Lottie Woad excited for Scottish Open return after breakthrough victory sparked 'rock star' status

Tuesday, 21 July 2026 22:57

Lottie Woad returns to the scene of her stunning debut win as a professional this week when looking to defend the ISPS Handa Women's Scottish Open.

Last year, the then 21-year-old took a two-shot lead into the final day at Dundonald Links, managing to hold off Hyo Joo Kim and the chasing pack to take the title.

In doing so, Woad became just the third player in LPGA Tour history to win on her first professional start, following on from Rose Zhang in 2023 and Beverly Hanson in 1951.

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"I didn't appreciate at the time, obviously being my first event," Woad said ahead of her return this week - the Scottish Open, live on Sky Sports Golf from 9.30am on Thursday.

"I didn't know what to expect. But now I've been playing every week and playing with the same people and obviously seeing how good everyone is, it definitely feels more special now.

"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."

Woad's triumph in 2025 was exactly as she describes it, special, seeing her deliver immediately in the pro ranks on her long-touted talent that shone as an amateur.

Her name first floated onto the radar in May 2022 when making her debut on the Ladies European Tour in a 10th-placed finish at the Madrid Open, before she enrolled at Florida State where she would become WGCA Freshman of the Year, a junior FSU Female Athlete of the Year and ACC Golfer of the Year.

She continued her rise in April 2024 by winning the Augusta National Women's Amateur, while she'd later claim the No 1 spot in the World Amateur Golf Rankings and became the first English woman to win the Mark H. McCormack Medal as the leading amateur in the world.

She was the leading amateur when she finished tied-10th at the 2024 AIG Women's Open, while her Scottish Open triumph last year followed a maiden LET victory at the KPMG Women's Irish Open and a narrow miss at making history as an amateur at the Amundi Evian Championship.

That tied-third finish has since been followed by further major top-10s at the 2025 Women's Open (eighth) and 2026 Chevron Championship (seventh), while she held the halfway lead at the 2026 Evian Championship two weeks ago before fading to a tied-16th finish.

The 22-year-old already sits a remarkable fifth in the Rolex Women's World Rankings, registering a second LPGA Tour win at the Kroger Queen City Championship in May.

"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.

"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."

During Woad's Scottish Open victory last year that kick-started her pro career, she was grouped with world No 1 Nelly Korda.

"She's not afraid to compete against the biggest names in the game," Sky Sports Golf's Dame Laura Davies said at the time. "She has every part of her game, and her results already suggest she has all the qualities to become a rockstar of the future."

And 'rock star' Woad could well be the headline act this time round as she's again grouped with Korda and Hull for the opening two rounds of her title defence at Dundonald Links.

Not that the modest Woad sees it that way.

Speaking on Korda, who has doubled her career major tally to four with wins at the Chevron and US Women's Open this year, 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 same as last year."

Who will win the ISPS Handa Women's Scottish Open? Watch exclusively live from July 23-26 on Sky Sports Golf. Get Sky Sports or stream with no contract.