IRVINE, Scotland (AP) — Lottie Woad made her pro debut Thursday and not much changed. The rising English star had a 5-under 67 and was among those one shot behind Charlotte Laffar after the opening round of the Women's Scottish Open.
Laffar, who only returned to the Ladies European Tour in May after taking four years off to have two children, opened with a bogey at Dundonald Links and more than made up for that with eight birdies the rest of the way for a 66.
She led by one over five players. That group included Leona Maguire, who had a far different start to her day than Laffar. Maguire holed out from the first fairway for eagle. Nelly Korda, still searching for her first victory of the year after a seven-win season in 2024, was among those at 68.
The tournament is co-sanctioned by the LPGA and the LET, an ideal spot ahead of the final major of the year, next week's Women's British Open at Royal Porthcawl in Wales.
Woad first got attention when she won the Augusta National Women's Amateur in 2023 and then rose to No. 1 in the women's amateur ranking while at Florida State. She won the Women's Irish Open three weeks ago as an amateur and then finished one shot out of a playoff at a major in the Evian Championship. That secured an LPGA card, and she turned pro.
“I'm just trying to keep as much momentum as possible and keep playing how I was playing. It worked today, so I will just try and do that again the next few days,” Woad said. “It didn’t feel too different today. I think having all the experience I’ve had in majors and contending gave me all I needed, and I didn’t really have to change much.”
Laffar, a 32-year-old from England, ran off four birdies in a five-hole stretch on the back nine and regained the lead with a birdie at the 17th. Her husband, David, was caddying for her and they left their sons with grandparents.
“I’ve got no pressure at all,” Laffar said. “Golf is a lot of people’s lives out here, but my children are my life. So this has become more of a working hobby, I suppose you could say. I’ve just got to enjoy every moment. I don’t know how long I’m going to do it for. I will see how it goes. I’ve got to show the kids how I used to play.”
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