England’s Lottie Woad, the world’s top amateur golfer, wowed the golf world with her commanding six-shot victory at the KPMG Women’s Irish Open. This triumph, where she outplayed seasoned professionals including long-time European Solheim Cup stalwarts Madelene Sagstrom, Charley Hull, Anna Nordqvist, Georgia Hall and Leona Maguire, really showed off the 21-year-old’s incredible talent and cool head.
Just two more points away from hitting the 20 needed for her LPGA Tour card through the LPGA’s Elite Amateur Pathway (LEAP), which she could potentially guarantee at this week’s Amundi Evian Championship, Lottie Woad would be at a turning point, facing a career-defining decision – go pro now, or finish up her final year at Florida State University.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
While the idea of turning pro right away is incredibly tempting, especially with her winning momentum, and her amateur career has definitely set her up for the world stage, she will be well aware of the ups and downs and challenges that come with professional women’s golf if she feels it’s too early for her.
That said, she’s not just dominant by chance, she has held the World Amateur Golf Ranking’s top spot for 50 weeks and counting, and is set to collect the prestigious Mark H. McCormack Medal for a second consecutive year. She’s built this consistent excellence through a schedule of top-tier events and her performances in the women’s Majors as an amateur already tells a story – T23 in her Major debut at the 2024 Chevron Championship, a T10 finish at the 2024 AIG Women’s Open, and a T31 at the 2025 US Women’s Open.
These experiences have provided invaluable exposure to Major pressure and competition against the very best. Her recent KPMG Women’s Irish Open victory, where she calmly closed out a significant lead, further highlights how tough she is mentally. As she herself said, the final round felt “pretty stress free.”
However, making the transition from amateur to professional needs careful consideraiton. “No, I’m not tempted to turn pro yet, I’m still trying to get my final two points for the LPGA and then we will see what happens after that,” said Woad following her emphatic victory.
Lottie Woad with the Smyth Salver, awarded to the lowest amateur at the 2024 AIG Women’s Open
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Of course, a distinct advantage of turning pro is a financial one. As an amateur, Woad misses out on all prize money. The €67,500 first-place cheque from…
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