AIG Women’s Open: Lottie Woad plays down pressure as favourite as Nelly Korda, Lydia Ko back English star to impress at Royal Porthcawl

Lottie Woad insists she is not feeling any extra pressure heading into the AIG Women’s Open, despite being named pre-tournament favourite ahead of world No 1 Nelly Korda.

Woad made a winning start to her professional career on Sunday at the ISPS Handa Women’s Scottish Open, having won the KPMG Women’s Irish Open and contended at the Evian Championship earlier in the month while still an amateur.

The 21-year-old’s rapid ascent in the women’s game has lifted her inside the world’s top 25 and made her the bookmakers’ favourite to win the final major of the year at Royal Porthcawl, live from Thursday on Sky Sports, with Woad looking to build on her recent success.

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Highlights from the final round of the ISPS Handa Women’s Scottish Open, where Woad made a winning start to her professional career

“I feel good obviously,” Woad said in her pre-tournament press conference. “I don’t feel too different, to be honest. I got a lot of confidence from the last month really. Just trying to continue to ride that.

“I think it [dealing with expectation] is still a learning process. I don’t think you can ever really fully handle it. I definitely feel like I’ve got a lot better at it. I just try and block out the noise as much as possible really.

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Lottie Woad is making her first major appearance as a professional this week

“There’s always pressure obviously, but I don’t think there’s any more than there was, like from my perspective, before any of the last few weeks. Kind of still was wanting to contend there, and that’s still the aim.”

On being the favourite, Woad admitted: “I don’t know how they [bookmakers] do it, but I feel like I’m playing well. So I guess I was going to be one of the favourites.

“Obviously everyone’s so good, so I feel like anyone can win really. You’ve seen it this year, I think every winner has been different. So there’s many people it could be.”

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Woad explains how she stays so calm on the course

Ko: I can learn from Woad! Woad has been drawn for the first two rounds alongside two-time major winner Lilia Vu and defending champion Lydia Ko, who has been left impressed by how the Englishwoman has handled the extra media attention.

“Lottie’s off to a very hot start,” Ko said. “She has been playing unbelievably.

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World No 3 Lydia Ko admits that there are things she will be able to learn from Woad when the pair play together at the AIG Women’s Open

“I don’t know a lot about her game personally, but the little that I’ve seen, she seems super impressive and has that kind of cool, calm, collected demeanour. I think that’s pretty important as a player. She’s come out with a bang and I’m sure she’s going to keep continuing to play well.

“I think she’s been there and done really well in those pressure conditions, no matter what kind of environment she’s been in. I think there’s a little bit more experience under her belt than what people probably give her credit for.”

Ko said she was ‘excited’ to play alongside Woad for the first time, adding: “She’s coming in with a ton of momentum, and I think there’s going to be a lot of people that’s going to come out and watch her.

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Woad is looking to become the first Englishwoman to win a major since 2018

“It’s going to be really cool for me to see and see the things that I could possibly learn from her and why she’s playing good. Just because you’re a higher ranked player doesn’t mean that there’s something that I can’t learn from somebody else.

“She’s obviously playing great golf. I’ve seen her swing, and my coach has sent me a video of her swing as well because there’s aspects that I’m kind of going for that she has. It will be really cool to just be inside the ropes, pick her brain a little bit.”

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Highlights from the final round of the 2024 AIG Women’s Open, where Ko claimed an impressive victory

Korda backs ‘amazing’ Woad to impress againKorda finished runner-up to Ko in last year’s tournament but heads into this year’s contest in Wales with her world No 1 status under threat, having failed to win on the LPGA Tour so far throughout 2025.

The 27-year-old believes Woad looks comfortable playing alongside the world’s best and stays composed when in contention, having played alongside her during last week’s Scottish Open.

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Nelly Korda was full of praise for Woad after her recent victory in Scotland, plus spoke of her involvement in the Happy Gilmore 2 movie

“Absolutely amazing,” Korda admitted about Woad. “I was very impressed with her composure, her process. I think, when it comes to her shot routine, especially under pressure and in the heat of the moment.

“Sometimes people seem to fidget and kind of doubt themselves, but she stuck to it, she stuck to her process every single time. I think that’s one of the main things that I noticed – how mature she is for her age and how comfortable she was in the heat of the moment.

“You can see that she’s put a ton of hours in. Her putting is very solid, her game’s solid, she hits it pretty far off the tee. She grew up in this kind of weather too, so I feel like she’s kind of comfortable.”

Who will win the AIG Women’s Open? Watch throughout the week live on Sky Sports Golf. Live coverage of the opening round begins on Thursday 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.

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