was 'definitely high up there right now' as a title contender.
Woad said: 'I don't think I've reflected too much, to be honest (on the last month).
'I think after this big week, I've got a week before I go out to America. That's probably when I'll look back at the last few months and kind of reflect on that.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Glasgow Times
3 hours ago
- Glasgow Times
Palmer considering Deauville or Newmarket for Fitzella
The daughter of Too Darn Hot broke her maiden at Haydock and was not disgraced in the Albany Stakes at the Royal meeting when fourth behind Karl Burke's smart Venetian Sun. But she came out on top on her return to the Berkshire circuit when beating Staya by a length and Palmer is now plotting where to send her next before a trip to the Breeders' Cup. The Malpas-based handler said: 'We were very pleased with that. She seems to have come out of it in very good order. 'She's already had four starts. It's a question of how many more times do we want to run her this season. She's kind of grown and changed all year and I think she is a filly with a future, I don't think she is just a two-year-old. 'In my mind there will probably be no more than two more goes this year. She is potentially a filly for the Breeders' Cup, so that possibly means just one more European run. We want to do everything we can to make sure that's a winning European run before we go to California. 'In my head I thought maybe the Prix du Calvados (at Deauville on August 24), which is where Simmering went last year after winning the Princess Margaret and I thought that looked quite a nice fit. 'Predicting and reading the ground in France is tricky and she does want top of the ground, but it's very hot in August in Deauville and it dries out very quickly being by the beach and by the river and we'll just have to be on weather watch. 'If that didn't work I thought probably the Rockfel (at Newmarket on September 26) would be an obvious target, it'll be another month later but the Cambridgeshire meeting tends to throw up quite quick ground, still being relatively early. 'She is in the Moyglare as well. But the Moyglare being that jump to Group One company might be the hardest way to keep her unbeaten, to make sure her next run is a winning one. 'Any Group winning two-year-old from this point of the season onwards, you're thinking about the Guineas. There's a lot of water to throw under the bridge between now and then but that's what we'd like her to be.'
Leader Live
5 hours ago
- Leader Live
Wrexham and Mold cyclists have become Welsh title winners
There have been some more stunning results from riders from the top Midlands-based cycling team Team MI Racing Townsend Vehicle Hire. July saw a number of championship successes across various cycling disciplines and across the ages. It was Mold-based Layla Bradbrook and Nick Whitley, who comes from Wrexham, who both won Welsh national championship titles at the Welsh cross-country mountain bike championships. On a baking hot day at the Dare Valley Country Park, Aberdare, it was Bradbrook, one of the team's youngest riders, that won the women's elite race. Whitley, not to be outdone, went on to win the Veteran 50+ title. Whitley's national championship victory came after his wife Lynsey recently won the Welsh 40+ age category national circuit racing championships in Aberystwyth.
North Wales Chronicle
7 hours ago
- North Wales Chronicle
Palmer considering Deauville or Newmarket for Fitzella
The daughter of Too Darn Hot broke her maiden at Haydock and was not disgraced in the Albany Stakes at the Royal meeting when fourth behind Karl Burke's smart Venetian Sun. But she came out on top on her return to the Berkshire circuit when beating Staya by a length and Palmer is now plotting where to send her next before a trip to the Breeders' Cup. The Malpas-based handler said: 'We were very pleased with that. She seems to have come out of it in very good order. 'She's already had four starts. It's a question of how many more times do we want to run her this season. She's kind of grown and changed all year and I think she is a filly with a future, I don't think she is just a two-year-old. 'In my mind there will probably be no more than two more goes this year. She is potentially a filly for the Breeders' Cup, so that possibly means just one more European run. We want to do everything we can to make sure that's a winning European run before we go to California. 'In my head I thought maybe the Prix du Calvados (at Deauville on August 24), which is where Simmering went last year after winning the Princess Margaret and I thought that looked quite a nice fit. 'Predicting and reading the ground in France is tricky and she does want top of the ground, but it's very hot in August in Deauville and it dries out very quickly being by the beach and by the river and we'll just have to be on weather watch. 'If that didn't work I thought probably the Rockfel (at Newmarket on September 26) would be an obvious target, it'll be another month later but the Cambridgeshire meeting tends to throw up quite quick ground, still being relatively early. 'She is in the Moyglare as well. But the Moyglare being that jump to Group One company might be the hardest way to keep her unbeaten, to make sure her next run is a winning one. 'Any Group winning two-year-old from this point of the season onwards, you're thinking about the Guineas. There's a lot of water to throw under the bridge between now and then but that's what we'd like her to be.'
