Lottie Woad Wins Pro Golf Debut After Forfeiting Nearly $600K As Amateur

Rising golf star Lottie Woad won her first start as a professional on Sunday, after not being allowed to accept prize money during two stellar performances as an amateur earlier this month. 

Woad, 21, won the ISPS Handa Women’s Scottish Open by three strokes, cashing a $300,000 first-place check. The victory comes just a few weeks after Woad won the KPMG Women’s Irish Open, a Ladies European Tour event, but had to forfeit the $79,000 winner’s check. She also tied for third at the Amundi Evian Championship, one of the five LPGA majors, which would have paid her $485,200. 

“I don’t even know what the winner’s check is,” Woad said after her victory. “But yeah, I mean, a lot of people have obviously talked about me not winning 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.”

Woad, who is from England, played collegiately at Florida State and had major NIL (name, image, and likeness) deals with Titleist, FootJoy, Upper Deck, and fintech company Novellus. She had held the No. 1 spot in the women’s World Amateur Golf Rankings since last July.

CNBC Saves the Day

After the third round ended with Woad in contention, the LPGA worked last-minute to give the final round broadcast additional TV exposure Sunday morning. 

Originally, NBC Sports was only set to stream the final round live and show a tape delay on Golf Channel Sunday afternoon. However, the company ended up airing the conclusion of the tournament live on CNBC from 9–11 a.m. ET.  Golf Channel aired the Senior Open Championship Sunday morning. 

Getting better TV exposure is a top priority for new LPGA commissioner Craig Kessler. “For so many sports, it’s easy to know when to turn on the TV or click open an app and find the players you want to see at predictable times. It’s really, really hard to do that today with women’s golf,” Kessler told Front Office Sports after his hire was announced in May.

Woad will make her next start later this week at the AIG Women’s Open, which is the final major of the year.