06-07-2025
Amateur Lottie Woad wins the Women's Irish Open by six shots as Dublin rookie Anna Foster shows stunning form
The world amateur number one (21) went into the final day with a seven-stroke lead and while that was reduced to five shots when she made just her fourth bogey of the week at the 15th, she birdied the 16th and 17th to close with a four-under 69 and win by six strokes from Swede Madelene Sagstrom, who shot 68, on 21-under.
'It means a lot to get the win,' said Woad, who won the Augusta Women's National Amateur in 2024.
'Obviously, I had a big lead coming into today, but I still had to really focus as I was being chased by some really good players.
'I'm happy to get it done. It's perfect. I feel like I'm playing well, and I hope to continue that into Evian next week.'
She needs just two more points via the LPGA's new LEAP programme to earn her LPGA Tour card and can get them in the season's penultimate Major this week.
'No, I'm not tempted to turn pro yet,' she said. 'I'm still trying to get my final two points for the LPGA. I'm trying to get those and then we will see what happens after that.'
If she doesn't get the points in France, she'll have another chance in next month's AIG Women's Open at Royal Porthcawl, where she will be joined by Lauren Walsh.
The Kildare star missed the cut but finished in the top five in the Order of Merit, not already exempt, who earned places after yesterday's cut-off.
While it was a long week for a jaded Leona Maguire, who closed with a 75 to finish joint 48th on level par, Elm Park rookie Anna Foster (23) was outstanding.
After finishing joint fourth in the German Masters, she closed with a 72 to tie for 12th (€9,000) on eight-under and move up to 26th in the Order of Merit.
Foster's card is now secure and while she's not tempted to try for her LPGA Tour card later this year, she has the freedom now to chase a maiden win.
'Pádraig Harrington had a little nugget where he said it's great to be a big fish in a little pond first before you decide to jump to the LPGA,' she said
As for winning, she added: 'Once you can do it, once you get the freedom to be able to build the self-belief and self-confidence, I do believe that I can be up around the top of the leaderboard, and it's nice to be doing it now, the last few weeks.'
Another Irish rookie, Canice Screene, closed with a joint-best-of-the-week, bogey-free. 66 to tie for 37th (€3,015) on two-under and double her earnings this season.
Foster's Elm Park clubmate, amateur Emma Fleming, was 54th on three-over after a 76 but it was a tired Maguire who trooped off tied for 48th on level par after failing to make a birdie in her 75.
'I'm just exhausted,' Maguire said after her fourth event in a row. 'There was nothing left in the tank today. Drove it really nice, just a lot of poor iron shots.
'I'm not going to read too much into it, to be honest. It's been a long run, and it's been a very tiring week, so we'll dust ourselves off and go again next week. If this wasn't the Irish Open, I wouldn't have played this week.'
At the BMW International Open in Munich, England's Dan Brown overcame his emotions following the recent death of a close friend and fired a six-under 66 to win his second DP World Tour title by two shots from compatriot Jordan Smith on 22 under.
'The last two days I've been thinking about him to try and take my mind off it, obviously try not to get too emotional in the process,' Brown said. 'I'm not too sure what happened today, like all day, it was an out-of-body experience.'
Conor Purcell eagled the last to tie for 61st on three under with a level par 72.
