Move over President Trump. Lottie Woad was the biggest thing in Ayrshire this weekend.
With another performance of purpose and poise over a testing, gusty Dundonald Links, the unflappable Woad marked her first event as a professional with victory in the ISPS Handa Women’s Scottish Open.
Over 72-holes, Woad leaked just three shots and her closing four-under 68 gave her a 21-under aggregate and a three-shot win over Hyo Joo Kim of Korea.
After her six-shot victory as an amateur at the Women’s Irish Open at the start of July, as well as a third-place finish in a major at the Evian Championship the following week, this was another significant statement of intent from a truly special talent.
As she marched off the final green, having put the tin lid on another thrilling conquest, she was greeted with a triumphant skirl of the pipes.
Perhaps a rehashing of a tune from the Beethoven collection would’ve been more appropriate. Woad to Joy, anyone? No, I thought not.
A week ago at The Open, we were all waxing lyrical about the calm, composed feats of a man called Scottie. On Sunday at Dundonald, it was a Lottie that everybody was talking about after her serene march to glory.
Leading by two heading into the final round, Woad staved off the menacing advances of Kim with a terrific display of frontrunning golf.
Even when Kim drew level at the top for a spell, Woad remained unflustered and upped the ante with a clinical burst of back-to-back birdies as she neared the closing stretch.
“It’s very special to win in my first event as a professional and it’s quite hard to do that,” said the former world amateur No 1.
“Everyone was chasing me today, but I managed to maintain the lead and played really nicely down the stretch.
“I’d played a lot of majors and pro events before this, so it wasn't all new. Those experiences helped.”
The final day developed into a two-horse race as Woad and the experienced Kim separated themselves from the rest.
Woad cemented her place at the top with a couple of birdies at the second and third while Kim, playing in the match ahead, made a telling thrust with four birdies in her opening seven holes to bolster her assault on the title.
A major winner back in 2014, and a multiple champion on both the LPGA Tour and her native Korean circuit down the years, Kim tried her best to put the pressure on as she nibbled into Woad’s advantage.
Not that Woad paid much attention to her push, mind you. “I didn't really know the score for most of the back nine,” admitted Woad.
Having briefly manoeuvred her way into a share of the lead just after the turn, Kim’s hopes suffered a damaging dunt as she stumbled to a brace of bogeys at 15 and 16.
Woad’s little flurry of birdies gave her a three-shot lead and despite spilling her only shot of the day on the 16th, the former Curtis Cup player didn’t let that slip faze her.
With a two-shot cushion playing the last, Woad plotted her way safely up the fairway then flicked a wedge into a couple of feet of the flag to set up a birdie which gilded the lily.
“I felt pretty good going down 18 because I knew I had a two-shot lead and just hit an 80-yard lay-up and an 80-yard shot,” she said of her stress-free meander up the closing par-5.
“I felt pretty confident coming down there.”
During her shimmering summer, Woad has forfeited around £480,000 in prize money due to her amateur status. Now that she’s a professional, she could finally shove a cheque into her pocket.
“I don’t even know what the winner gets,” she said with a smile. How does £223,000 sound, Lottie?
“A lot of people have talked about me not winning any money,” she added. “I knew going into all the events (as an amateur) that I wasn't going to win any money. It didn't make too much difference.
“I knew if I kept playing how I was, then it would all work out.”
Kim’s 68 gave her second place on 18-under, four shots ahead of Julia Lopez Ramirez and Sei Young Kim who shared third.
Nelly Korda, the world No 1 who was making her first appearance in the Women’s Scottish Open, signed off with a 71 for 13-under while Gemma Dryburgh, the only Scot to make the cut, finished down the field on seven-over.
All roads now lead to Porthcawl for this week’s AIG Women’s Open, the final major of the season.
Woad will hurtle into south Wales on the crest of a wave.
