Q&A: Where Lottie Woad keeps trophy from Augusta win; learning from the pros, and when she’ll join them

BRENTLEY ROMINE: The last time you finished outside the top 10 in a non-professional event, do you know when the last time that was?

LOTTIE WOAD: A while ago.

BR: 2023 European Ladies. How do you explain that?

LW: Yeah, I don’t really know how. I guess just being consistent with what I’m working on and, you know, I feel like my bad rounds have got a lot worse, so like if I don’t play great, I feel like I’m still kind of around the top 10 and not out of it going into the last day, whereas before it’d be like nowhere near.

BR: Where’s your game at right now compared to last year around this time?

LW: I feel pretty similar. I feel like I’m playing really good, improved some of my wedges and stuff like that. Could maybe improve my putting a little bit at the moment; it’s not really terrible, but I feel like that’s the area I’m trying to work on right now, just kind of in the 10- to 15-foot range I’m not really making as many as I probably was last year.

BR: It might be game over if you start making 15-footers with regularity.

LW: Yeah, like the last like however many college events I’ve played, like five, I didn’t putt good at any of them, and generally, I feel like you can’t put terrible and win, so I’ve been working a lot on that. Technique and all that is feeling good, just starting to see the ball go in the hole.

BR: How has your life off the golf course changed since this time last year?

LW: Before I was probably unknown and no one really knew about me. I guess now people do, so I guess that’s a little different, but I don’t think I’ve changed really. I think the team would agree, and I just have a lot of fun when I’m playing golf or hanging out with the team, so I don’t think anything else has really changed.

BR: How do you not let the expectations now, the increased notoriety, all of that, how do you not let it affect your golf?

LW: It’s difficult. At the start, it was new to me, so that was a little challenging, but, you know, I worked with psychologists and stuff like that, and I’ve always had high expectations for myself anyway, so, it’s kind of, I guess, ignoring other people. It kind of sounds bad, but I just kind of set little goals for myself, like at each round, whether that be green in reg or birdies or something like that, just so that it kind of takes my mind off of, you know, someone’s expecting me to win or play well.

BR: What happens in the aftermath of winning Augusta? What are some things that happen to the champion that people might not know about? Do they do anything special for you? Give us a peek behind the curtain of some of the perks you get.

LW: I got sent a replica of the trophy – you obviously don’t keep the one that you get at the presentation – so that got sent home to England. It came in a really cool box, and honestly, it hasn’t come out of the box just because as soon as I take it out, I’m afraid it’s going to rust and I’ll need to polish it. That’s just in my room in England somewhere, in the box. I guess the perks, the major invites, that’s the best thing you get out of winning it.

BR: Do you have to speak this year?

LW: I haven’t been told. I don’t think anyone’s done that before. I hope not.

BR: What happens in the aftermath after your victory last April? You win, you do the presentation on the practice green, what was the rest of your evening like?

LW: Pretty much just interviews really, for a couple of hours, and then went and saw my family because they were all there. Like my nan was there and some other people, which was really nice. Then I went out for dinner, went out with some of my friends and coaches, and then I changed my flight the next day, and they had some other stuff they wanted me to do, so I changed it to the afternoon. I presented at the Drive, Chip and Putt, got to go to the clubhouse, do the tour. Got to meet Danny Willett, which was really cool. I presented with Nancy Lopez. I think I briefly met Tom Watson as well.

BR: You birdied three of the last four. When you think back to that, is that the best stretch of four holes you’ve ever played.

LW: Yeah, it was probably the most important, right? After 13, I feel like everyone probably thought I wasn’t going to win it – even after me standing over like a 12-footer for par on 14.

BR: You were leaking oil a little bit, right?

LW: Yeah (laughs). But honestly, up to that point I was actually playing pretty good, but Bailey was obviously just playing amazing. I think I was like 1 under at the time, you know, just kind of going along, and then make bogey, and then at that point there’s nothing to lose, so I think I was maybe a little more relaxed than I was from the start and just started firing at pins.

BR: What’s the moment at school or on campus since then where someone recognized you and made a big deal whereas a year ago no one would have any idea?

LW: I feel like most people don’t know who the golf team is at school, but then just randomly in classes, there’ll be random people like, ‘Are you Lottie?’ I had it at a football game, and I was queuing to go in, and this, I think she had quite a bit to drink, but some American was like, ‘Are you Lottie? I’ve been to London. I hate London!’ I’m like, ‘Oh, thanks?’ So that was interesting, but our professors know kind of who I am now, which is helpful because then they can give me extensions and stuff like that (laughs).

BR: So, you were going to a football game?

LW: See, someone said I hadn’t been to a football game. I have but…

BR: I’d heard you hadn’t.

LW: I’ve never been to a full football game. I’ve been to like a few halves, because they’re so long. I haven’t seen us win.

