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Yahoo
02-08-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Who is Lottie Woad? And how did she become the hottest player in women's golf?
Lottie Woad is the betting favorite to win the AIG Women's British Open in only her second week as a touring professional. If it seems like Woad's success happened overnight, it's really been more like a 15-month climb. The 21-year-old Englishwoman is the talk of Royal Porthcawl after becoming only the third player in the LPGA's 75-year history to win in her first start as an LPGA member, joining former world No. 1 Jin Young Ko (2018) and Beverly Hanson (1951). How did Woad become the hottest player in women's golf? Here's a look back: Woad finds spotlight at Augusta National The first time most golf fans heard the name Lottie Woad was at the 2024 Augusta National Women's Amateur, when the lion-hearted college sophomore delivered a finish for the ages. After USC's Bailey Shoemaker posted a course-record 6-under 66 to take the clubhouse lead at 7 under, Woad birdied three of the last four holes to overtake her. The Augusta National Women's Amateur is unique in that the 36-hole leader must sleep on the lead not one but two nights. The quietly confident Woad embraced it all. Success at Florida State Florida State coach Amy Bond recently looked back on the first email Woad ever sent FSU, back in 2020, when she was ranked 1,151st in the world. Known for her complete game and tireless work ethic, 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 set a school record. A five-time winner at FSU, Woad's 27 top-10 finishes set another record, highlighting her consistent play. Woad, who didn't have a car or driver's license at Florida State, would typically call an Uber on Saturday mornings around 7:30 a.m. to get a lift to the golf course. While most college students her age were hitting snooze, Woad hit the practice facility. 'You think you work hard, and she works 10 times harder,' former teammate Charlotte Heath once said. 'We have pros at our club, and Lottie outworks them all.' First professional title Before Woad turned professional, she became the first amateur in three years to win on Ladies European Tour, storming to victory at the Women's Irish Open by six shots over two-time LPGA winner Madelene Sagstrom. Woad, whose game is highlighted by strong wedge play and clutch putting, finished the tournament at 21 under par. "'You can't control what anyone else does. It was Lottie's week; it was wonderful to watch her play," said Sagstrom. "I played a bunch of golf with her. I'm really happy for her and she's going to take European and American golf by storm very soon.' The following week, Woad nearly won a major. Woads gets an LPGA card Late last year the LPGA announced its new LPGA Elite Amateur Pathway (LEAP) program, which awards a full card to an amateur who reaches 20 points. Woad needed a top-25 finish at the Amundi Evian Championship to earn her LPGA card and almost won the tournament in the process, falling one stroke shy of a playoff in France after a final-round 64, taking a share of third with Minjee Lee. 'It seems effortless to her,' said fellow Englishwoman Karen Stupples from the broadcast booth. The following week, Woad accepted tour cards from both the LPGA and LET, making her eligible for the 2026 Solheim Cup. She planned to make her professional debut the next week in Scotland. Woad wins pro debut Woad's magical July run continued at Dundonald Links, where the newly-minted played alongside Nelly Korda and Charley Hull in the first two rounds and was unfazed by the star power, taking the title by two shots. The victory secured Woad's tour card through 2027 and moved her to No. 24 in the Rolex Rankings. Now a combined 55 under in her last 12 rounds on the LPGA and LET, Woad boasts a scoring average of 67.3 in the last month. "I don't really know how to describe it," said the humble Woad of her recent stretch of brilliance. "Just been shooting low scores, which is always nice." Former British Open champ Catriona Matthew captained Woad at the Curtis Cup last year at Sunningdale and compared her to a young Karrie Webb. 'She's not out there for the glitz and the glam,' said Matthew, 'she just wants to be as good a golfer as she can be and go out and beat everyone.' Woad at the majors The first LPGA event Woad ever played was the Chevron Championship almost immediately after winning the ANWA. In fact, Woad's first seven LPGA starts were all major championships, with her first non-major coming at last week's Scottish Open, which she won. Last year at the British Open at St. Andrews, Woad won the Smyth Salver for low-amateur honors with a T-10 performance in her championship debut. The highlight of the week at the Old Course had to be the hole-out for eagle on the 18th Saturday. Woad has a flair for the dramatic when the stakes are high. 'All the players out there can hit the shots,' said Matthew, 'but what makes her special is that she can do it when she has to.' This week's start at Royal Porthcawl will be her eighth major, and she'll have longtime teaching pro Luke Bone on the bag once again as a sort of final hurrah. She won the Scottish last week with veteran pro caddie Dermot Byrne. Woad is represented by Excel Sports Management, as she was as an amateur, and joins 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. 'I've always loved being under pressure and under the gun,' said Woad, calling the experience of those major starts invaluable. What the pros are saying Korda played alongside Woad in the first three rounds of the Scottish Open and was impressed with her composure and process, noting that while others tend to fidget and change things in the heat of battle, Woad stuck to her routine and looked comfortable. The elder Korda, who turned 27 on Monday, called Woad 'absolutely amazing.' Meanwhile Ko, the most recent inductee of the LPGA of Fame who won last year's British Open, noted in her pre-tournament presser that she's looking forward to seeing what she can learn from Woad while playing alongside her in the first two rounds in Wales. 'Just because you're a higher-ranked player doesn't mean that there's something that I can't learn from somebody else,' said Ko. '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.' This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Who is Lottie Woad and how did she become the hottest player in golf?
