W(h)oad! England's First ANWA Winner Birdies The Final Two Holes
Lottie Woad recovers from an Amen Corner stumble to win 2024 Augusta National Women's Amateur. She holds off a new tournament record final round by Bailey Shoemaker. Plus, first course observations.
Lottie Woad entered the Augusta National Women’s Amateur final round with a two-stroke lead and hopes of a leisurely stroll amid the pink dogwoods and towering pines.
“I was hoping it was going to be a nice stress-free day, but it was far from that,” Woad said of a two-stroke lead that evaporated by the second nine before a stunning birdie-birdie conclusion. “In the end, it's a cooler way to finish, so yeah.”
Woad had scanned hole locations—which more closely resembling traditional Masters Sunday spots this year than in previous ANWA’s—and the 20-year-old veteran of one previous playing “prepared for someone to go low.”
Teeing off five groups ahead of Woad’s 10:50 time, Bailey Shoemaker posted a six-birdie 66 to establish a new Augusta National Women’s Amateur course record. At one point Shoemaker opened a two-stroke lead after Woad was lucky to bogey the par 5 13th.
“I always look at the scoreboard, so I wasn't going to change that,” Woad said of the lead swing. “It helped me know that I had to go low the last few holes.”
And she did en route to a 208 total which held off off Shoemaker by one stroke to become the fifth Augusta National Women’s Amateur champion. Woad’s heroics continued the incredible start to an event that was the brainchild of current Chairman Fred Ridley. Despite the odd-format of an off-day mid-event to allow the field a chance at experiencing Augusta National, the event has produced clutch shotmaking, several thrilling finishes for a national television audience and has put women’s amateur golf in the spotlight.
Woad’s stunning calm and confidence appeared to be the difference after fumbling the gettable 13th. She hit a short drive, then a nine-iron lay up and badly pulled her third to the upper fringe where she came within inches of putting into the tributary of Rae’s Creek.
“I want to say my first putt was going in the water I hit it so hard, and luckily it stopped,” Woad said. “Then I looked at the scoreboard and saw I was only two back, and I knew there's chances every hole coming in.”
Woad then birdied three of the final four holes after laying up at the 15th and sinking putts on the final two greens. She joins elite Augusta National company in becoming the second women in ANWA history to birdie the 18th for the win, matching Jennifer Kupcho’s feat in the inaugural playing. And the 20-year-old Florida State golfer matched three players in Masters history who birdied the final two par 4s: Art Wall in 1959, Arnold Palmer in 1960 and Mark O’Meara in 1998.
Woad finished 13th last year in her inaugural ANWA en route to earning First Team All America honors at Florida State as a freshman. The former Girl’s Junior Amateur champion has represented England in both the Arnold Palmer Cup and World Amateur Team Championship. She also figures to lead Great Britain and Ireland later this year in the Curtis Cup at Sunnindale’s Old, listed as her favorite course.
Calm and carrying on with her detailed course game plans, Woad has no shortage of coaching voices and passion for competing.
“One of the things I love about this game is just there's so many aspects to it, so many ways that you can improve and you can really never get bored with the amount of different shots and stuff,” she said after her win. “I just enjoy working hard on my game.”
As for her on-course calm, Woad said the light fist bumps down the stretch Saturday may be the extent of her exuberance.
“Probably the most you’ll get out of me.”
In a pre-ANWA player questionnaire, Woad listed six coaches, including a “home” coach and pro at her home club Farnham (Luke Bone), Amy Bond, Robert Duck, Florida State’s Ryan Heisey, Steve Robinson and England Golf’s Nick Soto. Bone was in attendance for Saturday’s win while Robinson caddied and grabbed the winning flag pin at 18.
Woad’s dream foursome would include Seve Ballesteros, Georgia Hall and Justin Rose, while a mythical Masters Champions Dinner would drive home her home country credentials: Baked Camembert with sourdough bread; Main: Roast chicken, roast potatoes, broccoli, carrots, Yorkshire pudding, served with gravy; Dessert: Chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream.
The loss will sting for Shoemaker following a record round that was three clear of Saturday’s next best score. Still, she saluted Woad’s finish first before assessing her 66.
“I'm obviously disappointed, but at the end of the day, I played about as good as I could have,” Shoemaker said. “Maybe a couple of putts could have dropped. But I made just about everything too. It is what it is.”
The 20-year-old Shoemaker is a Dade City, Florida native and plays at USC. She went west to play for the Trojans after a successful junior and amateur career that included a win in the 2022 Florida Women’s Amateur and semi-final appearance in the 2022 U.S. Women’s Amateur.
Ingrid Lindblad also threatened late in what is likely her final ANWA, finishing solo third to go with a T-3 in 2021 and a T2 in 2022.