Lottie Woad Is Built for the Big Stage - And She’s Just Getting Started
Lottie Woad isn’t just another rising star on the LPGA Tour - she’s a player who’s been quietly building toward this moment since the age of three, when her grandfather first put a club in her hand back in nursery school in England. Fast forward nearly two decades, and Woad is teeing it up this week at the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions as one of the youngest competitors in the field - and one of the most intriguing.
While many top European and Asian amateurs jump straight into the pro ranks, Woad took a different route. She left her hometown of Farnham, England, in 2022 to attend Florida State University, choosing development over immediacy. It paid off - big time.
In just three seasons in Tallahassee, Woad didn’t just make an impression; she left a legacy. She set the school scoring record with a 70.42 stroke average, climbed all the way to No. 1 in the World Amateur Golf Rankings, and captured the 2024 Augusta National Women’s Amateur - one of the most prestigious titles in the amateur game.
She also earned first-team Academic All-American honors, one of only 16 athletes nationwide to do so in 2024-25, and the only golfer among them. That’s not just balance - that’s dominance on and off the course.
Now 22, Woad enters her first full LPGA season already with a win under her belt - her professional debut, no less, at the Scottish Open last July. But even with a trophy in hand, Woad admits the transition from college golf to life on tour has been an education in itself.
“I’m definitely learning each time,” she said recently. “I was kind of thrown in the deep end.
This year is going to be great because I’ve already gotten a taste of it. I know what I’m doing now.”
That’s a scary thought for the rest of the field. Ranked No. 11 in the world, Woad is still getting her feet under her - and she’s already contending. Her third-place finish at the 2025 Evian Championship, followed by a T-3 at the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship, showed she’s not just here to compete - she’s here to win.
And she’s doing it with a game that’s built to travel. Woad hit 80.21% of greens in regulation in her nine LPGA starts - a small sample size, yes, but better than anyone on tour, including 2025 GIR leader Haeran Ryu (77.49%). That kind of ball-striking doesn’t just translate - it holds up under pressure.
Her ability to control the golf ball will be tested this week at Lake Nona Golf & Country Club, where chilly temps in the 40s and 50s and potential weekend showers could turn the course into a grind. But that’s the kind of weather Woad grew up playing in - and it might just give her an edge.
The field at the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions is stacked with LPGA winners from the 2024 and 2025 seasons, including defending champion A Lim Kim. The 72-hole, stroke-play event features a $2 million purse, and Woad will be one of 44 LPGA players looking to start 2026 with a statement.
There’s also a celebrity component to the event, with 45 stars from sports and entertainment playing under the Stableford scoring system for a $500,000 purse. Familiar faces like Don Cheadle, Michael Peña, Marcus Allen, Emmitt Smith, Albert Pujols, and Brian Urlacher are all in the mix.
Urban Meyer, fresh off his College Football Hall of Fame induction, is also teeing it up. Former NHL All-Star Joe Pavelski returns as the defending celebrity champ.
But while the celebs bring the glitz, Woad brings the game. And she’s learning how to manage the grind of tour life - from long days of practice rounds, Pro-Ams, range sessions, and media obligations, to figuring out how to pace herself across a full season.
“You need to make sure you don’t tire yourself out each day,” she said. “Being out there for 10 hours a day before you go play can be a little much. I definitely learned to get done everything I want to get done, but also not overdo.”
She’s even been studying for her driver’s license during the offseason - a reminder that while she’s already one of the best young players in the world, she’s still navigating life off the course, too.
“I feel like every part of my game is good,” Woad said. “I’m definitely excited - not everyone gets to play in this event, so it’s definitely cool.”
Cool, yes. But for Woad, it’s also another step forward in what’s shaping up to be a breakout year.
She’s not just here for the experience - she’s here to contend. And if her early returns are any indication, the LPGA may be looking at its next big star.
Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions
When: Thursday-Sunday
Where: Lake Nona Golf & Country Club
TV Coverage:
- Thursday-Friday: 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
ET, Golf Channel
- Saturday: 3-5:30 p.m.
ET, Golf Channel
- Sunday: 2-4 p.m.
ET, Golf Channel