Lottie Woad is set to return to the very course where she captured the golfing world’s attention with a stunning first‑professional win, as she prepares to defend her title at the ISPS Handa Women’s Scottish Open. The 22‑year‑old’s breakthrough came last year at Dundonald Links, where, as a 21‑year‑old rookie, she entered the final round holding a two‑stroke lead. She managed to fend off a determined challenge from South Korea’s Hyo Joo Kim and a pack of seasoned competitors, ultimately sealing the championship. That triumph placed Woad in an exclusive club: she became only the third player in LPGA Tour history to claim victory on her very first professional start.
The previous members of this elite group were Rose Zhang, who achieved the feat in 2023, and Beverly Hanson, who did so back in 1951. Reflecting on that moment, Woad admitted she didn’t fully grasp its significance at the time. "I didn’t appreciate it then, obviously because it was my first event," she told Sky Sports Golf ahead of her return.
"I didn’t know what to expect. But now I’ve been playing week after week, with the same peers, and seeing just how good everyone is – it feels far more special now." She added that the atmosphere this year feels different, with family members traveling to support her. "Very excited to be back. It’s a little different to last year – I’ve got the family here as well.
It will be a fun week," she said, underscoring the personal significance of the venue. Woad’s 2025 victory was, by her own description, a moment that confirmed her long‑standing promise.
As an amateur, she had already been heralded for her talent, and the win demonstrated that she could translate that promise into success on the professional stage. Since that breakthrough, her schedule has been packed with high‑profile events, including the LPGA Tour’s 2026 calendar, and she has become a regular feature on Sky Sports’ live broadcasts and podcasts. Her rise to prominence began in May 2022 when she made her Ladies European Tour debut at the Madrid Open, finishing a respectable tenth. That performance caught the eye of selectors and sponsors, and she soon enrolled at Florida State University.
While at FSU, Woad amassed a collection of accolades: WGCA Freshman of the Year, Junior FSU Female Athlete of the Year, and ACC Golfer of the Year. These honors reflected both her consistency and her ability to dominate at the collegiate level.
In April 2024, she added another marquee achievement by winning the Augusta National Women’s Amateur, a title that propelled her to the top of the World Amateur Golf Rankings. She also became the first Englishwoman to receive the Mark H. McCormack Medal, awarded to the world’s leading amateur. Her performance at the 2024 AIG Women’s Open, where she tied for tenth as an amateur, further cemented her reputation as a future star.
The following months saw Woad transition seamlessly into the professional ranks. She captured her first LET victory at the KPMG Women’s Irish Open, then narrowly missed making history as an amateur at the Amundi Evian Championship. Yet it was her Scottish Open win that truly announced her arrival on the LPGA Tour.
Since then, she has added more top‑10 finishes in majors – eighth at the 2025 Women’s Open, seventh at the 2026 Chevron Championship, and a strong showing at the 2026 Evian Championship where she led at the halfway point before finishing tied‑16th. Her consistency has been rewarded with a rapid climb up the Rolex Women’s World Rankings, where she now sits fifth.
In May 2026 she secured her second LPGA Tour victory at the Kroger Queen City Championship, confirming that her debut win was no fluke but the start of a sustained period of excellence. When asked to reflect on the past year, Woad described it as "a long year" filled with extensive competition and valuable learning experiences. "I’ve played a lot of golf, had a lot of new experiences.
I’ve definitely learned some things as well in the year. It’s nice to come back to where I guess it all started, my pro debut here. I’ve been happy with how I’ve been playing," she said. She also acknowledged a less‑than‑ideal weekend at Evian, noting that while the result wasn’t what she wanted, the experience offered lessons that will help her continue to improve.
During her victorious Scottish Open run, Woad was paired with world number one Nelly Korda. Dame Laura Davies of Sky Sports Golf praised Woad at the time, stating, "She’s not afraid to compete against the biggest names in the game. She has every part of her game, and her results already suggest she has all the qualities to become a rockstar of the future." This year, Woad finds herself again in the same group as Korda and fellow contender Hull for the opening two rounds of her title defence, a pairing that promises to draw sizable crowds.
Woad, however, remains modest about the "rock star" label. Speaking about Korda, who added a fourth major to her résumé with wins at the Chevron and the U.S. Women’s Open earlier in the season, Woad remarked, "I think every event she’s at, she’s the person everybody is coming to see.
She’s No. 1 in the world. Last year I was playing with her and we got a really big crowd.
Playing with her again this year so I expect it to be the same. I hope it goes same as last year." As the Scottish Open approaches, anticipation builds around who will claim the trophy this time.
The tournament will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Golf from July 23‑26, with streaming options available for those without a contract. Golf enthusiasts can also explore booking a round at one of the 1,700 courses across the UK and Ireland, using the Sky Sports platform to find the best rates. In summary, Lottie Woad’s return to Dundonald Links is more than a title defence; it is a homecoming to the place where her professional narrative began. With a growing list of achievements, a solid world ranking, and the confidence of having already beaten the best, she enters the field as both a fan favourite and a serious contender for another historic win.