Amateur Lottie Woad secures LPGA card, finishes third at Amundi Evian

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2 days ago

Lottie Woad needed a top-25 finish at the Amundi Evian Championship to earn her LPGA card, but apparently, that was too easy.
The No. 1 amateur took the drama out of earning her card and ratcheted it up 10 notches: Could she become the first amateur in more than 50 years to win a major?
Woad, who started out the day five back, went out in 30 to heat things up in France and held a share of the lead midway through her final round with world No. 2 Jeeno Thitikul, the best player in the game without a major title.
'It seems effortless to her,' said fellow Englishwoman Karen Stupples from the broadcast booth.
A disappointing par on the closing par-5 18th put Woad at 13 under for the tournament and in possession of the clubhouse lead after a final-round 64. She ultimately, however, finished one back of getting into a playoff between Grace Kim and Thitikul.
In reaching 20 points, Woad becomes the first player to graduate from the tour's new LPGA Elite Amateur Pathway (LEAP) program, which launched in the fall of 2024. Woad, who won the Irish Open last week by a stunning six shots, must turn professional to join the LPGA and accept membership for the remainder of the 2025 season. She'll have membership for 2026 as well.
"I'm just going to take the next week and discuss it with my family and coaches and will make a decision after that," Woad told Golf Channel's Tom Abbott after the round.
The 21-year-old Florida State senior is already in the field for the ISPS Handa Women's Scottish Open by virtue of her win in Ireland. She's also already in the field for the AIG Women's British Open thanks to her top-10 finish last year at St. Andrews.
'I just don't see a weakness,' said Golf Channel lead analyst Morgan Pressel of the hard-working Woad's complete game.
Woad had longtime swing coach Luke Bone on the bag at Evian. Bone began working with Woad at Farnham Golf Club when she was 7 years old and the thirtysomething instructor has had to up his teaching game as Woad upped hers.
A player who thrives in the spotlight and has a flair for the dramatic, Woad birdied three of the last four holes to win the 2024 Augusta National Women's Amateur. She first rose to No. 1 on the World Amateur Golf Ranking on June 12, 2004.
In her junior season at FSU, Woad won twice and never finished outside the top three until the NCAA Championship, where she took a share of eighth place.
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Amateur Lottie Woad secures LPGA card after closing 64 at Evian