BR: So, you probably shouldn’t go.

LW: Yeah, we were losing every half. and I was just like, I’m gonna go. They’re so long, like four hours.

BR: Golf isn’t very fast either. Do you consider yourself a fast player or a slow player or in the middle?

LW: I feel like I’m in the middle, but I feel like I’m very good at being ready when it’s my turn. A lot of the time I’m hitting last, and I’ve already worked out what I’m hitting, so I’ll just be ready to go over the ball as soon as they’re done. That’s what I noticed when I was playing in the majors, like a lot of people aren’t ready when it’s their turn, and they really like to play in turn. Whereas like here, if someone’s not ready, I’ll just go because why not? They don’t go out of position if you get what I’m saying, like they’re not playing ready golf.

BR:What was the best moment of your major stretch last year? I was at the Women’s Open at St. Andrews…

LW: That was my favorite one.

BR: Crazy conditions, and you’re not wearing a jacket. Because it didn’t fit right or something?

LW: I just wasn’t cold. Like I’m from England, so it wasn’t that bad. That was my favorite one by far. I’ve always wanted to play in the Open, you know, being English and obviously in St Andrews, like that’s pretty perfect for your first Open. And the weather suited me great because I know how to play in that and you’ve kind of taken out half the before you’ve even started. The best moment was when I holed out on 18 in the third round; that was like so cool, and everyone went crazy.

BR: And you made Amy switch her flight.

LW: She did me a favor because she said top 10 [after 36 holes and she’d stay]. Well, I was 11th going into the weekend, and she tricked me. She was like, ‘I’m sorry, I said top 10,’ and she was with my family at that point when she texted that, and I’m like, oh, that’s a bit mean. And then she’s like jok-ing.

BR: You’re playing all these pro events. You made two out of the four major cuts, almost made Evian. How close do you feel in terms of being ready to play out there full-time?

LW: I think pretty close. Like the Open and the Chevron, I played nicely. Learned a lot from the Chevron. I kind of dropped back over the weekend, like I was in the top 10 going into the weekend and maybe just got a bit ahead of myself and, you know, start looking around and stuff like that. And then learned that going into the Open to just stick to myself. I feel like it’s close, but it’s different than, you know, amateur stuff, where if I don’t have my best stuff, I’m still around, whereas you’re missing the cut in a major, so I think it’s still getting a little more consistent and minimizing some mistakes. Like at the Evian, I was maybe 1 under with a few to play in the first round and was getting annoyed because the lead was like 7, and I was like, Why am I doing so badly? And then ended up dropping a few shots, which then ultimately cost me making a cut, so just kind of stuff like that, I’m maturing a little bit.

BR: What are your thoughts on LEAP?

LW: I mean, I love it because I’m not that far away. I need four more [points]. and I think I’ve got a lot of opportunities this year to get it well, but, you know, I’m already in the Open, the U.S. Open, so hopefully play well in those.

BR: It’s a three-year rolling period to get to 20, too?

LW: I have until the end of 2026, so I’m not really stressing about it because I think it’s gonna – I don’t know, I better get four points in two years. I would love to get it this summer and then have a decision obviously.

BR: What’s still left to accomplish in amateur golf? I guess the most glaring thing is no national championship yet, but is there anything else besides that that you’d still like to do?

LW: I mean, definitely that. We’ve got a great team this year, and individually, too; I was pretty close last year, so definitely want to make a run at that. I’d love to defend Augusta; that’s the biggest event we play. … The issue is I’d love to play in the U.S. Am, but I just haven’t been able to make the dates work at the moment, so probably the British Am would be a great one.

BR: There’s another world No. 1 that you share a campus with, Luke Clanton. What’s that like? And have you stepped back and kind of appreciated how cool that is to have the No. 1 men’s and women’s amateurs at the same university?

LW: I think it’s the first time that’s happened. And I think that just speaks volumes. We’ve got a joint program with all our coaches, and it just shows how great they are, and it’s just cool because it just pushes both of us on, I think, men’s and women’s. I mean, it’s been great. I haven’t really thought about it, how cool it is, but thinking about it now, I mean, no one’s done it before, so obviously it’s quite difficult.

BR: Do you practice next to him quite a bit or play against him at home?

LW: To be honest, I haven’t seen him much lately, so I can’t really say much for this year, but like last year, our practices are at the same time, all the time, so we’ll be hitting on the range next to each other. We haven’t had like a match or anything per se.

BR: That might be a good idea before you guys leave. Have someone stream it on YouTube. Do you watch YouTube?

LW: (shakes head no).

BR: Do you know any of the influencers?

LW: (still shaking head no).

BR: Do you watch LPGA or PGA Tour?

