Lottie Woad’s target ahead of the AIG Women’s Open was simply to make it through to the weekend, although she will now have to set new goals after an impressive start at St Andrews.
The Englishwoman marked her debut in the event with a brilliant level-par 72 in strong winds on Thursday morning, then continued to exceed her own expectations in the worst of the conditions in the second round.
Woad carded a front-nine 33 on Friday afternoon to reach the turn within five strokes of clubhouse leader Nelly Korda, with the 20-year-old then closing a two-under 70 to head into the weekend in tied-11th and eight shots off the pace.
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"I want to just try and enjoy it, keep trying to make birdies and see how high I can finish," Woad told Sky Sports. "I think it played a little easier [compared to Thursday], the gusts weren't as strong, but it was still a challenge.
"The putting was a bit easier today, which was nice. Feeling good, just trying to keep playing solid, just trying to minimise mistakes."
On why she thinks she made such a good start, Woad added: '"I've got quite a bit of experience on links golf. Got those experiences of just playing knock-down shots which is kind of what I was doing the whole front nine, which if you don't know how to do it's a bit of a struggle when it's into wind."
Woad is going to remain an amateur for the foreseeable future as she continues college in the United States, while Catriona Matthew - who will have her as a player in Great Britain and Ireland's Curtis Cup team next week at Sunningdale - is excited by her potential.
"I think she'll be really important, just for the whole morale [of the team]," Matthew said after missing the cut at St Andrews. "They've all played with her, they know they can beat her but they know she's good. I think having that will just give them a bit more confidence as a team."
On what makes her so impressive, Matthew added: "It's just her all-around game. There's no real weakness. The main thing is she's mentally tough...someone who can dig deep and do it when they have to. There's no huge rush [to turn professional], I don't think. We all know golf you can have a long career. I think she's enjoying college."
Woad's rise to amateur stardom
Woad has past links success in the 2022 R&A Girls' Amateur at Carnoustie, where she claimed a 7&6 victory to join a list of champions including Solheim Cup captain Suzann Pettersen and former AIG Women's Open champions Anna Nordqvist and Georgia Hall.
The Florida State University student has represented England in both the Arnold Palmer Cup and the Women's World Amateur Team Championship, while she is expected to play a key role for Great Britain and Ireland against the United States in the Curtis Cup later this month.
Woad made history in April when she won the August National Women's Amateur in dramatic fashion, held at the home of The Masters, birdieing three of her last four holes to claim a one-shot victory and become the first European winner of the event.
That victory secured invites to four of the five majors this year, with Woad making an immediate impact when she finished tied-23rd - having been four off the halfway lead - on debut at the Chevron Championship.
She has also recorded second place finishes in the NCAA D1 Women's Championship, Florida State Match Up and Collegiate Invitational at GCC this season, leading to Woad become the first Englishwoman to ever top the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) earlier this summer.
Further major starts at the US Women's Open and Evian Championship have followed ahead of her appearance at the Home of Golf, while Woad has won the iconic Mark H McCormack Medal as the leading woman amateur in 2024.
The award guarantees her exemptions into the US Women's Open and the AIG Women's Open next season, regardless of her weekend performance at St Andrews, with more opportunities likely to come Woad's way in the months and years ahead. A name we will see on leaderboards regularly in the future.
Watch Lottie Woad in action at the AIG Women's Open this weekend and the Curtis Cup from August 30-September 1 live on Sky Sports. Stream the women's majors and more sport with NOW.
