Lottie Woad rides wave of momentum into AIG Women’s Open

PORTHCAWL: As the world of women’s golf prepares for the final major of the year, an English prodigy has seized the limelight.

Lottie Woad is the hottest player in the game and will be among the favorites to land her first major championship when the AIG Women’s Open tees off at Royal Porthcawl on Thursday in Porthcawl, Wales.

Woad’s litany of accomplishments dates back to last year, when she won the Augusta National Women’s Amateur, rose to No. 1 in the world amateur rankings and tied for 10th at the Women’s Open at St. Andrews for low-am honors.

But July has seen the 21-year-old truly dominate the sport. Woad had a six- shot win at the Women’s Irish Open on the Ladies European Tour, then tied for third at the most recent major, the Evian Championship, all before officially turning pro.

Then came the Women’s Scottish Open last week, where Woad matched Rose Zhang’s feat in 2023 by winning her first start as a professional, three strokes clear of the field.

“I’ve really been just enjoying myself,” Woad said this week. “Enjoyed being in these events and competing and being in contention, just try to have fun with it and not add too much stress, really.”

Woad is the odds-on favorite to win this week at BetMGM and FanDuel Sportsbook. And she’s certainly caught the eye of her peers.

“Absolutely amazing,” said Nelly Korda, who played with her at the Scottish Open. “I was very impressed with her composure, her process.

“I think, when it comes to her shot routine, especially under pressure and in the heat of the moment, sometimes people seem to fidget and kind of doubt themselves. But she stuck to it, she stuck to her process every single time, and I think that’s one of the main things that I noticed is how mature she