Final Major of season the perfect stage for Lottie Woad to confirm her arrival as golf's new superstar
none other than Rory McIlroy
. It has also been a season that saw Scottie Scheffler claim two of the men's championships, taking home the Wanamaker Trophy as
PGA champion
and the Claret Jug for his success in the
Open at Portrush
.
That's the men's side of things, with the world's one and two the dominant figures. The women's season has primarily been a story of breakthroughs, with Mao Saigo (Chevron Championship), Maja Stark (US Open) and Grace Kim (Evian Championship) all winning their first majors. Minjee Lee's success in the KPMG Women's PGA – her third major win – was the only one that went to a multiple champion.
There is a strong sense of anticipation about what awaits on the Welsh coast this week. Lottie Woad's seismic arrival on to the women's professional circuit has the feel of a superstar emerging before our eyes.
As the long-time world amateur number one, Woad (21) – winner of the Augusta National women's amateur championship last year and a star turn in Britain and Ireland's Curtis Cup win – had been flagged as one to watch.
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However, the English star's win in the KPMG Irish Women's Open at Carton House kicked off the sort of hot form line that only someone like Nelly Korda has managed in recent years on the LPGA Tour. Woad followed that Irish Open win with a third-placed finish in the Evian – a major. That form saw her earn a full LPGA Tour card through the elite pathway route. She brought that momentum to Dundonald Links, where she won the KPMG Scottish Open on her professional debut.
Woad is already in the top 25 on the Rolex world rankings. Her swift impact on the professional game has added a new dimension to women's golf. It must be close to certain that Anna Nordqvist will pencil her in for next year's Solheim Cup in the Netherlands.
Woad has acquired veteran caddie Dermot Byrne, who previously caddied for Shane Lowry and
Leona Maguire
. The partnership has been very successful so far and there is a further Irish connection as Novellus, a
Dublin
finance institution, is one of her main sponsors.
Lottie Woad with her caddie Dermot Byrne during the final round of the Women's Scottish Open at Dundonald Links Golf Course last weekend. Photograph:Of her seamless transition from an amateur to tour life, Woad remarked: 'I think just getting experience is great. I played a lot of majors and pro events before [winning in Scotland]. So it wasn't all new, really. I think the more experiences you give yourself, the better.'
While she is the new poster girl for women's professional golf and clearly has an exciting journey ahead, there are others who will be looking to find a major breakthrough at Royal Porthcawl. Among them will be three Irish players.
Leona Maguire has hit decent form of late, with top-10s in each of the last two majors. She has fond memories of this part of Wales having won her Amateur Championship title at nearby Pyle & Kenfig in 2017.
The two other Irish players in the field for the season's final major are Lauren Walsh, who earned her place off the LET current season order of merit, and rookie Anna Foster, who earned her place in the field through final qualifying at Pyle & Kenfig.
On the PGA Tour, this week's Wyndham Championship is the final event of the regular season before the leading 60 players move on to the FedEx Cup playoffs (Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry are among those guaranteed to progress).
However, Séamus Power will need to deliver something special at Wyndham as he is currently 130th in the rankings. That leaves him in a fight to retain full playing privileges, which go the top 100 in the rankings.
With no event on the DP World Tour this week, the focus is on the Scottish Challenge at Roxburghe on the HotelPlanner Tour where Max Kennedy, Liam Nolan, Daniel Mulligan, Alex Maguire, Mark Power, Dermot McElroy and Jonathan Caldwell are in the field.
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