USA Today
20-06-2025
- Climate
- USA Today
KPMG Women's PGA: Former world No. 1 makes double, walks off and WDs from LPGA major
FRISCO, Texas — Jin Young Ko has withdrawn from the KPMG Women's PGA due to illness. The former No. 1 shot 74 in the opening round and was shown on the broadcast leaving the golf course after making double bogey on the 12th hole. She was six over in her last four holes, moving to 10 over on the championship. The temperatures in steamy Texas were in the low-90s, with a feels-like temp of 99, and gusts up to 30 mph. The 29-year-old Ko, a 15-time winner on the LPGA, tied for 14th at the U.S. Women's Open and took a share of sixth at Chevron. More: KPMG Women's PGA live updates: Cut line tracker from LPGA major
USA Today
29-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Jin Young Ko, Rose Zhang lead list of notables who missed the cut at 2025 Ford Championship
Jin Young Ko, Rose Zhang lead list of notables who missed the cut at 2025 Ford Championship CHANDLER, Ariz. — It's the best field the LPGA has had so far in 2025. The 2025 Ford Championship started with every one of the top 10, 19 of the top 20 and 40 of the 50 players in the Rolex Rankings. After 36 holes, nine of those top 10 golfers have advanced to the weekend with six in the top 10. The cut Friday came in at 4 under, and that meant quite a few notable names didn't secure weekend tee times. It also meant time to turn in the keys to the vehicles that the Arizona Ford Dealers made available for free for all the players in the tournament. Notables who missed the cut at 2025 Ford Championship The lone top-10 player to end her week short is eighth-ranked Jin Young Ko. She rallied late Thursday with a birdie-eagle finish to get to even par but didn't parlay that into a much-needed low second-round score. While she did eagle the 17th hole Friday, she also carded three bogeys and two double bogeys to shoot a 1-over 73. Georgia Hall shot 4 under Friday, but her 2 over Thursday round did her in this week. Stacy Lewis had a similar week, opening 3 over and then going 5 under but she too came up short. Anna Nordqvist, who played college golf up the road at Arizona State and who was recently named the European captain for the 2026 Solheim Cup, shot consecutive 72s to finish even par. Rio Takeda won the Blue Bay LPGA three weeks ago, the last event before this week, but scores of 69 and 75 will keep her away from the weekend. Rose Zhang, playing in her first event since finishing her most recent term at Stanford and just her second this season, shot 73-71 to finish her week even par.
Washington Post
09-02-2025
- Sport
- Washington Post
Yealimi Noh gets first LPGA win by 4 shots over Jin Young Ko at the Founders Cup
BRADENTON, Fla. — Yealimi Noh turned a one-shot deficit into a three-shot lead over Jin Young Ko in the span of two holes on the back nine on Sunday and cruised from there to her first LPGA victory in the Founders Cup. The 23-year-old from Northern California closed with a bogey-free, 3-under 68 for a four-day total of 21-under 263 at Bradenton Country Club, four shots better than Ko (71). Noh made her last bogey of the week on her final hole of Friday's second round, then surged into the lead Saturday with a 63.
Washington Post
08-02-2025
- Sport
- Washington Post
Jin Young Ko shoots 63 to take lead in bid for 4th Founders Cup victory
BRADENTON, Fla. — Three-time champion Jin Young Ko birdied six of her last nine holes Friday for an 8-under 63 and a two-stroke lead over four players in the LPGA Tour's Founders Cup. Trying to win the event on a fourth venue, Ko had a 12-under 130 total at Bradenton Country Club after her second straight bogey-free round.
