Top amateur Lottie Woad will make pro debut at next week's Scottish Open
Two days after Lottie Woad nearly won an LPGA major, she turned professional. As the first graduate of the new LPGA Elite Amateur Pathway (LEAP) program, she heads to the tour with a full card in hand for the rest of 2025 and all of 2026, and will make her pro debut at next week's ISPS Handa Women's Scottish Open followed by the AIG Women's British Open at Royal Porthcawl in Wales. She also accepted LET membership following her emphatic win at the KPMG Women's Irish Open.
Woad, 21, has a propensity for rising to the occasion. With victories at Augusta National, Carnoustie, Baltustrol and a top-10 finish at the British Open at St. Andrews, the shy Woad has a flair for the dramatic on the biggest, toughest stages.
Known for her tireless work ethic and complete game, when it comes to Woad's success at the next level, there's one intangible that cannot be underestimated: Her undying love of the game.
'More so than probably anybody I've ever seen,' said FSU coach Amy Bond, who describes her star player's golf IQ as through the roof.
Lottie Woad is in it to be the best
Woad isn't playing to please her parents, Rachel and Nick. She's not in it for the money, though she does need to buy a car when she gets back to America. The external praise? Woad turns shy even when kids approach her at dinner for an autograph.
She's humble that way.
Sure, Woad has opened up more to the idea of media attention since she won the 2024 Augusta National Women's Amateur, but she's not looking for validation there either.
Woad wants to be the best, and she loves everything about the grind to get there.
'It's so obvious that something inside of her is driven by this,' said Luke Bone, Woad's swing instructor since age 7.
'That pressure is hers and hers alone.'
Woad first rose to No. 1 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking in June 2024. Her 70.42 career scoring average after three seasons at Florida State sets a school record. A five-time winner at FSU, Woad's 27 top-10 finishes sets another record, highlighting her consistent play.
She won at Augusta National with birdies on three of the last four holes, and in seven LPGA major championship appearances, has finished in the top 35 on four occasions.
'I've always loved being under pressure and under the gun,' she told Golfweek, calling the experience of those majors invaluable.
Lottie Woad called her shot at Evian
Woad arrived back home in England at 2 a.m. Monday morning after a wild finish in France. While sitting at Evian's famed beer garden on Saturday afternoon, Woad told her team she thought she could shoot 30 on the front nine.
'By golly, did she shoot 30,' said Bond, who was desperate to keep track while on a plane headed back to the U.S.
Trailing by five going into the final round, Woad needed to finish in the top 25 to secure her LPGA card, but that wasn't top of mind. She put the pedal down just as she'd done the week before on the LET, when she won by six at the Irish Open.
Seven birdies in the first 13 holes put Woad at the top of the board, and there were chances down the stretch that could've won it outright or gotten her into a playoff. In the end, she finished one stroke shy of extra holes, taking a share of third with Minjee Lee but not the money.
'I did have a look after and was like, oh no,' said Woad with a laugh of Lee's $523,761 paycheck.
Woad is behind half a season on CME points
When it comes to CME points, Woad will have to start from scratch as a pro. A short-term goal is to amass enough in the coming months to qualify for the Asian swing and season-ending CME Group Tour Championship.
'I'd love to win an event,' said Woad, 'and the future Solheim is definitely on the radar.'
Woad moved up 79 spots in the Rolex Rankings after Evian and is now 64th in the world. She's already had a conversation with European captain Anna Nordqvist.
While she took Monday off – her first day without touching a golf club in three weeks – she had a putting lesson scheduled with Nick Soto on Tuesday. She'll see Bone later in the week at Farnharm Golf Club, where she's now an honorary member and Bone is head pro.
He'll be back on the bag at the British Open, one last hurrah, before she gets a professional caddie in place. Woad will still be represented by Excel Sports Management as a pro, joining a list of stars that includes Lydia Ko, Rose Zhang and Michelle Wie West. As an amateur, she had NIL deals with Titleist/FootJoy, Novellus and Upper Deck.
Golf seems 'effortless' to Woad, others say
Next week's Scottish Open at Dundonald Links offers an ideal tune-up for Porthcawl, which Woad recently played for the first time. She won the 2021 Welsh Women's Open Stroke Play on a different course, Newport, but enjoys any good challenge in the wind.
'It seems effortless to her,' said fellow Englishwoman and Florida State alum Karen Stupples from the broadcast booth at Evian.
Bond recently looked back on the first email Woad ever sent FSU, back in 2020, when she was ranked 1,151st in the world. Four years later, she'd ascend to No. 1.
In 20-plus years of coaching, Bond has never seen a player drill down so much into the details as Woad. After struggling in the rough around the greens at the 2024 U.S. Women's Open at Lancaster, she went to work at FSU's short game facility, strengthening a weakness.
'I feel like I can get up and down now from anywhere,' she said.
Woad announced her plans to turn professional on the same day Craig Kessler officially began his role as the 10th commissioner of the LPGA. Finding ways to elevate a rising star like Woad should be among the priorities for a tour that lacks household names in the U.S.
One thing feels certain: Woad is a player with staying power.
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