Amateur Lottie Woad stormed to a six-shot victory at the 2025 KPMG Women’s Irish Open at Carton House, A Fairmont Hotel in Ireland.
The English star began with day leading by seven strokes after rounds of 68-67-67 on the first three days of action on the O’Meara Course.
A round of 69 (-4) was more than enough to seal a maiden Ladies European Tour (LET) title for the world number one amateur with a score of 21-under-par.
“It means a lot to get the win,” said Woad, who won the Augusta Women’s National Amateur in 2024.
“Obviously, I had a big lead coming into today, but I still had to really focus as I was being chased by some really good players. I’m happy to get it done. It’s perfect. I feel like I’m playing well, and I hope to continue that into Evian next week.”
Woad began her day with a birdie at the second before adding another at the fourth, she made only her second bogey of the week at the fifth hole.
However, the 21-year-old soon bounced back with birdies on the eighth and 13th holes, she made another bogey on the 15th but then rolled in back-to-back birdies on 16 and 17.
She continued: “It felt pretty comfortable overall, there were a few moments at the start of the back nine that could have gone wrong, but I managed to hang in there and finish with some nice birdies.
“As soon as I birdied the second hole with a nice 12-footer there, that settled me. I hit a lot of good shots, I didn’t hole as many putts as the other days, but it was pretty stress-free in the end.
“I think either my shot into 17 or the shot into 16 to set up birdie were the best ones because I wrapped it up from there, so that was nice.”
Needing just two points to secure her LPGA Tour membership through the LPGA Elite Amateur Pathway (LEAP), Woad is going to remain an amateur until she has accumulated the 20 points required.
She added: “No, I’m not tempted to turn pro yet. I’m still trying to get my final two points for the LPGA. I’m trying to get those and then we will see what happens after that.”
Sweden’s Madelene Sagström ended the week in outright second place on 15-under-par after a final round of 68 (-5) in Ireland.
The Solheim Cup star made a birdie on the fourth followed by a bogey on the ninth before hitting a rich vein of form rolling in five birdies in her last eight holes.
“The only chance I would have had today would have been with a really hot start and I did not,” said Sagström. “She [Lottie] played wonderfully. It was going to be a hard task with the scores from yesterday.
“I’m really pleased with my game, especially pleased with my back nine. Shane [my caddie] asked if I was angry and I said I guess I am, but I’m really happy with the day.
“We’re all trying to do our best out here. Some days you win and most days you don’t, any day you can go out and shoot under-par while playing good golf, hitting good golf shots and making good decisions then it’s a good day on the course.
“You can’t control what anyone else does. It was Lottie’s week; it was wonderful to watch her play. I played a bunch of golf with her. I’m really happy with her and she’s going to take European and American golf by storm very soon.”
New Zealand’s Amelia Garvey produced an excellent final day carding a round of 67 (-6) to seal solo third place on 14-under-par.
The LET rookie rolled in three birdies on the trot on holes two, three and four before her only blemish of the day on the fifth.
Garvey immediately bounced back with a birdie on the sixth, she then made further birdies on the ninth, 14th and 17th to secure her spot at the ISPS HANDA Women’s Scottish Open and AIG Women’s Open.
“It’s unreal, just to have another good week after playing five weeks in a row. I’m really happy to finish it off like that,” said Garvey, who has recorded four top-10 finishes in her last five events.
“The plan was to make birdies early on and try and put a good front nine up. If she had come back to the field, you never know what could have happened, but she’s played great and it’s awesome to see the world number one amateur win this event. I did a good job.
“It’s all down to my coaches back in Manchester. I put in some really good work, I decided to take Jabra off and train back there with them. I’ve been feeling great since. I’m excited to be in the Scottish now, so I will keep playing and keep it up hopefully. I knew a good week here would get me in the AIG Women’s Open and it’ll be my first one, so I’m really looking forward to it.”
England’s Charley Hull was fourth on 12-under-par with four players two shots further back as Spain’s Fatima Fernandez Cano, England’s Hannah Screen, Switzerland’s Chiara Tamburlini and Australia’s Kirsten Rudgeley were all T5 on 10-under.
Three players rounded out the top 10 with France’s Celine Herbin, Alexandra Swayne of the U.S. Virgin Islands and France’s Anne-Charlotte Mora in T9 on nine-under-par.
In the LET Order of Merit, Sweden’s Sagström is now in 40th place with New Zealand’s Garvey making the biggest jump as she went from 15th to 10th in the rankings.
Next up for the LET is the fourth Major of the year with the Amundi Evian Championship taking place from July 10-13 at Evian Resort Golf Club.
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