Lottie Woad: Augusta National Women's Amateur champion - and Leeds United fan - in no rush to turn pro

New Augusta National Women’s Amateur champion Lottie Woad is hoping to emulate the success of Rose Zhang but is in no rush to turn professional with her immediate focus on playing at St Andrews – and the fortunes of Leeds United.

English golfer Woad, a student at Florida State University, became the first European winner of the Augusta event on Saturday, birdieing her final two holes, and three of her last four, to finish one stroke ahead of American Bailey Shoemaker.

The 20-year-old’s victory came one year after Zhang claimed the title, with the latter, who dominated the amateur game, since winning on her professional debut, recording three top-10 finishes in majors, and playing for USA in the Solheim Cup in Spain.

Woad can now look forward to appearances at the Women’s Open and US Women’s Open after winning the fifth edition of the Augusta National Women’s Amateur.

But she is yet to decide whether to play the first major of the year, the Chevron Championship later this month as it clashes with her university’s Conference Championships, and has no date in mind as to when exactly when she will turn pro either.

‘Zhang a great inspiration to all amateurs’

Woad told Sky Sports News: “Rose [Zhang] definitely took over the women’s amateur game for a good few years.

“She was a great inspiration to all of us, so I am definitely looking to follow in her footsteps a little bit. Probably not as quick as she turned pro. I am just going to see what happens.

“There is no rush. You can only be amateur once and there is so many great things I can play in. Before I make that decision, I will have to speak to a few other people.

“I will just see how I’m playing. I have a lot of opportunities in the summer now from winning this. I’m just going to keep trying to play well and experience all these great things I am going to get to do.

“[The Women’s Open] is the best one, playing at the home of golf [St Andrews]. That is the best major in my opinion, being from England, so that is going to be really cool.”

Woad, from Farnham in Surrey, was eager to find out the Leeds score after her sizzling finish at Augusta – and said learning the promotion chasers had been beaten 2-1 by Coventry “ruined my day a little bit”.

Stunning finish earns Woad Augusta title

Leeds missed the chance to move top of the Championship table – they are now third in the standings behind Leicester and Ipswich.

However, Woad surged back to the top of her leaderboard late on after the two-shot advantage she began the final round with was wiped out as Shoemaker shot a bogey-free 66.

Woad made a 10-foot par save on at 14 before picking up three shots across her final four holes, sinking a birdie putt from 12 feet at 15 and then another from 15 feet at the last.

“There’s not many people who can say they have won at Augusta or birdied the last two to win so that is something I am going to remember for a long time,” said Woad.

“I learnt I can make some clutch putts when I need to. Putting is generally my weakness so for it all to come together this week was very helpful.

“I probably looked more calm than I was. My caddie was keeping me calm and in the moment.”

‘Leeds defeat ruined my day a little bit’

And, with that, her thoughts turned back to Leeds.

“I asked in my press conference if anyone knew the Leeds score and everyone went blank. I found out afterwards that we lost and it kind of ruined my day a little bit!

“I’m hoping Leicester will stop scoring in the 95th minute. Hopefully we can get over the line.

“We need to get up or we will lose half our team next year. It has to be top two. We won’t go up in the play-offs!”

Get the best prices and book a round at one of 1,700 courses across the UK & Ireland

Ad content | Stream Sky Sports on NOW

Stream Sky Sports live with no contract on a Month or Day membership on NOW. Instant access to live action from the Premier League, EFL, F1, England Cricket and so much more.

Source link