Lottie Woad admits she may be too far back to challenge for AIG Women’s Open victory after being left ‘angry’ by a costly mistake late in her second round at Royal Porthcawl.
Woad started the day outside the top 50 after a level-par 72 but found herself temporarily inside the top four on Friday morning, as three consecutive birdies on the back nine lifted her to five under.
The pre-tournament favourite’s momentum was halted with an ugly triple-bogey at the par-four 16th where she was forced to take an unplayable lie from the rough, with Woad’s par-par finish seeing her post a two-under 70.
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Lottie Woad finished tied-10th at last year’s AIG Women’s Open, when she was still an amateur
Woad posted six birdies during her much-improved second round, where she outscored playing partners Lydia Ko and Lilia Vu for the second successive day, although heads into the weekend nine strokes behind clubhouse leader Miyu Yamashita.
“I’d definitely want to be a bit higher up,” Woad admitted. “A bit too far back now probably, but I think after all the stuff I had going on this week, playing four rounds is never a bad thing.
“There was a lot more good in it than bad. Played really well for 17 holes, just that one hole cost me a bit.
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Lottie Woad reacts to the incident on the 16th hole that resulted in a triple-bogey, dropping her back to two under
“I’d certainly take it now, but not when I was standing on the 16th tee. Yeah, just got to try to play well over the weekend. It’s pretty packed, so I can move up a bit.”
Favourite Woad makes major progress
Woad made a slow start in benign conditions on Friday morning, opening with five consecutive pars, then fired her approach to tap-in range at the par-five sixth and added another birdie at the par-three eighth.
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Woad was playing alongside Lydia Ko and Lilia Vu, who were two over and seven over respectively after two rounds
The 21-year-old was unable to take advantage of the par-five ninth but rolled in from six feet to start her back nine with a birdie, before cancelling out a three-putt bogey at the 11th – her first dropped shot of the day – by producing a three-birdie burst.
Woad converted from six feet at the par-three 12th, picked up a shot at the par-five next and holed from long-range at the 14th to jump to five under, but missed a close birdie chance at the 15th to move closer to the lead.
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The round unravelled at the 16th after her hack out of thick rough advanced into a worse spot, forcing her to take a penalty drop after her ball was deemed to have been embedded, with Woad pitching from a path onto the green with her fifth and then two-putting for a triple-bogey seven.
“It’s probably playing the toughest hole,” Woad told Sky Sports about the 16th. “I hit a good drive but pushed the three-wood I had in and it kind of got on the one thick bit over there.
“Took my medicine afterwards and ended up making up the seven but knew that 18 would give me a chance. I was a bit angry after that, but I had to move on quickly.”
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Woad challenged for major victory at the Evian Championship last month, ending tied-third
Woad got up and down from the back of the 17th to save par and failed to add to her tally at the par-five last, missing from eight feet, although completed her round as strengthening wind made conditions more challenging for the later starters.
The world No 24 won the KPMG Women’s Irish Open as an amateur last month and won her professional debut at the ISPS Handa Women’s Scottish Open on Sunday, although believes a third win in four starts may be a tough ask.
“I think we’re going to need something pretty special for that [winning],” Woad admitted. “I just need to try and put a good round in tomorrow (Saturday) and limit the mistakes, which I was doing today until the 16th!”
Who will win the AIG Women’s Open? Watch throughout the week live on Sky Sports Golf. Live coverage of the third round beings on Saturday from midday. For Sky customers, Sky Sports Golf is now found on channel 406. Not got Sky? Stream the women’s majors and more with no contract.
