Lottie Woad completes remarkable double at AIG Women’s Open

From club golfer in Farnham to silverware at St Andrews, via a historic win at Augusta National.

What a surreal few months this has been in the life of 20-year-old Lottie Woad.

Back in April, Woad produced one of the best finishes that the home of the Masters has ever seen, birdieing three of her final four holes to win the 2024 Augusta National Women’s Amateur by one shot.

Two months later, the youngster from Surrey became England’s first female world No.1 amateur after finishing a tie for 23rd on her major debut at the Chevron Championship.

And here Woad was at the Old Course – the other of the game’s two most hallowed stages – matching the very best in the world in her debut at the AIG Women’s Open.

• Major champion announces shock retirement aged 36

• Lydia Ko wins AIG Women’s Open after epic finish

Quite the rise indeed.

At one stage early on Sunday afternoon, Woad was just four behind from the leaders – the possibility of an unthinkable Augusta-Old Course double was on.

And despite fading away with a couple of dropped shots in her closing 73, Woad still cruised to the Smyth Salver award for the leading amateur as she ended her week with a brilliant birdie on 18.

“Yeah, it’s definitely been amazing,” she said of her last whirlwind last six months. “Probably didn’t imagine it. It’s all the best players were playing at Augusta and it’s hard to win “After that happened, just kind of been trying to enjoy all these events.”

The eyes on English women’s golf have long been on best friends Charley Hull and Georgia Hall, but Woad has that same sprinkling of star quality.

“It doesn’t surprise me at all,” Hall said on Sunday of her compatriot’s rapid ascent. “She’s got a great swing and a really down-to-earth, genuine person, which I think is important, and I think she’s got a bright future for sure.”

• A fascinating AIG Women’s Open subplot is playing out at St Andrews

Woad – who plays college golf at Florida State – won’t join be joining Solheim Cup stars Hall and Hull in the paid ranks just yet though.

Her T10 finish at St Andrews would have been worth around £150,000 had she turned professional, but sensibly, Woad is still thinking about the bigger picture.

“I don’t think this will change anything,” she said. “I’ve still got a lot more things I want to work on. I’m in The Open and US Open next year. So I get to play those as an amateur and just learn more.”

Next weekend, Woad will tee it up in her first Curtis Cup, the biennial amateur battle between teams representing Great Britain and Ireland and the United States at Sunningdale.

“I’m really looking forward to it,” she said. “Curtis Cup is one of the big goals that I think any amateur wants to play in. Being near where I live, it’s going to be a lot of supporters. It’s one of my favourite golf courses in the world. I just love heathland courses. It’s going to be really fun.”

Catriona Matthew, the two-time Solheim captain who waved goodbye to her own career this week at St Andrews, will lead the team headlined by Woad .

On this evidence, we should all spare a thought for Woad’s US rivals on another of the UK’s historic layouts.

Ben Parsons joined bunkered as a Content Producer in 2023 and is the man to come to for all of the latest news, across both the professional and amateur games. Formerly of The Mirror and Press Association, he is a member at Halifax Golf Club and is a long-suffering fan of both Manchester United and the Wales rugby team.