Lottie Woad is set to return to the very course where she burst onto the professional scene with a stunning win, as she prepares to defend her title at the ISPS Handa Women’s Scottish Open this week. The 22‑year‑old will once again walk the fairways of Dundonald Links, the Scottish seaside venue that witnessed her remarkable first‑tour triumph just a year earlier.
Back in 2025, a then‑21‑year‑old Woad entered the Scottish Open holding a two‑stroke lead heading into the final round. She managed to fend off a determined challenge from South Korea’s Hyo Joo Kim and a pack of seasoned competitors, ultimately securing the championship by a narrow margin. This victory placed her among an elite trio of golfers who have ever won on their very first LPGA Tour start – a distinction she shares with Rose Zhang, who achieved the feat in 2023, and Beverly Hanson, who did so back in 1951.
Reflecting on that breakthrough moment, Woad admitted she hadn’t fully grasped the significance of the win at the time. "I didn’t appreciate it then, it was my first event," she told Sky Sports Golf ahead of her upcoming defense. "I didn’t know what to expect.
But after a year of playing week in and week out, rubbing shoulders with the same top players and seeing the level of competition, it feels a lot more special now." She added that the atmosphere this year feels different, not only because she is returning as the defending champion but also because she will have her family in the stands. "I’m very excited to be back. It’s a little different to last year – I’ve got my family here as well – it will be a fun week," she said, hinting at the personal significance of the event.
Woad’s meteoric rise began long before that 2025 victory. Her name first entered the public eye in May 2022 when she made a splash on the Ladies European Tour (LET) by finishing tenth at the Madrid Open. Shortly thereafter she enrolled at Florida State University, where she quickly distinguished herself, earning WGCA Freshman of the Year honors, the university’s Junior Female Athlete of the Year award, and ACC Golfer of the Year.
Her amateur résumé continued to swell in April 2024 when she captured the prestigious Augusta National Women’s Amateur title, a triumph that propelled her to the top of the World Amateur Golf Rankings and earned her the Mark H. McCormack Medal – the first Englishwoman ever to claim that award. Her transition from amateur standout to professional contender was seamless. In 2024, she posted a tied‑10th finish at the AIG Women’s Open while still an amateur, and later that year she claimed her first LET victory at the KPMG Women’s Irish Open.
She also came agonisingly close to making history as an amateur at the Amundi Evian Championship, where she finished tied‑third. Since that breakthrough, Woad has consistently performed at the highest level in major championships. She recorded a top‑10 finish at the 2025 Women’s Open (eighth place) and followed that with a seventh‑place finish at the 2026 Chevron Championship. Two weeks before the upcoming Scottish Open, she held the halfway lead at the 2026 Evian Championship before eventually slipping to a tied‑16th finish.
These results have helped her climb to an impressive fifth place in the Rolex Women’s World Rankings, a remarkable achievement for a player still in the early stages of her LPGA career. In May 2026, she added a second LPGA Tour victory to her résumé by winning the Kroger Queen City Championship, further cementing her status as one of the sport’s rising stars. "It’s definitely been a long year," Woad reflected. "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 also addressed a less‑than‑ideal performance at the Evian Championship, acknowledging that the weekend didn’t go as she hoped but emphasizing the learning opportunity it provided. "At Evian, it wasn’t the weekend I wanted there. But I’m trying to take what I can from that, still playing good golf but also learning too," she said. During her 2025 Scottish Open triumph, Woad was paired with world No.
1 Nelly Korda, a matchup that underscored her ability to compete alongside the sport’s biggest names. Sky Sports Golf’s Dame Laura Davies praised her at the time, noting that Woad “is 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.” Now, as she prepares to defend her title, Woad finds herself again in the same early‑round grouping with Korda, as well as fellow competitor Hull.
While the media may label her a “rock star,” Woad remains modest about the moniker. Speaking about Korda, who has added two more major victories this year to bring her total to four, Woad said, "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 the same as last year." The upcoming ISPS Handa Women’s Scottish Open will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Golf from July 23‑26, offering fans the chance to watch Woad’s title defence in real time. Whether she repeats her historic debut victory or faces new challenges, the tournament promises to be a showcase of her growth, resilience, and the excitement she brings to the sport.
Beyond the tournament itself, Woad’s story resonates with a broader audience. Her journey from a promising amateur in England to a top‑ranked professional illustrates the dedication required to succeed at the highest level of women’s golf. Her achievements have inspired young players worldwide, especially those who see in her a blueprint for balancing academic pursuits, such as her successful collegiate career at Florida State, with elite athletic performance.
As the week unfolds, spectators can anticipate not only high‑quality golf but also a narrative of continuity and evolution – a young athlete returning to the very course that launched her professional career, now armed with experience, confidence, and the support of family and fans. The Scottish links, with their historic dunes and unpredictable weather, will once again test Woad’s skill set, mental fortitude, and ability to handle the pressure of defending a title. Regardless of the final leaderboard, Lottie Woad’s presence at Dundonald Links this week symbolizes the next chapter of a remarkable ascent that began with a single, unforgettable win. Her story continues to captivate, and the world will be watching closely to see whether she can turn that early promise into sustained greatness on the LPGA Tour.