LW: I mostly only watch the majors or the big events really. Like I’ll watch if someone I like is in the lead, and I’ll watch a bit of that, but mainly it’s just the highlight shots. I’ll follow those on social media more than actually sitting down and watch it.

BR: Was there a moment, maybe early, at ANWA last year where you faced any adversity or were worried you weren’t going to win?

LW: In the week prep before it, I was kind of ill, so I didn’t really get to practice much going in. I obviously wasn’t happy about. I obviously like to practice, and it was just kind of down with a cold, but I mean it wasn’t that bad, but yeah, I was like, this isn’t the best prep, but obviously it ended up fine. That was really it, there wasn’t really much adversity.

BR: Have you changed any equipment since then.

LW: I’ve got the new [Titleist] wedges, and the new ball, and I’ve changed my hybrids. I was on the TSi for years before, and I then right before the Open, I changed to the TSR, which I was like years late for. I just didn’t want to change it. But now they’ve brought out the next one, so I’m not a big changer. I haven’t switched to the GT yet or anything.

BR: What club has been in your bag the longest?

LW: My putter. I’ve had two. I got my first ladies putter whenever I was how old. And my putter after that is the one I use now. The first one was some Ping blade thing, which I used it for probably too long because it did not suit me. And then four or five years ago, I’ve had this Odyssey one and have used it ever since.

BR: Have you ever been overcome by pressure? It seems like you’re so unflappable now, but has there ever been a moment where you used to get super nervous?

LW: I used to get a little bit nervous. Obviously, I do get a few nerves, but it’s generally like just the first tee shot. Like at Chevron, that first tee shot, it’s my first major and I was definitely a bit nervy on. But once I hit it, I was fine. Like there’s not shots where I’m shaking over. I think I just have loads of experiences now playing in front of people, whereas years before I hadn’t, and I’ve just kind of gotten used to people watching me, and now I kind of like it, but before I’d be like, oh, did they think that was a good shot? But now, I’m like, I don’t really care.

BR: What family member has had the biggest impact on your golf, and has there been a moment in the past year where you’ve shared a special moment that sticks out?

LW: My dad introduced me to golf. My mum doesn’t play, but she’s still really supportive and obviously comes and watches, but yeah, dad’s been the taxi around England and Europe and came over for ANWA, so that was just really cool to see; he obviously watched me, and he got to come with me when we took pictures on the par-3 12th, and he got to go on the green. He was like taking selfies and being like a kid. So, that was funny. He’s seen me when I was so young, playing golf, and now getting to play with some really cool people, and in majors, and I think it’s probably just a full-circle moment for him. He’s so supportive, but he’s low key as well. He knows his place, like he’s not going to come over and tell me anything, like what to do or anything, because he knows himself – I mean, he’s like a 10-handicap, so what can he really tell me? He’ll basically text me before I go for a round and just be like, Go do what you do, and then that’s it.

BR: Mom didn’t come last year?

LW: No, and she was really annoyed. She wanted to come, but my sister Millie had exams at school, quite important ones, so mum had to stay with her and make sure she studied. She’s coming this year, but Millie, she’s 17 now, she’s gonna stay home again. She came the first year, but she has school stuff again, and quite frankly, she watches me play golf loads.

BR: Nan?

LW: My nan’s unfortunately not coming either. She’s got a little older. But she’s my lucky charm. She’s been to ANWA, St. Andrews, Curtis Cup, British Girls, so like every time she’s there, the team or I win, so I need to keep bringing her to stuff.

BR: Is there a moment that sticks out during that Saturday last year that maybe would surprise people?

LW: I pulled my shot on 18, that’s not where I was aiming. Like I was trying to go a little bit right of it because there’s not much left of it, and you can kind of feed it in, and I pulled it, and I was like leaning, but it came back. That’s why, you know, you pick small targets.

BR: You wearing the big Seminole logo on your back again?

LW: Not sure (laughs).

BR: How much did you hear about that?

LW: Oh, loads. Like everyone wanted the jumper, like, just the big Noles down the back, it was perfect. And there were loads of just random people that saw the Florida State logo and were cheering for me that I didn’t know.

BR: How much did you buy in merch last year?

LW: I only bought a hoodie and a cap.

BR: That’s it?

LW: We actually got to go to the member’s shop, which was really nice, so I got a hoodie from there and a cap, and we got my mum some stuff. Oh, my dad got a gnome actually.

BR: Did he put it in the garden back home?

LW: No, it’s inside. I don’t know why. Well, England weather is terrible, so that’s probably why.

BR: Is it still in the box.

LW: No, he got it out. I think it’s in one of our living rooms.

BR: What would be a successful week at Augusta this time?

LW: I think just being in contention. I want to win, but you can’t say winning because you can’t control what other people are going to do. I just feel like if I’m around the lead, I’m so much more comfortable being there now that I can give it a good run.