Augusta Women’s champ wanted to make Chevron cut. Now she could win

THE WOODLANDS, Texas — To say Lottie Woad has had a whirlwind two weeks would most likely be an understatement.

Woad, a sophomore at Florida State, gained the Augusta National Women’s Amateur the week earlier than the Masters — and mentioned Friday she nonetheless hasn’t even had an opportunity to have a good time it.

“Kind of didn’t really have a chance to let Augusta sink in really. Was just coming here straightaway,” she mentioned. “I obviously took a lot of confidence from Augusta, so just trying to use that for this week.”

Woad had simply two days to resolve whether or not she would develop into the primary ANWA champion to play in that 12 months’s Chevron Championship. After getting the blessing of her Florida State coach’s blessing to miss this week’s ACC Championship, Woad flew to Texas for her first LPGA begin, in a serious championship, no much less.

“I think in college everyone does everything for you so you kind of don’t have to worry about how you’re getting to the course and stuff like that,” Woad mentioned. “This week, you’re just out a little more, but it’s been fine.”

Woad mentioned she was making an attempt to make certain she performed the weekend this week. After her second-round 69 that put her in a tie for ninth heading into the weekend at 4 underneath, protected to say the mission was achieved.

She’s now simply the third newbie to be throughout the prime 10 after 36 holes since 2004, and if she holds that place, she can be the primary newbie to end there since Stacy Lewis completed T5 in 2007.

“I didn’t have a number in mind where I wanted to finish,” she mentioned. “I used to be simply type of making an attempt to stick to my plan and shoot, I suppose, underneath par.

“But now I’m only I think three back maybe at the moment. That might change. (She ended up four back) But just going to, I guess, see how close I can get and keep trying to contend.”

Woad’s rise to stardom has been fast, however she’s been appearing like a professional all week. Woad even has a brand new caddie this week. Candy Herrera, an area caddie from this week’s host, The Club at Carlton Woods, who performed collegiately at Oklahoma State. Woad mentioned she requested for a advice for an area caddie from the membership and Herrera was the primary quantity she obtained.

Playing two teams behind the circus following Nelly Korda, Woad methodically charged up the leaderboard Friday, at one level getting inside a shot of the lead. At No. 11, she poured in a birdie putt with out her steely eyed facade cracking one bit.

She strutted over to the twelfth tee, wanting again to see her taking part in companions gap out.

Woad could have had modest expectations for the week, however she is all enterprise now.

“I’m in a good position now,” she mentioned, “so I am just going to keep trying to move up.”

Jack Hirsh

Golf.com Editor

Jack Hirsh is an assistant editor at GOLF. A Pennsylvania native, Jack is a 2020 graduate of Penn State University, incomes levels in broadcast journalism and political science. He was captain of his highschool golf group and just lately returned to this system to function head coach. Jack additionally nonetheless *tries* to stay aggressive in native amateurs. Before becoming a member of GOLF, Jack spent two years working at a TV station in Bend, Oregon, primarily as a Multimedia Journalist/reporter, but additionally producing, anchoring and even presenting the climate. He might be reached at jack.hirsh@golf.com.