Golf: England's Lottie Woad wins ISPS Handa Women's Scottish Open in her first start as a professional
AYRSHIRE, Scotland: England's Lottie Woad lived up to her billing as one of golf's brightest new stars by winning the US$2 million ISPS HANDA Women's Scottish Open, in her first start as a professionaland as an LPGA Tour member.
Woad fought off a back nine challenge from Korean Hyo Joo Kim at Dundonald Links on Sunday to triumph by three shots with a total of 21-under-par 267 (67, 65, 67, 68), matching the 72-hole tournament scoring record set by Japan's Ayaka Furue in 2022.
The win was Woad's first on the LPGA Tour and second on the Ladies European Tour, following her six-shot victory at the KPMG Women's Irish Open as an amateur earlier this month.
'Very special to win in my first event. Everyone was chasing me today, and I managed to maintain the lead and played really nicely down the stretch, and hit a lot of good shots,' said Woad, 21.
Woad turned professional following her joint third place finish at The Amundi Evian Championship two weeks ago, having earned LPGA Tour membership through the LPGA Elite Amateur Pathway (LEAP) by attaining the minimum 20 points.
Heading into the final round, Woad had a two-shot lead over Korean Sei Young Kim and Denmark's Nanna Koerstz Madsen with Hyo a shot further back. It was Hyo who emerged as the main challenger, making back-to-back birdies on Holes 10 and 11 to tie Woad on 19-under-par.
However, the English player responded imperiously with her own pair of birdies at 13 and 14.
When Hyo dropped a shot at the par-three 15th, Woad led by three shots and looked to be in cruise mode. A bogey at the par-four 16th after missing the green failed to derail Woad's title charge, and she sealed the win with a grandstand birdie at the par-five 18th after dialling in a wedge to two feet of the pin.
'I felt pretty good going down 18 because I knew I had a two-shot lead and just hit an 80-yard lay-up and an 80-yard shot. It's always nice to finish with a birdie,' noted Woad, whose first professional paycheque was worth US$300,000.
Chasing her eighth LPGA title and second of the year, Hyo was undone by the bogey at 15 and another at the next hole. Her closing 68 for an 18-under-par 270 total sealed outright second place by a comfortable four-shot margin over Kim (73) and Spanish rookie Julia Lopez Ramirez who closed with a superb 65.
Woad is just the third player to win in their first start as an LPGA Tour member, joining Korean Jin Young Ko (2018) and American Beverly Hanson (1951). She is the ninth player to win in their first professional start in an official LPGA Tour event since 1980, and the first since Rose Zhang at the 2023 Mizuho Americas Open.
Woad is the eighth Rolex First-Time Winner of the 2025 LPGA Tour season, which has now seen 20 different winners.
The world's top lady golfers will now head to Wales for the final Major of the 2025 season, the AIG Women's Open at Royal Porthcawl where New Zealand's Lydia Ko will seek to defend the title. - LPGA
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Straits Times
7 hours ago
- New Straits Times
Nunez nears Al Hilal switch as Liverpool prepare Isak bid
LIVERPOOL: Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez is reportedly closing in on a move to Saudi club Al Hilal, which could allow the Premier League champions to make a fresh bid for Newcastle's Alexander Isak. Nunez joined the Reds for an initial 75 million euros (US$87 million, £65 million) from Benfica three years ago but has failed to live up to that price tag. The Uruguayan has scored 40 goals in 143 appearances but slipped down the pecking order at Anfield under both Jurgen Klopp and Arne Slot. According to transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano, Al Hilal will pay an initial 53 million euros for the 26-year-old. Nunez was likely to play even less this season after Liverpool signed Hugo Ekitike and Florian Wirtz as part of a 300 million euro spending spree that also includes full-backs Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong. However, the club could still break the British transfer record by signing Isak, with Newcastle reportedly demanding a fee of up to £150 million for the Swedish striker. The sale of Nunez would take Liverpool's income for transfer sales this window to nearly 200 million euros after the departures of Luis Diaz, Jarell Quansah, Caoimhin Kelleher, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Tyler Morton. Harvey Elliott is also attracting interest from RB Leipzig, with Liverpool wanting at least 45 million euros for the England midfielder. Nunez would become the latest big name to join Al Hilal, who shocked Manchester City to reach the quarter-finals of the recent Club World Cup. Coached by former Inter Milan boss Simone Inzaghi, the Saudi club's squad includes Portuguese internationals Ruben Neves and Joao Cancelo, Senegal captain Kalidou Koulibaly and former Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic.--AFP
