Two players at opposite ends of their golfing journeys – England’s rising star Lottie Woad and New Zealand’s seasoned champion Lydia Ko, will headline one of the most anticipated groupings at this week’s AIG Women’s Open, teeing off Thursday at Royal Porthcawl.
Woad arrives in Wales on the heels of a dream professional debut, having captured the ISPS HANDA Women’s Scottish Open title last week. The 21-year-old’s maiden win as a professional came just months after she claimed the KPMG Women’s Irish Open as an amateur, making her a two-time Ladies European Tour (LET) winner before completing a full month on tour.
Now, with momentum firmly on her side, Woad is preparing for her first major start as a professional, returning to the championship where she stunned the field with a top-10 finish as an amateur last year.
“I feel good, obviously,” said the University of Nevada, Las Vegas sophomore. “I don’t feel too different, to be honest. I’ve got a lot of confidence from the last month, so I’m just trying to ride that wave.”
Having narrowly missed a playoff at the Amundi Evian Championship earlier this month, Woad has proven she belongs on golf’s biggest stages. A final-round charge at Evian, along with last week’s Scottish triumph, has put her firmly in the spotlight as one to watch this week.
“This course is going to be a really good test,” Woad said of Royal Porthcawl. “The weather’s always a factor in links golf. Par is a good score here, and you’ve got to take advantage of the par-5s. Some of the holes are blind, and you really need to trust your lines.”
Sharing the tee box with Woad in Round One is defending champion Lydia Ko, whose calm, measured approach to the game stands in contrast to Woad’s youthful surge, but whose fire remains very much intact.
Lydia Ko of New Zealand during a practice round. Photo: Mark Runnacles/LET
The 28-year-old Ko returns to the AIG Women’s Open after capturing her third career major title last year at St Andrews, where she fired a final-round 69 to win by two strokes over a world-class field including Nelly Korda and Lilia Vu.
“It’s weird to hear that I’m the defending champion,” Ko reflected. “Obviously a lot of great memories at St Andrews last year. I can’t believe it’s already been a year.”
This week also marks Ko’s first trip to Wales and her first look at Royal Porthcawl. “It’s a very different type of links course from what I’ve played before. There are blind shots, a lot of elevation changes. It’s going to be a challenge, but I’d rather it be tough than calm,” she said. “When I come to the Women’s Open, I expect wind and rain. That’s what makes this championship so special.”
Ko enters the week ranked No. 3 in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings, having added Olympic gold in Paris 2024 to her glittering résumé and earning her place in the LPGA Hall of Fame.
Despite her accolades, Ko says she feels no extra pressure defending the title. “I don’t have to prove to anybody that I can win the AIG Women’s Open. In that sense, it lets me be free and focus on what this week will bring.”
Ko also praised her high-profile grouping with Woad and 2023 champion Lilia Vu. “It’s going to be fun. Lilia’s a past champion, and it’s my first time playing with Lottie. She’s coming in with a ton of momentum, and I think a lot of people are going to come out and watch her. It’s a great group.”
