Lottie Woad makes pro debut and is
1 shot behind in Women's Scottish Open
[July 25, 2025]
IRVINE, Scotland (AP) — Lottie Woad made her pro debut Thursday and
not much changed. The rising English star had a 5-under 67 and was
among those one shot behind Charlotte Laffar after the opening round
of the Women's Scottish Open.
Laffar, who only returned to the Ladies European Tour in May after
taking four years off to have two children, opened with a bogey at
Dundonald Links and more than made up for that with eight birdies
the rest of the way for a 66.
She led by one over five players. That group included Leona Maguire,
who had a far different start to her day than Laffar. Maguire holed
out from the first fairway for eagle. Nelly Korda, still searching
for her first victory of the year after a seven-win season in 2024,
was among those at 68.
The tournament is co-sanctioned by the LPGA and the LET, an ideal
spot ahead of the final major of the year, next week's Women's
British Open at Royal Porthcawl in Wales.
Woad first got attention when she won the Augusta National Women's
Amateur in 2023 and then rose to No. 1 in the women's amateur
ranking while at Florida State. She won the Women's Irish Open three
weeks ago as an amateur and then finished one shot out of a playoff
at a major in the Evian Championship. That secured an LPGA card, and
she turned pro.
“I'm just trying to keep as much momentum as possible and keep
playing how I was playing. It worked today, so I will just try and
do that again the next few days,” Woad said. “It didn’t feel too
different today. I think having all the experience I’ve had in
majors and contending gave me all I needed, and I didn’t really have
to change much.”
[to top of second column] |
Lottie Woad, of England, looks over her line during the first round
of the women's Scottish Open golf tournament, Thursday, July 24,
2025, at Dundonald Links in Irvine, Scotland. (Steve Welsh/PA via
AP)
Laffar, a 32-year-old from England, ran off four
birdies in a five-hole stretch on the back nine and regained the
lead with a birdie at the 17th. Her husband, David, was caddying for
her and they left their sons with grandparents.
“I’ve got no pressure at all,” Laffar said. “Golf is a lot of
people’s lives out here, but my children are my life. So this has
become more of a working hobby, I suppose you could say. I’ve just
got to enjoy every moment. I don’t know how long I’m going to do it
for. I will see how it goes. I’ve got to show the kids how I used to
play.”
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