New Straits Times
7 hours ago
- New Straits Times
Arteta: Arsenal ready to win after years of falling short
LONDON: Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said the Gunners believe this season will be different as they aim to get over a series of near misses at winning silverware. Arteta has not won a trophy since lifting the FA Cup in his debut season in charge in 2019/20. However, he has transformed Arsenal back into serial contenders for major trophies. Arteta's men have finished second in the Premier League for the past three years and reached the Champions League semi-finals for the first time since 2009 last season. The pressure is now on the Spaniard to get over the line after another major investment in new players in the transfer window. Nearly £200 million (US$266 million) has been spent on new striker Viktor Gyokeres, midfielders Martin Zubimendi and Christian Norgaard, centre-back Cristhian Mosquera as well as winger Noni Madueke and goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga. "We know what our targets are and what we want to achieve this season – there is a big belief in our ability to achieve that," Arteta said in his programme notes ahead of Wednesday's pre-season friendly against Villarreal. "We have been very, very close the last few seasons and the whole team is going to determine whether we achieve that or not. "But at the same time, we have to make sure that we don't lose sight of what we have to do on a daily basis to get to the levels that we want. "We have to set the demands that we want within this goal, because that's the most important thing – the internal demands have to always exceed any external demand. That is what we are trying to achieve every single day." Arteta added he wants his players to feel "invincible" at home thanks to a special connection with the club's fans. "We want our people to start connecting with our players straight away, to start to build momentum and to start to feel that at home we are invincible," he said. "That we play here with such passion, energy and connection with our people, that we are going to win the game."
The Star
8 hours ago
- The Star
Rising star Yamashita's AIG Women's Open win highlights dominant era for Japan in women's golf
Miyu Yamashita's victory at the AIG Women's Open makes her the fourth Japanese player to win a Major championship in the last two years. -- The R&A via Getty Images / LPGA PORTHCAWL, Mid Glamorgan, Wales: Miyu Yamashita's impressive victory at the AIG Women's Open reinforced Japan's emergence over the last few years as the pre-eminent force in women's golf. Yamashita's cool and composed two-shot triumph at Royal Porthcawl Golf Club made her the fourth Japanese player to win a Major championship in the last two years and the sixth overall, joining Mao Saigo (2025 Chevron Championship), Ayaka Furue (2024 Amundi Evian Championship), Yuka Saso (2024 US Women's Open), Hinako Shibuno (2019 AIG Women's Open) and the pioneering Hisako 'Chako' Higuchi (1977 LPGA Championship). With Saigo's Chevron Championship victory, Rio Takeda's triumph at the Blue Bay LPGA and Chisato Iwai claiming the MEXICO Riviera Maya Open at Mayakoba title, Yamashita is the fourth Japanese winner on the 2025 LPGA Tour. The in-depth strength of women's golf is highlighted by the fact that Yamashita is the tour's ninth Rolex First-Time winner of 2025 and the 21st different champion. The 24-year-old is also the second player this season to make a Major championship their first victory, following Saigo. Following the AIG Women's Open, Yamashita overtook Takeda at the top of the 2025 Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year rankings. Amazingly, the third and fourth-placed players in the rankings are also Japanese – Iwai and her twin sister, Akie. 'To have so many Japanese players doing so well at the moment is something that provides motivation for me and keeps me going. So great to see Saigo win earlier this year and that just kind of pushed me a little bit harder. "To join that elite group is something that's very special, and it's an amazing feeling,' said Yamashita, who has won 13 times on the Japan LPGA Tour and she was its leading money winner in 2022 and 2023. The LPGA Tour takes a one-week break before heading back to the United States for The Standard Portland Classic at Columbia Edgewater Country Club in Oregon (August 14-17), where Thailand's Moriya Jutanugarn will seek to defend her title. - LPGA
