Lottie Woad winner of the ISPS Handa Women’s Scottish Open gives an interview after winning on her first start on the LPGA Tour
Q. Talk about your first professional start, kind of put into words what that means to you.
I think it’s quite hard to do that, but very special to win in my first event. You know, everyone was chasing me today, and managed to maintain the lead and played really nicely down the stretch and hit a lot of good shots, which is nice.
What was the mindset coming down the final stretch, 16, 17, 18?
I didn’t really know the score most of the back nine. There wasn’t really any scoreboards to be honest. Only knew on 18 or 17, I saw that I had two shots. Kind of assumed she would birdie 18 but then found out she didn’t. Only had like 170 but just laid up and then pitched on.
This week you were never under any real pressure, and you never put yourself in stressful situations. How impressive was that?
I mean, it might have looked less stressful than maybe it was at times, but I think I only had like three bogeys, which, I mean, the wind wasn’t too bad the first due days. But on links golf, it’s definitely about bogey avoidance. That was probably the key to winning.
It was fitting that you hit probably two wedges to set up the birdie at the last. Has that always been the strength of your game?
My wedges have always been a strength, and my approaches in general, I can usually rely on it and control the spin pretty nicely.
Tell us about the Scott connection, the other day, your grannie and your aunt, I think, they live in Scotland?
They live in Scotland. They are not Scottish. They live in Edinburgh. So I’m up here quite a bit.
Did you have them here today?
Yeah, it was great.
What are their names?
Sarah and Marian (laughter)… I don’t call them that.
I don’t want to dwell on the monetary side of things, but obviously you forfeited a heck of a bit of money in the last few. Nice to putt a cheque in the bank?
I don’t even know what the winner’s cheque is. But yeah, I mean, a lot of people have obviously talked about me not winning any money.
But I knew going into this event, at the start, I wasn’t going to win any money. Didn’t make too much difference. And then I knew if I kept playing how I was, then it would all work out.
The amateur-to-pro transition can be quite difficult. It’s early days yet, but any advice for people like Hannah, who had her first pro event this week, as well, Curtis Cup, how you approach it, and what your mindset is in this whole thing?
I think just getting experience is great. Played a lot of majors and pro events before this. So it wasn’t all knew, really. So I think just the more experiences you give yourself, the better.
Go and ride the crest of the wave down to Wales now, then? Looking forward to another AIG?
Just looking to continue the momentum, really.
Porthcawl, have you played there?
I played there once.
Any success?
It was a practise round a few weeks ago.
But you’ll be getting used to this heighten expectation, of course. Do you just shrug that off?
I try to but it’s not always easy. Just looking forward to it.
For the sake of Martin and for Nick, why does the granny and the auntie, why do they live in Scotland?
My aunt’s husband is Scottish. So he’s from Scotland (laughter).
I don’t know why she moved up. Maybe Sarah, my aunt, is the favourite child and she wanted to be near her.
Many players say they win with their B Game. Do you feel like you’re playing your best golf, and if not, when do you think you were?
I don’t think for all four rounds, but I mean, definitely feels pretty good. I think it’s hard to label what your A and B Game is but the first day was probably where I played the worst but still scored pretty good. And honestly, yesterday, I probably played the best and didn’t score the best either. So it just kind of depends, really.
Describe what golf has been like the month of July, the win, the tied third at Evian and then this win.
LOTTIE WOAD: It’s been pretty good, yeah. I don’t really know how to describe it. Just been shooting low scores, which is always nice.
What was your emotions, and what were you feeling like inside when you were on 18?
I mean, I felt pretty good going down 18 because I knew I had a two-shot lead and just hit an 80-yard lay-up and an 80-yard shot. So I felt pretty confident coming down there. It was always nice to finish with a birdie. So just had like a two-footer, which is a nice length, so yeah, happy.
Is it a challenge to remain outwardly calm in such extraordinary and exciting moments as you’ve experienced today?
It’s always a challenge not to think too far ahead. There’s definitely times where I just had to try and think back to the next shot coming down the stretch. But yeah, just try and fix the next shot, really.
You told me last week that you needed to buy a car in the U.S. first for your first pro cheque. Have you thought about what kind of car? They said on the broadcast that you don’t have a license. Do you have a license in the U.S. or do you have a license in the U.K.?
Who gave them that info? I wonder. No, I need to take my test in America and get a car. Yeah, that’s the plan.
Do you have a kind of car in mind?
No.
How did the nerves today compare to winning at Augusta?
Probably a bit less to be honest. I think Augusta, that was the biggest tournament I played in at the time and was kind of my big win.
So definitely felt the pressure of it more there, and I felt like all those experiences helped me with this.
And how has the week been at Dundonald and how have you enjoyed playing the course and the facilities and everything?
It’s been great. Never been here before. The course is amazing, in great condition, and played different every day with the different wind directions. It was a nice challenge and everyone here has been so kind.
Do you ever have a sleepless night in the tournament? Sleep okay last night?
Slept fine (Laughter).
